Steps to Online Price Matching at Staples.

UPDATED: Dec 30, 2004 - Updated the info. Thanks goes to the peeps who replied with their input
Ok, since i've gotten quite a few messages asking how to price match at staples, I thought I'd post up a quick tutorial.

Online PriceMatching
1. Make sure the item you want is sold at one of their listed internet competitor's: Future Shop, Best Buy, Grand & Toy, Office Depot, Corporate Express, Basics, Bureau Plus, London Drugs, Lyreco, and The Brick, <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=24 target=_blank>Canadian Tire</a>, <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=113 target=_blank>Office Max</a>, Denis.

note 1: the best pricematches are usually from futureshop and Bestbuy, since they have free shipping and they carry a similar line of products.
note 2: Stores that have free shipping are: Futureshop, Bestbuy, Grand & Toy, Office Depot (for orders greater than $50)

2. If the competitor is listed, then fill out the price matching form
Price match form
Fill out the required stuff (has a asteris beside it) and submit the form. In the Comments section indicate:
item number of the staples product, quanity, description, and competitor's name, website, phone number, and price qouted

Example of how to fill out the comments section:
item number: 492309
quantity: 1
description: Siemens Gigaset 4010 - 2.4 GHz DSS
competitor's name: Futureshop
website: www.futureshop.ca
phone number: (416) 971-5377
price qouted: $99.99

note: You can now pricematch a quantity of 3 (Previously it was only 1).

3. After you submit it, it takes between, couple of hours to 1 business days for them to get back to you.
-If the pricematch is valid, they'll give you a breakdown of the cost and pricematch confirmation number.
-If they deny you the pricematch, your out of luck. Reason's for denying include: competitor is OOS, staples is OOS, not the same item, its a special order item at staples, etc

note 1:The most common reason of being denied is usually staples being OOS
note 2:If your pricematching with a store that doesn't have free shipping, they will add $15 shipping into their calculation (most time this kills the deal)

4. Ok, if your PM is approved, you can now order your item. Place your order at www.staples.ca and submit it.
-If you want to apply a dollar off coupons, you can too, but you have to make sure the coupon is valid on the pricematched price.
Example: Lets say you want to use a $10 off $100 coupon and the original cost of the item is $150, but after pricematching its only $75. The coupon will work when you submit it, but they CSR will email you back to tell you its not valid. For that coupon to work, the price matched price has to be $100+.

note 1: Instant rebate coupon works without a problem.
note 2: Coupon stacking seems to work with a max of 2 coupons
note 3: If the original cost of the item is over $50 you get free shipping, regardless of the pricematched price.

5. Once you've submit your order, you will recieve a confirmation email from staples. Reply to this email with the Price Match qoute and confirmation number

6. The original amount of the item will be charged onto your credit card, and then the appropiate amount will be refunded back into your account.
Example: The original cost is $150 and pricematched price is $100. $150 will be charged to your account initially, and then $50 will be refunded back into your account.

7. Thats it and good luck!


More FAQ
Can I order the item first and then submit the PM?
Yes you can. As most of us know, stock goes quick and sometimes ordering before you recieve the confirmation is the only way to get the item. I usually only do this if I know the pricematch is 100% legit, since its a hassle to go and return stuff afterwards.

1. I would order the item
2. I would submit the PM request (the usual way, mentioned in the main post)
3. After that I would wait for the confirmation and do it the same way mentioned in main post.

Can I order the item online and bring it to a store to pricematch?
Uncertain. In the past I was able to order online at regular price and then go to PM it in-store. But as of late, they have been telling me I can't and I can only do it online.

Great tutorial! This should be in the FAQ sections!

Another reason I should be a mod.

Nice start, appreciate the effort Mint. Thanks.

Now we need to gather tips on PM'ing Instore and over the phone.

Thanks a lot, now I know how to price match with Staples.... :-)

Hey mint, great faq but you should update it with a few numbers explaining how you miss out on the tax for the 50% difference part when you do an online pricematch as opposed to doing it instore. Doesn't affect the method, but people always complain that staples didn't refund them enough. I'm sure you know this, but people using your faq won't.

Futureshop $100
Staples $150
Theoretical pricematch (or real pricematch if done in store) is 75+tax.

