Staples Rings the "First Bell" to Signify the Start of Great Deals on Core School Supplies
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 8, 2008--Summer is here,
and while teens are relaxing, parents are already thinking ahead to
back to school. Unlike "Black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving that
signifies the start of the holiday shopping season, there is no
"official" kick-off date for when back-to-school shopping starts -
until today. Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), the world's largest office
products company and top retail destination for back to school,
declares July 8 as the official first day of the 2008 back-to-school
shopping season. To commemorate the day, the company will open the
NASDAQ market and sound the "First Bell" of the school supply shopping
season.
"We analyzed historic trends and feedback from parents and
schools, and added our in-depth knowledge of shopping patterns to
determine the official start of the 2008 back-to-school season," said
John Mahoney, vice chairman and chief financial officer of Staples,
Inc. "Based on our more than 20 years of experience in the
back-to-school supply industry, we can put a stake in the ground in a
way that has never been done before. Schools begin opening their doors
as early as July, and as a national retailer with a wide assortment of
products at great prices, our goal is to make back to school shopping
easy for parents and teens."
According to the 2008 Staples Back-to-School Survey, the
overwhelming majority of moms plan ahead when shopping for
back-to-school supplies, with 74 percent of moms shopping two weeks to
a month before school starts. In addition, parents surveyed rank
school supply shopping as one of the most high-stress shopping
occasions, second only to holiday gift shopping. More than 70 percent
of parents polled say they would welcome an official start for the
back-to-school shopping season to help identify when they can expect
to start finding supplies in stock. By establishing an official start
to the back-to-school shopping season, Staples is giving parents a
clear roadmap of where and when to find the best products and deals
this season. More survey findings are available at
http://www.staples.com/btspr.
"The back-to-school shopping season is a very important time for
the retail industry. We have noticed that back-to-school shopping has
been occurring earlier and earlier in the past few years, as consumers
have been looking for bargains," said Erin Hershkowitz, spokesperson
for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).
"Back-to-school items tend to be viewed as more essential, and not
discretionary, for the consumer, so they must, and will spend for
these items."
This week, to launch the season, Staples is offering "First Bell"
deals, including 2-pocket paper folders and 8/pack of #2 pencils for a
penny, and 25 cent 1/2" and 1" poly-binders.
First Bell doesn't end there. It's not just a signal to shoppers,
but also a message to teenagers to make a difference this summer. Now
through August 31st, Staples and DoSomething.org, with the help from
pop star and American Idol(TM) winner, Jordin Sparks, are encouraging
teens to collect school supplies and drop them off at their nearest
Staples store as part of its Do Something 101 campaign. Staples
customers can also take part in the summer activities by adding extra
school supplies to their shopping cart to drop in the collection bin
or by donating $2 in any Staples store, with 100 percent of the
proceeds benefiting local teens in need.
Representatives and youth from DoSomething.org, the organization
that empowers teens to take action in their communities, will join
Staples at the "First Bell" ringing. In addition, Staples will help
make a difference with a $50,000 kick-start donation of school
supplies to the Do Something 101 campaign.
Visit www.staples.com/btspr for even more news and photos.
About the Survey
The survey was developed by Staples and conducted by Decision
Analyst, Inc. in Arlington, TX. Decision Analyst surveyed by Internet
a nationally representative random sample of 304 moms. All respondents
were members of American Consumer Opinion(R) online, Decision
Analyst's proprietary Internet based consumer-opinion panel with over
7,000,000 members globally. Such a sample has a margin of error of
plus or minus 2.0 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. For more
information about American Consumer Opinion(R) online please visit
www.acop.com.
About DoSomething.org
Do Something believes teenagers have the power to make a
difference. We leverage communications technologies to enable teens to
convert their ideas and energy into positive action. We inspire,
empower and celebrate a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize
the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and
then take action. Plug in at www.dosomething.org.
About Staples
Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and
today is the world's largest office products company. With 76,000
talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy
a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology,
furniture, and business services. With 2007 sales of $19.4 billion,
Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based
businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 22 countries throughout North
and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston,
Staples operates more than 2,000 office superstores and also serves
its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract
businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com.
CONTACT: Tilson Communications
Tracy Tilson, 561-998-1995
ttilson@tilsonpr.com
or
Staples, Inc.
Katie Sullivan, 508-253-0879
katie.sullivan@staples.com
SOURCE: Staples, Inc.