Staples 2006 Annual Report Download - page 78

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opportunities for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. Since 2002, Staples Foundation for
Learning has been a national supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. In 2006, Staples partnered with its first
global charity, Ashoka. Staples Foundation for Learning supports Ashoka’s Youth Venture program, which empowers
youth to act as positive agents for social change in their communities.
Competition
We compete with a variety of retailers, dealers and distributors in the highly competitive office products market. We
compete in most of our geographic markets with other high-volume office supply chains, including Office Depot and
OfficeMax, that are similar in concept to us in terms of pricing strategy and product selection, as well as mass merchants
such as Wal-Mart, warehouse clubs such as Costco, computer and electronics superstores such as Best Buy, copy and
print businesses such as FedEx Kinko’s, ink cartridge specialty stores, and other discount retailers. In addition, both our
retail stores and delivery operations compete with numerous mail order firms, contract stationer businesses, electronic
commerce distributors, local dealers and direct manufacturers such as Dell. Many of our competitors have increased
their presence in our markets in recent years. Some of our current and potential competitors are larger than we are and
have substantially greater financial resources.
We believe we are able to compete favorably against other high-volume office supply chains, mass merchants and
other retailers, dealers and distributors because of several factors: our focus on the business customer and home office;
our ability to respond to the dynamic markets in which we operate and the changing needs of our customers; courteous,
helpful and knowledgeable associates serving customers; a wide assortment of office supplies that are in-stock and easy
to find; fast checkout; easy to use web sites; reliability and speed of order shipment; convenient store locations; hassle-
free returns and fair prices.
Trademarks
In connection with our North American Retail business, we have registered the marks “Staples”, “Staples the Office
Superstore” and “that was easy” in the Principal Register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the
marks “Staples the Office Superstore”, “Staples” and “that was easy” in Canada. In connection with our North American
Delivery businesses, we have registered the marks “Staples.com”, “Staples National Advantage”, “Staples Business
Advantage”, “Staples Business Delivery”, “StaplesLink.com”, “Quill”, “Quill.com”, “Medical Arts Press”, “HMI”, and
“SmileMakers” on the Principal Register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In connection with our
International Operations, we have registered the mark “Staples” in many foreign jurisdictions, including, but not limited
to, the United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Belgium and China; the mark “Office Centre” in
many foreign jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, The Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium; the mark “Bernard” in
multiple foreign jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, France and Belgium; the mark “JPG” in many foreign
jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, France and Belgium; the mark “Neat Ideas” in many foreign jurisdictions,
including, but not limited to, the United Kingdom; the mark “Sistemas Kalamazoo” in Spain; the mark “MondOffice” in
Italy; the mark “Quill Kontorslagret” in Sweden; the mark “Pressel” in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and the
Czech Republic; the mark “Malling Beck” in Denmark; and the mark “Officenet” in Argentina and Brazil. Our joint
venture in China owns the mark “OA365”.
We maintain a web site with the address www.staples.com. We are not including the information contained on our
web site as a part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available free of
charge through our web site our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports
on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such
material with, or furnish such material to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
We were organized in 1985 and are incorporated in Delaware.