<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-06-15</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000791519</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STAPLES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SPLS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001402120</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Campbell Kristin Ann</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>FIVE HUNDRED STAPLES DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FRAMINGHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01702</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>false</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22989</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F14"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.7778</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-11-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-12-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4497</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.3888</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-07-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-07-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.5833</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-10-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-10-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3375</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>20.625</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-07-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-07-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.375</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-06-06</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-07-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7875</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.1</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-03-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-04-27</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1648</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.25</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-07-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.0679</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-07-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>993</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.9583</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-09-18</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-10-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7875</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.7466</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-07-06</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-08-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.6266</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-08-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-08-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.3266</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-04-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-05-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1125</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.88</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-07-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>19.12</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F10"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-07-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.29</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-06-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F11"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>20.99</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F12"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-07-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>24.5</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-07-03</value>
                <footnoteId id="F13"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-07-03</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>14075</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Exercisable before vest: Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the first anniversary of the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Exercisable before vest: Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the first anniversary of the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Monthly Vesting:  Restricted by vesting schedule as follows: 25% will vest on the Date Exercisable and 2.083% will vest each month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">Four Year Vesting:  Options exercisable in four annual installments beginning on date stated.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">Four Year Vesting:  Options exercisable in four annual installments beginning on date stated.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F12">Four Year Vesting:  Options exercisable in four annual installments beginning on date stated.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F13">Four Year Vesting:  Options exercisable in four annual installments beginning on date stated.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F14">6,250 of these shares are restricted shares granted on July 3, 2006 and vesting 50% on the 2nd anniversary of the date of grant and 50% on the 3rd anniversary of the date of grant; 10,000 of these shares are restricted shares granted on June 13, 2007 and vesting 50% on the 2nd anniversary of the date of grant and 50% on the 3rd anniversary of the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kristin A. Campbell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-06-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
