Staples' Recent Omni-Channel Improvements Boost Online Sales

By Anna Rose Welch, Editorial & Community Director, Advancing RNA

Company expands online inventory, prepares for a competitive omni-channel holiday season

While Staples is reporting lower sales in its third quarter because of challenges in the office supply market, the company remains determined to continue its reinvention strategies to make Staples “the destination of every product that businesses need to succeed.” Recently, the company revamped its online store front for the first time since 2005.This not only made the site faster and simpler to navigate, but by integrating Staples rewards, customers were met with an easier checkout experience. So far, these changes seem to be appreciated, considering that the company experienced a 3 percent increase in online sales during Q3’13. In addition, a recent Staples Holiday Survey revealed a rising percentage of people are planning to shop for gifts online. This increase in online sales should be good news to the company, showing that its initiatives are working as the holiday approaches.

With its new online store front up and running, the company has begun delving into personalization, with the help of the newly acquired Runa. Staples has also begun to expand its relationships with important technology brands like Apple and is adding a great deal more merchandise online. Not only does the company now boast the latest iPad releases on Staples.com, Quill.com, and Staplesadvantage.com, but it also is offering 70,000 new selections for those seeking new office furniture or décor and educational supplies.

According to Staples CEO Ronald Sargent, these new product additions to the website are the company’s attempt to meet consumer’s demand for more than just the traditional office supplies. He says, “Our business customers have told us that they trust Staples to provide them with many more categories beyond office supplies. So we are aggressively pursuing this opportunity by adding a wide assortment of products that are tailored to specific industries.” With over 200,000 products online today, Sargent says the company is well on its way to reaching its goal of 300,000 online products by the end of 2013.

And how does the company plan to get customers browsing through their endless aisles and choosing Staples for their holiday needs? Like many other omni-channel retailers this year, Staples is opening on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in its history. It is also offering its Price Match Guarantee, ensuring that customers shopping in-store or online at Staples will get what they’re looking for at the lowest possible price. Staples rewards members will receive free shipping and 5 percent back on rewards for their purchases. To keep people returning throughout the season to their online site, Sargent says that they will be launching new daily deals on Staples.com and flash sales through the company’s new and improved mobile app.

Ultimately, it’s going to be an important season for the retailer, now faced with increasing competition from the newly created Office Depot — the final product of the merger between OfficeMax and Office Depot that was finalized earlier this month. In an increasingly difficult market for office supplies and suppliers, Staples and the financially strengthened Office Depot are both ready to battle it out for customers’ business this holiday.

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