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Staples Recycles Laptop By Cracking Its Screen
By Laura Northrup on December 30, 2011 9:00 AM
34 Comments
When you trade in your old electronic device for "recycling" while buying a new one, does that device have to work? Staples offered a $100 rebate this holiday season to customers who sent in their old computers after purchasing a new one. "Recycling" is in quotes because computers traded in had to be running, and include the charger, so they were bound for re-use rather than recycling. That was no problem for George, though — he traded in a working computer. Only the screen was cracked when it reached the center, and he didn't get the full rebate. More »
Yes, You Can Now Buy Actual Dunder Mifflin Paper
By Chris Morran on November 28, 2011 12:15 PM
29 Comments
Between the rumored cancellation of Community and well, just about everything else it screws up on a regular basis, NBC can't do many things properly these days, except merchandise licensing. First, there was Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls ice cream and now comes actual paper from Dunder Mifflin, the paper company which is the subject of the longest continually running documentary on U.S. TV, The Office. More »
5 Bad Deals In Extended Warranties For Holiday Shoppers
By Ben Popken on November 1, 2011 12:00 PM
69 Comments
Extended warranty plans are generally known as being bad deals for consumers. But how specifically are they bad? An insider who works, begrudgingly, for an extended service plan company lays out some of the worst extended warranty deals to watch out for when shopping this holiday season. More »
(Scoboco)
Peanut Butter Turns Into Budget Buster
By Phil Villarreal on November 1, 2011 10:15 AM
59 Comments
If you're about to run out of peanut butter, be prepared for some sticker shock next time you go grocery shopping. Due to the rising cost of peanuts, caused by one of the lowest harvests in decades, peanut butter manufacturers across the board are raising prices of jelly's best friend. More »
Will These Employees Please Stop Hijacking My Cart?
By Laura Northrup on July 14, 2011 8:00 AM
197 Comments
B. keeps getting cart-jacked in big-box stores. Not by fellow customers envious of the amazing bargains she finds, but by store employees eager to clean up the store who think that her unattended cart has been abandoned. Not so, she insists, raising another question altogether: how long can you reasonably expect to leave your cart alone before it is, indeed, cartjacked? More »
Staples Canada Accused Of Selling Computers With Old User Data On Hard Drive
By Chris Morran on June 21, 2011 4:18 PM
73 Comments
Staples stores in Canada have some explaining to do after a government audit found evidence that the office supply chain was violating Canadian privacy law by selling used computers and storage drives that still contained data belonging to the previous owner. More »
Video Of Home Depot Easy Button Ripoff In Action
By Ben Popken on March 24, 2011 12:00 PM
24 Comments
Reader Ed went back to Home Depot and took a video of that Home Depot ripoff of the Staple's "Easy Button" getting pressed. The mechanized voice released from inside says, "Don't see the product you want you want on our displays? The Home Depot can still provide it! Ask an associate to set up a CFP to locate the product you want!" That's a lot more words than when you push the original button, which says, "That was Easy." Nice job, big orange, you steal someone else's idea and then totally ruin the whole concept by adding a bunch of extra marketing language. More »
Package Of 100 Certificates Yields 96 Useful Certificates, 4 Stupid Bent Sheets
More »
By Laura Northrup on March 23, 2011 3:15 PM
96 Comments
Perhaps Alan's expectations were out of line. He bought a package of one hundred certificates at Staples, expecting it to contain one hundred certificates that he could use for whatever award he was giving out. Instead, four of the sheets had been folded and wasted. A small indignity in modern consumerism, but an annoying one. More »
Home Depot Rips Off Staples Easy Button
By Ben Popken on March 14, 2011 12:00 PM
43 Comments
At least one Home Depot has been so inspired by Staples "Easy Button" that they came up with their own knockoff. Reader Ed sent in this photo of one of these buttons he spotted in his local Home Depot on the desk in the flooring department. When I first saw the picture, I thought that when you pushed it a giant mechanical hand would grab one of the experienced retired contractors who Home Depot fired and replaced with cheaper labor and drop him in front of you. Sadly, the reality is, as usual, much more mundane than my fevered imaginings. More »
