Staples Canada Unifies B2B Under New Staples Business Brand

Staples Canada has launched Staples Business, a dedicated B2B brand that pulls office supplies, technology, print and facilities services into a single offering for Canadian business customers.

The Richmond Hill, Ontario-based retailer operates nearly 300 outlets across Canada, with its Quebec stores trading under the Bureau en Gros nameplate. The company said the new brand will simplify purchasing and account management for business buyers.

Staples Business will serve two tiers: one for smaller businesses and one for larger buyers that need custom pricing and dedicated account support.

"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."

Why the launch is about more than service

Industry analysts assessed that the 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, called the move necessary to fend off rivals.

"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."

Bauer noted that B2B clients differ sharply from regular shoppers at Staples Canada. "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."

Staples Business has combined a wide product range, 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.

What the two tiers change for buyers

Bauer pointed out that different-sized businesses require different approaches:

• Small-to-medium businesses place greater emphasis on automated checkout, transparency and fast response times.
• Large businesses 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.

On competing with ecommerce giants, Bauer was direct: "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."

Can the operation deliver on the promise?

Rich Pleeth, founder of the AI-powered logistics platform Finmile, said a dedicated 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 view that the tiers make sense. A small business might be persuaded by the prospect of less time spent ordering and chasing deliveries, he said. "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."

He also framed the launch as a test of operational capability. "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."