Staples.com Named a Top Web Site for Entrepreneurs by Forbes Best of the Web; Third Consecutive Year Staples.com Recognized by Forbes Magazine

Business Wire, March 12, 2002

Business/Technology Editors

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2002

Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq:SPLS) today announced Staples.com has been selected as a Forbes Best of the Web Pick for Entrepreneurs. Web sites were chosen based on their ability to help smaller businesses operate as smoothly as much larger organizations with greater resources.

"Staples.com is focused on making it simple, convenient and cost-effective for our customers to take care of all their office supply needs in one place," said Brian Light, executive vice president of Staples Business Delivery. "We are honored by Forbes' recognition of Staples.com as a top site for entrepreneurs."

One of 15 recommended Web sites for Entrepreneurs, Staples.com was also selected in the five sites highlighted as "Forbes Best of the Web Pick," and was the only office supplies site to receive recognition. According to Forbes, Staples.com makes it easier to buy office supplies. The site is noted for its vast selection of 100,000 items, and Forbes notes that "customized shopping carts and automatic logins make repeat purchases a breeze." Additional time-savers identified in the article include email reminders so customers don't run out of office essentials, free delivery on orders over $50, low prices on a range of business services from payroll to printing, 24 hour customer service and no hassle-returns via pick up or in a store. More information is available at www.forbesbest.com.

About Staples

Staples, Inc. is an $11 billion retailer of office supplies, business services, furniture and technology to consumers and businesses from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Headquartered outside Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and today is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. The company has approximately 53,000 associates serving customers through more than 1,400 office superstores, mail order catalogs, e-commerce and a contract business. More information about the company is available at http://www.staples.com.