Confessions Of A Staples Employee
By Chris Morran on March 8, 2011 11:15 AM
89 Comments
It's been more than three years since we received any confessions from an employee at Staples. Thankfully, Staples vet Dave decided to write us with the insights he gleaned from his time at the office supply superstore. More »
Staples Makes Me Play Foolish Games To Get Advertised Deal
By Phil Villarreal on November 29, 2010 10:30 AM
71 Comments
Jason is not a man. He's a piece of iron. And that's why he finally got Staples to honor an advertised computer discount program, despite several attempts by employees to derail him. More »
Staples Offers PC Tune-Up Via Cold Call
By Phil Villarreal on October 1, 2010 3:30 PM
43 Comments
Who hasn't sat around bored and lonely, staring into a computer screen, wishing someone from a retailer would call with an annoying PC tune-up offer? More »
Wow! That's A $&#!!% Ad! Staples Commercial Voted Worst Ad In America For 2010
September 29, 2010 3:36 PM
118 Comments
It seems like ages ago that we first asked you to tell us which commercials were getting under your skin. And you responded by the thousands! We "took it seriously" and painstakingly whittled your suggestions down to the final nominees for our first ever Worst Ad In America Awards. And now, with more than 100 000 votes counted in our completely unscientific poll, we have a clear winner (or is it loser?) — Staples' "Wow! That's a Low Price!" commercial. More »
Is It Too Early For Back-To-School Sales?
By Chris Morran on June 24, 2010 11:15 AM
48 Comments
Public school students in Union City, NJ, just wrapped up classes earlier this week. So Consumerist reader Juhgail was caught off guard when she popped into a Staples to pick up some supplies and came upon an entire rack of back-to-school items. More »
(evansent)
Up-To-The-Minute Coupon Codes For Hot Sales
By Ben Popken on June 23, 2010 2:00 PM
8 Comments
The deal aficionados on the FatWallet message boards have various discussion threads devoted to providing the most current coupons for a slew of stores. Rather then dig for them, here's a master list of their official store coupons and clearance threads. Members routinely get rid of dead coupons and post new ones, so this is definitely one to bookmark: More »
(name)
Save $10K On Something That Only Costs $400
By Phil Villarreal on May 24, 2010 10:00 AM
42 Comments
Ice found this uncool sign at Staples, which says it saves you nearly $10,000 off a printer that costs $400. More »
(Photo: Elvert Barnes)
Staples Never Thought You'd Actually Try To Buy A Camera From Them
By Chris Walters on February 15, 2010 6:42 PM
80 Comments
Nessy recently tried to buy a new camera from a Staples store in Burlington, Vermont. She discovered some pretty interesting things about this particular store. For instance, no they can't put fresh batteries in a floor model! Okay fine, they'll do it, but it takes a manager and two employees—yes, three people!—to insert fresh batteries. Also, did you know that if a floor model isn't working, you can just check out a different model from the same company, because everything is the same? No, you say? That's stupid? Well, maybe that's why Nessy ended up buying the camera from... oh no... you'll have to read it for yourself. More »
(Photo: bubble dumpster)
Secret Credit Card Backdoor Numbers To Get Your Credit Increased, APR Changed, Etc!
By Ben Popken on January 14, 2010 12:00 PM
28 Comments
Want your credit line increased, APR lowered, or your declined credit card application approved? Begging and pleading with customer service not getting you anywhere except front row seats to your personal puddle of shame? Then give some of the "backdoor numbers" a shot.
Staples Wants To Know If They're Freaking You Out With Their All-Knowing Emails
By Chris Walters on November 10, 2009 11:09 PM
45 Comments
—>Apparently Staples is worried that their emails might be too accurate when it comes to marketing office supplies to people—accurate enough to make potential customers paranoid. More »
Repair Your Tattered Rags With Office Supplies!
By Carey Alexander on June 29, 2009 6:20 PM
53 Comments
—>Wise Bread tells us that office supplies can quickly and easily help patch-up ailing garments. In a hurry, staples can save skirts and cardigans by holding together fragile hems and clasps. Markers can even be tasked to help clear scuff marks from leather shoes. Still, it never hurts to stash an extra set of shoes and accessories in the office, just in case your repair calls for more than just office supplies. How do you fix your clothes in a pinch? Share your secrets in the comments. More »
