Staples Significantly Increasing Product Line To Meet Customer Demand
By Megan Zielinski, contributing writer
On May 13, Staples Inc. supplied its Dallas stores with eight new product categories with plans to expand in-store additions in 1,000 store nationwide and more than 100 stores in Canada, granting business customers the convenience of a complete one-stop shopping experience.
Staples operates more than 2,000 stores worldwide in 26 countries, is renewing up to 20 percent of in-store inventory in half of their stores. After reviewing results of customer tests towards purchases and interests over the past year, the company will be adding about 1,600 items beyond pens, computer paper, ink, and other traditional office products. Business customers can expect to find everything including medical supplies for their medical office, such as scrubs for employees; a general selection of gifts and cards for office parties; retail supplies including mobile POS, bags, signage; hard hats and safety cones for maintenance repair operations; and even childcare facility products, including educational toys, learning programs, and art supplies. The company states regarding their promise to customers, “No matter what they need, what business they’re in or what they want to do, we’re here to help them get more done.”
The new variety of items are also available through Staples online services, offering even more to the company’s e-commerce and mobile customers. “The new categories we’ve added to our stores build on our expanded Staples.com assortment and give customers more of what they want to Make More Happen whether it’s in-store, online or via mobile,” states Mike Edwards, executive VP, merchandising, Staples. Along with the inclusion of a wide range of new products for business customers to browse through, the company is also including updated Staples.com kiosks in all stores, allowing customers to have direct access to the entire inventory online.
Staples is committed to delivering quality service to customers — in-store and online. After experiencing a decrease of in-store sales by 7 percent during fourth quarter 2013, the company is taking strides in improving their services in the bricks-and-mortars stores. Staples implemented a highly interactive 3D printing technology service in New York and Los Angeles stores last month. In the beginning of May, the company introduced their updated Staples EasyTech Total Support plan, providing customers and businesses with enhanced technology services for their PCs with the newest PC systems and virus protection. From now through May 26, customers have the opportunity to receive $50 off on a new PC purchase and free data transfer when they trade in any working Windows XP computer. Another customer appealing feature was rolled out this month as the company launched their new Technology Trade-in Program, rewarding customers with Staples ecash cards in return for recycled used technology devices. Customers bring their products in-store, receive store credit immediately, opening up opportunities for more frequent customer visits and in-store spending.