is staples a business to business market (My honest, practical breakdown)

If you’re asking is staples a business to business market, you’re probably in one of these situations:

• You’re tired of random office supply runs (and surprise spending).
• You want one place where your team can order what they need without chaos.
• You’re trying to figure out if Staples is just a store… or something closer to a real B2B supplier setup.

Here’s my straight answer:

Yes—Staples does operate like a business-to-business market for many buyers, but it’s not only that. Staples is built as a hybrid: it serves everyday shoppers and has dedicated business programs with B2B-style tools like spend controls, approvals, procurement integrations, invoice terms, and account support. (Staples.com)

And that “hybrid” part matters, because it changes how you should use Staples depending on your company size and how you buy.

What “business-to-business market” means (in real-life terms)

When people say “B2B market,” they usually don’t just mean “a website where businesses can buy stuff.”

They mean a buying setup that feels like procurement, not casual shopping.

A true B2B buying experience usually includes things like:

• Account-based pricing (your company sees pricing based on your program/contract)
• Multiple users & locations under one account
• Approvals and spend limits (so purchases don’t get out of control)
• Purchase orders, budget codes, reporting
• Invoice billing / payment terms (instead of only paying by card every time)
• Integrations with procurement platforms (PunchOut catalogs, eProcurement tools)
• Dedicated support (someone who helps when purchasing gets messy)

Staples checks a lot of these boxes—but only if you’re using their business side the right way. (staplesadvantage.com)

So, is staples a business to business market or just retail?

Staples itself explains it in a way that makes this simple: it operates three businesses—and one of them is specifically built for business buyers.

1) Staples Business (the B2B engine)

Staples describes a free Staples Business account with business pricing, digital tools to manage spending, and broad procurement integration (they mention 170+ purchasing platforms).

2) Staples.com (easy ordering)

This is positioned more for smaller buyers who want deals and a curated assortment.

3) Staples Retail (stores + services)

The store side still exists, but the modern Staples store is heavily driven by services like printing, shipping, tech help, recycling, and travel-related services.

So when someone asks is staples a business to business market, what they’re really asking is:

“Does Staples have a B2B procurement-style setup for businesses?”

And the answer is yes—especially through its business account options.

Staples Business account options (this is where B2B really shows up)

Here’s the part most articles don’t explain clearly: Staples has different business account “levels,” and the features change depending on what you need.

Staples Advantage lays it out like this:

• Up to ~20 employees: everyday low business pricing + fast delivery + access to experts
• ~20–500 employees: custom pricing programs + flexible payment terms + account support
• 500+ employees: eProcurement integration + spend controls/approval routing + dedicated account management

And they also emphasize that the account can support unlimited users and multiple ship-to locations, even at the free account level.

That “multiple users + ship-to locations” detail is one of the clearest signals you’re looking at a B2B-style system, not just a shopping cart.

The B2B features that make Staples feel like a “business market”

Let me break down the big ones in a practical way.

1) Spend controls and approvals (the “stop surprise purchases” tools)

Staples highlights spend visibility and approval flows, including user spend limits and purchasing/user reporting.

And the admin guide gets more specific about how this can work inside an organization:

• You can set up roles like Administrator, Supervisor, Associate
• You can route orders for approval based on rules (all orders, thresholds, blocked items, etc.)
• You can set order minimums/maximums, line-item limits, and approval routing
• Approvers can review, modify, approve, or decline orders, and even add PO/budget info during approval

Real-life example (how I’d use this):
If I’m managing supplies for a team, I’ll usually do something like:

• Let team members order normal restock items freely (paper, pens, shipping labels).
• Route anything over a certain amount (or anything in “tech” categories) for approval.
• Block “nice-to-have” categories completely unless someone requests an override.

That way, people still get what they need quickly—but the budget doesn’t get quietly wrecked.

2) Budget centers + purchase orders (the “accounting-friendly” layer)

This is one of the most useful (and most ignored) details.

Staples’ admin guide explains that users can be assigned to specific Budget Centers, can have defaults, and can also be authorized for specific Purchase Orders (again, with defaults). (Staples Brand Portal)

Why this matters:
If you manage multiple departments (or multiple locations), budget centers + POs are what keep purchasing clean. Instead of digging through statements later, you get spend categorized upfront.

3) Procurement integrations (the enterprise signal)

Staples says it integrates with 150+ eProcurement systems via third-party punchouts (so teams can order the “same way they always have”).

Separately, Staples also notes integration with 170+ purchasing platforms for enterprise customers.

Plain-English version of PunchOut:
A PunchOut catalog basically lets your team shop Staples inside your procurement system (instead of “shopping around” and expensing later). It’s a classic B2B feature.

4) Delivery flexibility that matches business operations

Staples highlights flexible delivery options like:

• scheduling delivery up to 15 days in advance
• choosing delivery location
• selecting preferred courier

That’s a business operations feature—not just “standard shipping.”

5) Payment terms (another B2B marker)

Staples states Net-30 payment terms are available to qualified businesses (while card payment is accepted for all accounts).

If you’ve ever had to manage business purchasing, you already know: invoice terms change the whole workflow.

A quick “buyer’s setup plan” (how I’d roll this out in a real company)

If I were setting Staples up for a business team, I wouldn’t start by dumping everyone into the account and hoping it works.

I’d do it in phases:

Phase 1: Build a controlled core list (Week 1)

1. Pick 20–40 items your team always buys (paper, toner, shipping tape, cleaning wipes, snacks).
2. Create a shared shopping list so people stop searching from scratch.
3. Decide what should be restricted (tech accessories, furniture, high-ticket items).