Following your faq.
Buy at staples = 150+tax
Refund breakdown
Price difference refund = 150-100 = 50 +tax
50% of difference refund = 50/2 = 25 (BUT THEY DON'T REFUND TAX)
Refund = (50+tax) + 25

Total difference in prices is that with the online method you pay the tax on $25 more. So if tax is 15% then it costs you $3.75 more.

Hey kevinck,

Thanks for adding that bit of info. Yah, i was trying to keep it semi-straightforward. I'll see if I can incorporate the tax thing later on.

I'm sure it's unintentional but whoever is calculating it that way needs to be told that's illegitimate. Depending on how you look at it it's either charging more tax than Staples is legally entitled to - or else only giving 140-some % price match, not the promised 150%.

It's just a few bucks here and there but if the tax authorities knew they were doing this it would probably be a serious concern.

Originally Posted by Kevinck

Hey mint, great faq but you should update it with a few numbers explaining how you miss out on the tax for the 50% difference part when you do an online pricematch as opposed to doing it instore. Doesn't affect the method, but people always complain that staples didn't refund them enough. I'm sure you know this, but people using your faq won't.

Futureshop $100
Staples $150
Theoretical pricematch (or real pricematch if done in store) is 75+tax.

Following your faq.
Buy at staples = 150+tax
Refund breakdown
Price difference refund = 150-100 = 50 +tax
50% of difference refund = 50/2 = 25 (BUT THEY DON'T REFUND TAX)
Refund = (50+tax) + 25

Total difference in prices is that with the online method you pay the tax on $25 more. So if tax is 15% then it costs you $3.75 more.

Isn't staples entitled to pricematch however they want? They refund you the tax on the actual price difference. So they truely are 'matching' the other competitor's price. But then as an added bonus they refund you an additional 50% of the difference. Their wording:
"We’ll match it PLUS give you 50% of the difference as a credit toward your purchase."

They don't say they will 'beat the price by 50% of the difference'. They don't say they will 'credit you with 50% of the difference plus any tax you paid on that part'. They just promise to credit you 50% of the difference. Which they do.

I can understand your argument saying that it's 150% in store only a 140-some% pricematch online. But an equal argument could be said that online you get 150% and in store you actually get 150-some% which is BETTER than their promised 150%. :-)

In regards to the caclulation of tax, both online and instore, staples is correctly doing it in both cases.

Because Online they charge your card the full price, and later on refund your card the difference between the competiors price and 50% credit, they only have to refund the tax on the amount which is their price - competitors price. The extra 50% is termed a credit, and therefore just subtracted from the after tax price of the competitor.

What happens to your refunded value? Can you get them to credit your credit card afterwards or you have to buy something else with the refund?

why this thread isn't stickied in the hot deals section, so that idiotic n00bs stop opening annoying "how do you PM staples?" threads every time a new deal that requires a Price match is posted, is beyond me.

Seriously, thumbs up for perhaps the most informative thread ever created at RFD.

Originally Posted by frogeee

why this thread isn't stickied in the hot deals section, so that idiotic n00bs stop opening annoying "how do you PM staples?" threads every time a new deal that requires a Price match is posted, is beyond me.

Hey frogeee, maybe you should lay off the n00b comments. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Great guide Mint, this should definately be a sticky.

Perhaps your right mark--the idiot reference was a tad harsh, but my comments were more suited to convincing one of the mods to sticky this thread rather than to flame n00bs. Frankly whenever I see a n00b posting the infamous "PM Staples" question the the hot deals section, I private message them with a link to this thread.

And n00b does not necessarily mean a new user. There are a plethora new RFD'ers that are both intelligent and inderstand that the hot deals section is not for inquiries on Staples PM policy

Originally Posted by Mint

3. After you submit it, it takes between 1-2 business days for them to get back to you.

Good info.

I just want to add that it is not necessary to be 1 to 2 business days. My last PM was done within 1 hour.

Sorry for bringing it up from the dead. But it's a very useful FAQ.

Do have a question though. I read that some of you actually made the purchase AND THEN make the price match request? I always made the PM request first, wait for the confirmation e-mail and then make the order. If I can make the purchase first and then PM, how should I go about it? Do I just add the order number to the commet part of teh PM request? TIA