Some of you who read my reviews will probably know that I’m a homeopath (as well as having a day job!)!! So I have my own business, that business needs certain consumables (no, not all my health food ops!) I need paper for printing my invoices, I need cartridges for my printers, I need laminators etc.. (I’m sure the company I work for wouldn’t want to support my “other” business, so I need to get all these items:-( As with most people, you have to work, so the opportunity to get out to the shops in nearly non-existent! Well this is where I shop!

** Who are they? **

Staples are a large company, specialising in things for the business. They do have shops dotted around the country; they have an on-line ordering business, and this mail-order business.
I have also been into Staples shops in the US!

** What’s the catalogue like? **

Once you are on their mailing list, you get a catalogue sent to you every month. The actual catalogue I’m looking at is the December edition, (it came in the post yesterday)

The catalogue is made from recycled paper (So that is good) it is 56 pages long. It is made from that really thin paper, so it makes a really nice rustling noise as you flick your way through it.

At the bottom of every page they have the contact numbers for ordering.

If you want everything they stock, you can ring them up and request the full 360 page catalogue!! (I actually find this baby version has all my needs in it!)

** What’s in it? **

On the inside front page, there is all the information about the company (see contact them) Right at the bottom of this page are normally free gifts that you get if you spend a certain amount. This month spend over £75 you can get a free personal organiser with light!! Spend over £125 you can get a free 454g tin of Danish Butter Biscuits !!!!! (these have a code number which you just quote when you make your order!!
I have got a clock Radio, a cheap PDA, and something else which I think went straight to the local charity shop :-)

Anyway back to the contents.

First point to note there is no index!! So you just have to flick through it!! I will not list every single item they sell (you can get the catalogue for that!) I’ve just written about a selection of the things that I have ordered from the catalogue.)

On page 3 and page 55, they have the “best deals” so it always worth checking these out. This month you can buy a case of 10 reams of A4 copy paper for £18.99, or a set of 20 lever arch files for £12.99 (these come with a Free mobile phi=one holder!)

Moving further in, you get the files - box files, lever arch files, ring binders and so on. Typically an A4 ring binder costs £1.39

The laminator I bought a few months back is still in the catalogue (page 15) it is a Rexel Office Laminator (why you’d want to laminate an office I can’t imagine!!) This costs £49.99. I use mine about once a week for normally 8 A4 sheets, and it produces really good results!

They also have a range of office chairs. I’m not sure if the prices are good or not, as my chair at home “fell off the back of an office” But a standard typist chair cost £24.99!!

The other useful thing I have bought from them is a shredder (page 24) £32.98 In this day and age, with the amount of junk mail we get, with all the details so helpfully filled in, it is vitally important to destroy it properly. This is what you need!! I certainly use mine every week, it cuts the paper into shreds, I then put it in the compost bin!! (just as a comparison Office World have a similar one for £49.95)

They sell a range of printers, a typical example would be an HP deskjet 5150 colour inkjet for £84.99. (PC World £89.99)

The important bit for me – the print cartridges (page 31) I have an HP deskjet 850C the cartridges cost £16.99 and £21.99 for Black and colour respectively. (Office World £24.99 and £29.99)

For relaxing in the office, they even sell teabags and coffee!! A bag of 460 PG tips pyramid teabags is £11.29 (you can get a box of 100 for £2.79) A 500g tin of Nescafe Gold Blend will set you back £17.49 (I don’t know if that is a good price, as I never drink coffee!)

They also have a wide range of pens (starting on page 42)
I do homeopathic talks to various groups, so I need something to write with, so I get their Dry wipe markers, They are Expo which is a good make (I use them in my real job) I get a set of 8 markers for £8.99 they last me about 2 years!!

Another of my staple purchases (sorry about that one!!) are envelopes. As a homeopath, I have to send remedies to patients, so need something to put them in!! They do a range of “Jiffy” type bags If you buy 5 of a particular type of bag, you get a 20% discount, so type 1 bags (170x245mm) cost £1.29 each.

Next is the paper (page 53) You can buy a ream of A4 (that’s 500 sheets) for £3.99 They also have coloured paper, but the range is not a wide as I’ve seen in say Office World, it works out at £5.29 per ream (Office World £6.79)

** Ordering **
Couldn’t be simpler!! You just pick want you want, and ring, or fax the form (I tend to fill in the fax form anyway, as it easier to read it out when making a phone order.)

You can pay with all major cards. I have never had to pay by cheque, so I’m not sure how that would work, I would suspect you have to ring them up.

On your catalogue, near your name (if it sent by post) you have a priority code, which if you quote when you order, can help to speed up your order process!

** Delivery **

They pride themselves on free next day delivery (on orders over £30, otherwise it is a £2.85 delivery charge), and the times I have order things, I can guarantee that the goods will be with me the next day (Unless I order on a Saturday!)

** Customer Service **

When ever I have bought things from them, I have always got through on the phone straight away. Also all the goods I have bought have always been in good condition, so really haven’t had to bother with their customer service department. If you do need to contact them it is 0800 151414
The customer services is open Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, Saturday 9am – 6 pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm

They have a 30 day return policy, where you can get a full refund, or a replacement (I have never had to use this)

Also everything you buy from Staples has a 1 year guarantee.

** Contact them **

Staples have a number of large shops dotted around the country,

But you can telephone your order through on 0800 141414 (same hours as customer services)
Or fax on 0800 141516

Or do it on-line at www.staples.co.uk

Thanks for reading this, and if you do need to get office supplies, spare them a thought, they may be cheaper that your normal supplier!

Larry