LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY

Staples, Inc.
Section 16(a) Filings

	In connection with the beneficial ownership of securities
of STAPLES, INC. (the "Company"), directly and indirectly, by the
undersigned director or executive officer of the Company, the
undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of JOHN MAHONEY
and JACK VANWOERKOM, acting singly, as his/her true and lawful
attorney-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned Forms 3, 4 and 5
and amendments thereto in accordance with Section 16(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5 or amendment thereto and timely
filing such form with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and any other authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection
with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,
may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required
by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed
by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to
this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such
terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his/her
discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform all and every act and
thing whatsoever requisite, necessary and proper to be done in
the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as
fully to all intents and purposes as such attorney-in-fact might
or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution
or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-
in-fact, or his/her substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights
and powers herein granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the
request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

	This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and
5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transaction in
securities of the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned
in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.
This Power of attorney may be filed with the SEC as a confirming
statement of the authority granted herein.
	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 9th day of August, 2002.


					Print Name of :     James L. Moody, Jr.
Reporting Person
or Entity:


							/s/ JAMES L. MOODY, JR.
								Signature
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