Originally Published InHoffman, A., & Gold, N. (2014). Staples: The fierce battle between brick and mortar versus online sales. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.

With a focus on convenience and a wide range of product offerings, Staples was the world's largest office supplies retailer. The office supply sector had almost no barriers to entry as capital costs were low compared to other retail industries. No licensing requirements were necessary, easing the burden on new entrants. The low level of differentiation of goods between one office supply store and the next, forced new entrants to provide either niche or specialty products to compete and often in the online realm. As the retail industry had been trending towards e-commerce, Staples' traditional brick and mortar stores were costing it dearly. The global office supplies leader found it increasingly difficult to compete on the Internet.

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