Staples, Yeah, We’ve Got That - But We Need To Unlock It For You
I believe Staples made an error of omission. Their old slogan “Staples, yeah, we’ve got that” seems to be missing a crucial last part and so does their new slogan “that was easy”. Today I ran into a Staples in Manhattan to buy some RAM for a computer, and had a very odd shopping experience.
Around 25 shoppers were in the large store, and each person seemed completely lost. I quickly found out why - none of the aisle placements made any sense, and it was near impossible to find the RAM. When I finally located the RAM, it was behind a glass door. Of course, all the writing on the small RAM packages is in a tiny font, and coupled with the glass reflection, it was nearly impossible to read anything. I finally located the right one, and tried sliding the glass door. It was stuck. No, wait - it was locked. What? was I buying cigarettes? expensive liquor? or a $65 computer part?
Around this point I looked up only to see about 10 other people seemingly looking around for the same thing - an employee to open the darn doors. Only the problem was there were no workers in sight. Another 10 minutes elapsed, and eventually someone showed up at the center of the store. Like dogs tipped off by scent, we customers darted towards the Staples employee, each trying to get help. She saw the masses coming her way and threw her hands up in frustration, and retreated out of sight before we got to her.
Another 5 minutes, and finally the manager appears and understands the issue. He then walks around unlocking everyone’s glass doors. Now a different employee appears and refuses to let me take the RAM. He insists on taking it directly to the register himself. Thinking this was a nice courtesy, I made the mistake of saying “thanks!”…right before he told me to get on line - at the back.
By this point, 2 customers had just given up and left without buying anything, totally frustrated with their experience. If I didn’t REALLY need the RAM, I would have done the same. My time was wasted. I was treated like a thief. I was treated without any respect. I didn’t experience the “Easy Button”. The end effect for Staples was they tried preventing theft of their products by treating every customer like a thief - a silly, counter-productive policy. So, I respectfully ask Staples to reconsider their slogan, and add on the last part of your slogan, so at least we know how to get the Staples that you’ve got.
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January 10th, 2008 at 9:58 am
I am actually an associate at Staples, in electronics coincidentally and it’s not a remote incident, this is how we are all told to interact with the customers, directions right from the Corporate Office. We are told to leave all high-ticket items at customer service, and also to “attempt to close the sale” by bringing a customers things you helped them with to the front with them. More or less, the associate that refused you taking the RAM was in the right, they were just doing their job as directed by the store, district, and regional managers. Also, the associate that “retreated” may have been getting a Key holder OR Manager, as it so happens the only people in the stores allowed to have keys to open locks are the Managers and the “Specialists” in the department, typically there is one in electronics and one in office supplies, not typically is there one there at all times, also known as key holders. This would explain why you saw the Manager minutes later. At most there are usually 5 people with keys in the entire store.
Thank you for bringing some clarity to the insanity I witnessed. I do still feel those are terrible policies…somehow institutionalizing them is even worse than it being a rare incident.
Oddly, the stores in NJ that I have been to haven’t had any of the same issues when I’ve been there.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Yes, I’ve witnessed so many things at my store, sometimes being outrun with customers on ‘busy’ days, and I’ll be the only one, typically in fact if it’s after 4:30 I’ll be there in my department all by myself until we close at 9, usually there won’t be more than 3 customers at a time in my department but then there can be a lot more and then I find people are constantly waiting for my attention and usually a helpful cashier will call a “cross-trained” associate (an associate who has been trained in the other departments to answer general questions), and sometimes a manager (because they are also usually cross-trained to answer general inquires). However if you already know what you want just go to a cashier and just ask them to page a keyholder to RAM (or wherever) and then a manager or keyholder should be there within a minute after the page. Hopefully your next experience at Staples isn’t as bad as the one you had in Manhattan.
Thanks. I was just surprised by how different the environment and surprise was from every other Staples I had ever been to (and enjoyed) in NJ.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Wow! You’ve nailed it in your post, but I think Staples has forgotten that most customers are not thieves. Matter of fact, they are offended when it is inferred.
I know it may seem a little naive, but why not just treat (policies and procedures for the managers out there) your customer like you want to be treated? But success, in Staples case, can create a “we know better” attitude. And that arrogance drives customers away one sale at a time.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Just so you know, I’m a staples employee so I sort of know what I’m talking about.
Yes, Staples is not perfect when it comes to loss prevention techniques. There are different levels of “risk”, each store is different, some have high ticket items behind glass doors, some have them in spider wraps and lock boxes, and some don’t even have them on the floor.
Most Staples stores have no cameras at all, and the ones that do usually just have 1 or 2 at the front.
Now, to me it doesn’t make sense, because I find so many empty packages and evidence of stolen product everyday.
The problem isn’t that Staples doesn’t trust its customers, it’s that it doesn’t trust anyone, even its own employees.
The employee who offered to walk the product to the register was only doing his job. I know managers and higher ups who would fire people on the spot if an employee caused a product to be stolen.
You’re right, not every person who walks in the store is a thief, but a lot of people are. If you’ve ever worked retail, you would understand.
My two cents.
Jim, thank you for adding some change ;-). I see what you are saying, but have always been a firm believer in the following:
If you don’t trust your employees, and you don’t trust your customers, then what are you doing in business?
Also, the much simpler solution to the loss prevention issue in my opinion is using RFID tags to track merchandise and make sure it doesn’t leave without your permission (and at the same time not scare away legitimate shoppers).
January 27th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
The thing is we use RFID tags (I’m not the person who gave his 2 cents, I’m the first guy again) and things still get stolen. Theres usually RFID tags on boxed and wrapped items. Whats preventing someone from pulling it off, or simply ripping off the packaging of the item and stealing the actual item? Nothing, infact at my store recently we’ve had computers and monitors, in boxes, stolen right from the floor because the door is constantly ringing from people walking in to ship something or from cashiers not deactivating the item making it go off so much you don’t realize someones stealing or if someone forgot to deactivate the item. Also, just 2 days ago we found a router and a laptop PC card packaging in office supplies ripped appart and without the product because someone ripped it apart, thats why we make so many precautions against things like that at the stores. Even today I found a ink refill thing from office supplies ripped open in lamps…. Just makes you think…
@Staples Business Machines Associate:
I hear your point. I guess you folks have a funny situation - people really love your products (the usually hardest part for a store to achieve), they just don’t want to pay for it. In that case, I would recommend putting in a ton of security cameras (which are really cheap these days, can be monitored from one central place online, and customers have gotten accustomed to seeing and have no ill will against). That, and a HUGE security officer at the door ;-).
February 18th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Every one please remember the sad truth that there is alot of dishonest people in the world and as a business if you dont protect your assest you won’t have a business. Staples stores have much lower margin and sales dollars than a Best buy or Circuit City so we have to be protective of our high theft items. We do not do this to upset people or make them feel like criminals however if we didn’t our shrink would be out of control. Just this weekend I had four guys home into my building grad as high end electronics as they could and run out the door. I stopped one of them but the other three got away. Finally as far as using rfid tags: they are pont less when someone i running out the back door or ripping open the packages and stealing just the product.