Staples Canada has launched Staples Business, a new brand in the market to bring office supplies, technology, print and facilities services together for Canadian business customers.
The brand will focus on two tiers: one for smaller businesses and one for larger buyers that need custom pricing and dedicated account support.
Richmond Hill, Ontario-based Staples Canada said the new brand would simplify purchasing and account management for business customers.
Why Staples Business is launching in Canada
“Staples Business brings everything our business customers rely on together under one brand, building on our long-standing commitment to supporting Canadian businesses for more than 30 years,” said Chris Saniga, chief B2B officer at Staples Canada. “As a Canadian company, we understand the pressures organizations here are facing. Whether it’s a growing startup or a large enterprise, our goal is to take more off their plate so they can focus on what comes next.”
Currently, Staples has nearly 300 outlets in Canada. Its Quebec stores operate under the Bureau en Gros nameplate.
Industry analysts assessed that the new brand’s debut is as much about competition as customer service.
Marty Bauer, ecommerce expert at Omnisend, an email and SMS marketing platform for ecommerce brands, said the move was necessary to fend off competition.
“This new branding strategy is about much more than a cosmetic rebrand,” Bauer stated. “It’s an important step in defending the market against ecommerce giants, particularly Amazon Business.”
What makes Staples Canada’s business customer unique?
Bauer noted that B2B clients are quite different from regular shoppers in Staples Canada’s case.
“The goal is to make supply procurement as easy and frictionless as possible,” he said. “It’s as much about time and efficiency as it is about price. The new, refreshed Staples Business aims to offer exactly that.”
Bauer added that Staples Business has brought together a wide range of products, from office and janitorial supplies to IT hardware.
“This means a single account manager is responsible for all of a client’s needs, which significantly lowers administrative hassle for both parties,” Bauer said.
Additionally, Bauer pointed out that Staples Business will be able to categorize its clients into different tiers. Different-sized businesses require different approaches. For instance, small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) may place greater emphasis on an automated checkout system, transparency and fast response times than larger companies. Meanwhile, large businesses, Bauer explained, expect dynamic contract pricing, custom product catalogs and dedicated account managers.
“Staples Business is now better able to cater to these different needs,” Bauer said.
How Staples Business will try to compete in Canada
Lastly, Bauer said, a dedicated B2B brand could show Staples Canada’s business customers that a company is serious about catering to them and can compete with ecommerce giants.
“They may not be able to compete in terms of pricing, but they can compete in terms of expertise and the ability to cater to clients’ specific needs,” Bauer said.
Another observer said the brand’s success will depend on whether Staples can deliver on its promise.
Rich Pleeth, founder of the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered logistics platform Finmile, said a dedicated business brand can help Staples Canada win customers by making its wider offer easier to understand.
“Someone who thinks of Staples for printer paper may not think of it for IT support or facilities supplies,” Pleeth stated. “Putting those services together gives the sales team a clearer story, but the customer still needs a reason to change suppliers.”
Pleeth echoed Bauer’s perspective, adding that a small business might be persuaded by the prospect of less time spent ordering and chasing deliveries.
“For a larger buyer, consolidated invoicing, agreed pricing and an account manager who can sort out a problem could be worth more than a small discount on stationery,” Pleeth said. “The two tiers make sense because those buyers need different levels of support.”
Nevertheless, Pleeth expects that the new name will present a test.
“If a business orders laptops, chairs and printed materials for a new office, can someone coordinate the delivery and resolve anything missing?” he asked. “If the customer still has to chase three departments, the brand has promised more than the operation delivers.”
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