Phase 2: Add users with rules (Week 2)

• Add users by role (Admin/Supervisor/Associate model is simple and works well).
• Set spend limits and approval routing:
  • “No approval needed under X amount”
  • “Approval required for specific categories”
  • “Approval required for non-list items” (optional but powerful)

Phase 3: Clean reporting habits (Week 3–4)

• Assign budget centers + PO defaults (especially if departments exist).
• Use reporting to spot patterns:
  • who orders most
  • what categories inflate
  • what items should be standardized

This is the difference between “we buy from Staples” and “Staples is part of our procurement system.”

Staples isn’t only supplies anymore (and this supports the B2B angle)

A lot of people still think Staples = paper, pens, printer ink.

But Staples has been leaning hard into services, and those services support business buyers who need quick solutions:

• printing and marketing services
• shipping services
• tech and recycling services
• travel-related services

Modern Retail also describes Staples driving foot traffic through services like printing, shipping, passport-related services, and expanding tech/service partnerships.

Why this matters for B2B buyers:
Business purchasing isn’t only “buy boxes.” It’s also “get things done.” Being able to order supplies and handle urgent services in one place is part of why Staples can function like a one-stop B2B destination.

The “business memberships” layer (how Staples pushes deeper into B2B)

Staples also promotes business membership programs built around:

• negotiated pricing
• exclusive savings
• fast delivery (with conditions)
• access to experts

And they spell out extra benefits for higher-tier memberships, including:

• customized pricing programs
• employee perk program
• 30-day billing
• order approval + spend controls
• dedicated account management

If your goal is “treat Staples like a real supplier,” memberships and account programs are usually where the better pricing + controls live.

Sustainability + responsibility (details people skip, but buyers care about)

If you’re purchasing for a business, sustainability and supplier practices can matter—especially when you need to report on it.

Staples mentions:

• 12,000+ products with eco features
• a plan to reduce operational carbon emissions by 35%
• a goal to reduce packaging waste by 50%

That’s useful when you’re trying to align purchasing with internal policies (or client requirements).

Final verdict: is staples a business to business market?

Yes—is staples a business to business market is a fair label when you’re talking about Staples Business / Staples Advantage-style programs, because:

• you can run multi-user accounts with controls
• approvals + spend limits exist
• budget centers and POs can be used
• procurement integrations (PunchOut/eProcurement) exist at scale
• payment terms like Net-30 exist for qualified accounts
• delivery is built around operational needs

But it’s also true that Staples is not only a B2B market. It’s a hybrid company serving both business procurement and everyday shopping.

Image suggestions (exact placement)

1. After the introduction (right after the 1st paragraph)
   Image idea: Screenshot-style image of a “business account dashboard” (spend controls / users / ship-to locations).
   Alt text: “Staples business account dashboard for managing users and spending”
2. Under heading: “What ‘business-to-business market’ means” (after the bullet list)
   Image idea: Simple infographic: “B2C vs B2B purchasing” (pricing, approvals, invoicing, integrations).
   Alt text: “B2B vs B2C purchasing differences”
3. Under heading: “Staples Business account options” (right before the employee-size breakdown)
   Image idea: A clean comparison graphic showing 3 tiers (small / mid / enterprise).
   Alt text: “Staples business account options by company size”
4. Under heading: “Spend controls and approvals” (after the real-life example)
   Image idea: Workflow graphic: Employee → Supervisor approval → Order submitted.
   Alt text: “Approval workflow for business purchasing”
5. Under heading: “Staples isn’t only supplies anymore” (after the first paragraph)
   Image idea: Photo of print/shipping service counter (generic, not location-specific).
   Alt text: “Print and shipping services for businesses”
6. Before the conclusion (right before “Final verdict”)
   Image idea: Checklist graphic titled “Is Staples right for our business?”
   Alt text: “Checklist for choosing Staples as a business supplier”

FAQs

1) is staples a business to business market for every customer?

Not automatically. Staples can function like a B2B market when you use business account programs with controls, approvals, and procurement features—but a casual shopper experience won’t feel like B2B.

2) What’s the difference between a normal Staples account and a business account?

A business account is designed for multiple users, multiple ship-to locations, spend visibility, and (in many cases) approval routing and reporting.

3) Can I set spending limits so employees don’t overspend?

Yes. Staples supports spend limits and approval flows, and admins can route orders based on rules like thresholds or item restrictions.

4) Does Staples support purchase orders and cost/budget tracking?

Yes—Staples materials describe assigning budget centers and purchase orders, including defaults and user authorization.

5) Does Staples integrate with procurement systems?

Staples states it integrates with over 150 eProcurement systems via punchouts, and also mentions integration across 170+ purchasing platforms for enterprise transitions.

6) Can businesses get invoice terms like Net-30?

Net-30 payment terms are available to qualified businesses, while card payments are accepted for all accounts.

7) Is Staples only about office supplies?

No. Staples positions itself around workspace products and also emphasizes services like printing, shipping, tech/recycling, and other service-led categories.

8) What’s the fastest way to make Staples work for a team?

Start with a controlled shopping list (your core restock items), add users by role, then turn on approvals for anything outside the list or above a threshold.

Helpful resources (external links)

• Staples “About Us” overview (Staples Business / Staples.com / Retail) (Staples.com)
• Staples Business account options and features (staplesadvantage.com)
• Staples business membership programs (Plus / Premium) (Staples.com)
• Admin quick guide (approvals, roles, budgets, POs) (Staples Brand Portal)
• Recent reporting on Staples’ services expansion (Modern Retail)
• NetSuite procurement tooling referencing Staples Business Advantage (Digital Commerce 360)