In early 2015, office supplies giant Staples Inc. followed the path of other mega-retailers in opening its own online marketplace with the launching of Staples Exchange. Staples Exchange is a unique, custom-built drop-ship platform that's designed to allow third-party suppliers to easily and quickly upload their own products for sale to buyers on Staples.com.
This exciting in-house platform won't just open up the opportunity to sell on Staples.com, but it'll also allow Staples to expand the amount of SKUs it offers buyers, provide more effective order tracking, and open up more accurate visibility into product inventory.
As an independent business owner, your aim is to increase your reach. This is especially important in today's tech-savvy world where selling your product online enables you to reach more people in your niche industry than ever before. Staples is the ideal choice for any business that has a niche is within the office supply industry. This includes focused product categories of computers, computer accessories, consumer electronics, home office accessories, digital imaging, and personal A/V equipment.
In order to sell on Staples.com, the business will need to fill out an application with the requisite certifications. However, the good news is that once a business has been approved there are no additional set up fees and no third party connections. Rather, money will be earned with each product that's sold, with Staples.com taking a portion of income from each sale for having the product listed on its online platform.
How Selling Works with Staples Exchange
The first step to selling on Staples Exchange is to determine whether the products your business manufacturers are sourced or otherwise within the scope of Staples. A list of these products can be found on the Staples website underneath the Resources tab.
Next you'll need to become certified by one of the following third-party certification agencies: the Small Business Administration, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the US. government's Central Contractor Registration, or the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. Your certification will be required as part of the vendor application. In addition to this, you'll need to provide your federal employer identification number.
You can expect a response or approval of your application within 30 days of your submission (although most vendors are approved within a much shorter time frame). You can check the status of your application via your Staples Exchange account.
Once approved, the next step for selling through Staples is to determine an appropriate price point for your products. Most all of Staples products rely on a high margin rate that ranges from 40 to 60 percent on most of its computers, office supplies, and other accessory products. When you create your product pages and pitch your products to buyers on this platform, it's integral for you to find the right fitting price that leaves room for spot promotions and future distribution modeling.
Work with a Staples account representative to receive SKUs for your products to further enhance their reputation on the website. Finally, the appropriate pricing of your products online will result in greater sales which will give you a better chance at getting your products placed into Staples' physical storefronts.
For more information about not only getting your products listed on Staples.com, but to ensure your items make the front pages and receive high volume sales, contact us at eCommerce Trade. With over 20 years of industry experience, we have the history and skills to help you succeed.
