Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011
Sales	$ 24,380,510,000	$ 24,664,752,000	$ 24,135,253,000
Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Costs	17,889,249,000	17,974,884,000	17,600,006,000
Gross Profit	6,491,261,000	6,689,868,000	6,535,247,000
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative	4,884,284,000	4,991,195,000	4,832,444,000
Impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets	810,996,000	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	78,900,000	64,902,000	61,689,000
Integration and restructuring costs	(207,016,000)	0	(57,765,000)
Total operating expenses	5,981,196,000	5,056,097,000	4,951,898,000
Operating income	510,065,000	1,633,771,000	1,583,349,000
Other (expense) income:
Interest income	5,340,000	7,370,000	7,397,000
Interest expense	(162,477,000)	(173,394,000)	(214,410,000)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	(56,958,000)	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(30,547,000)	(3,103,000)	(9,799,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(265,423,000)	(1,464,644,000)	(1,366,537,000)
Income tax expense	426,270,000	477,247,000	467,577,000
(Loss) income from continuing operations, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(160,847,000)	987,397,000	898,960,000
Discontinued Operations:
Loss from Discontinued Operations, Net of Income Tax	(49,978,000)	(3,564,000)	(10,391,000)
Consolidated net (loss) income	(210,825,000)	983,833,000	888,569,000
(Loss) income attributed to the noncontrolling interests	(119,000)	(823,000)	6,621,000
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	(210,706,000)	984,656,000	881,948,000
Amounts attributable to Staples, Inc.
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(160,728,000)	988,220,000	892,339,000
Loss from Discontinued Operations, Net of Income Tax	(49,978,000)	(3,564,000)	(10,391,000)
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (210,706,000)	$ 984,656,000	$ 881,948,000
Basic Earnings per Common Share:
Continuing operations attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (0.24)	$ 1.42	$ 1.24
Discontinued operations attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (0.07)	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)
Net (loss) income attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (0.31)	$ 1.42	$ 1.23
Diluted Earnings per Common Share:
Continuing operations attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (0.24)	$ 1.40	$ 1.22
Discontinued operations attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (0.07)	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)
Net (loss) income attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (0.31)	$ 1.40	$ 1.21
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.44	$ 0.40	$ 0.36