Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax Accumulated other comprehensive loss Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment Less accumulated depreciation and amortization Payments to Acquire Businesses and Interest in Affiliates Acquisition of businesses and investments in joint ventures, net of cash acquired Additional Paid in Capital Additional paid-in capital Amortization of Financing Costs and Discounts Amortization of deferred financing costs Amortization of Intangible Assets Amortization of intangibles Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Increase (Decrease) in Inventories (Increase) decrease in merchandise inventories Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid, Deferred Expense and Other Assets Decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets Increase (Decrease) in Receivables Decrease in receivables Changes in assets and liabilities: Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Decrease in accounts payable Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities Decrease in accrued expenses and other current liabilities Commercial Paper Commercial paper Common Stock, Shares Authorized Common stock, shares authorized Common Stock, Value, Issued Common stock, $.0006 par value, 2,100,000,000 shares authorized; issued 897,951,548 shares at May 1, 2010 and 896,655,170 shares at January 30, 2010 Current liabilities: Liabilities, Current Total current liabilities Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations Long-term debt Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Payment of deferred financing costs Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Deferred tax expense (benefit) Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction Depreciation and amortization Earnings Per Share, Diluted Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share) Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash and Cash Equivalents Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents Share-based Compensation Stock-based compensation Furniture and Fixtures, Gross Furniture and fixtures Gross Profit Gross profit Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization Interest Expense Interest expense Inventory, Net Merchandise inventories, net Leasehold Improvements, Gross Leasehold improvements LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Liabilities and Stockholders Equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Noncontrolling interests Financing Activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Net cash used in financing activities Investing Activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Net cash used in investing activities Operating Activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Net cash provided by operating activities Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent Net income attributed to Staples, Inc. Net income attributed to Staples, Inc. Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Net increase in cash and cash equivalents Other income (expense): Operating Income (Loss) Operating income Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) Other expense Payments of Dividends Cash dividends paid Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred Stock, Shares Issued Preferred stock, shares issued Proceeds from Sale of Short-term Investments Proceeds from the sale of short-term investments Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross Total property and equipment Property, Plant and Equipment, Net Net property and equipment Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Acquisition of property and equipment Payments to Acquire Short-term Investments Purchase of short-term investments Receivables, Net, Current Receivables, net Repayments of Long-term Debt Payments on borrowings, including payment of deferred financing fees Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock Purchase of treasury stock, net Restructuring Charges Integration and restructuring costs Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) Retained earnings Sales Revenue, Net Sales Selling, General and Administrative Expense Selling, general and administrative Current assets: Assets, Current Total current assets Property and equipment: Assets. Total assets Investment Income, Interest Interest income Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Other long-term obligations Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share) Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current Deferred income tax asset Statement [Table] Machinery and Equipment, Gross Equipment ASSETS Statement Treasury Stock, Value Less: Treasury stock at cost - 168,120,477 shares at May 1, 2010 and 167,990,178 shares at January 30, 2010 Earnings Per Share, Basic Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share) Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation arrangements Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Operating Activities Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation arrangements Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) Common Stock, Shares, Issued Common stock, shares issued Other Assets, Noncurrent Other assets Operating and other expenses: Operating Expenses Total operating expenses Earnings Per Share: Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Liabilities Increase (decrease) in other long-term obligations Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Cumulative Effects of Changes in Accounting Principles, Noncontrolling Interest Consolidated income before income taxes Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) Treasury Stock, Shares Treasury stock, shares Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Total Staples, Inc. stockholders' equity Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Income tax expense Preferred Stock, Value, Issued Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued Deferred Costs, Leasing, Net, Noncurrent Lease acquisition costs, net of accumulated amortization Goodwill Goodwill Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Consolidated net income Consolidated net income, including income from the noncontrolling interests Net income for the year Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Income attributed to the noncontrolling interests Stockholders' equity: Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Total stockholders' equity Balances Balances Accounts Payable, Current Accounts payable Accrued Liabilities, Current Accrued expenses and other current liabilities Adjustments to reconcile net income attributed to the controlling interests to net cash provided by operating activities: Adjustments, Noncash Items, to Reconcile Net Income (Loss) to Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Other Other Prepaid expenses and other current assets Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets Sum of the amounts paid in advance for capitalized costs that will be expensed with the passage of time or the occurrence of a triggering event, and will be charged against earnings within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer combined with the aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of current assets not separately presented elsewhere in the balance sheet. Current assets are expected to be realized or consumed within one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer). Land and buildings Land and Buildings Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of real estate held for productive use, excluding land held for sale and long-lived, depreciable assets that include building structures held for productive use including any addition or improvement. Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Costs The cost of merchandise sold, inbound and outbound freight, receiving and distribution, and store and distribution center occupancy (including real estate taxes and common area maintenance). Repayments of commercial paper, net of proceeds from issuances Proceeds from Repayments of Commercial Paper Proceeds from (Repayments of) Commercial Paper. Document and Entity Information Guarantor Subsidiaries [Text Block] Guarantor Subsidiaries. Guarantor Subsidiaries Fair Value Disclosures and Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Text Block] Fair Value Measurements, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Fair Value Disclosures and Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities. Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Current Debt maturing within one year Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and the sale of stock under employee stock purchase plans Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt Proceeds from borrowings Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block] Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Commitments and Contingencies Comprehensive Income Note [Text Block] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Debt Disclosure [Text Block] Debt and Credit Agreements Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block] Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] Income Taxes Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block] New Accounting Pronouncements Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block] Basis of Presentation Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block] Pension Plans Schedule of Subsequent Events [Text Block] Subsequent Events Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Segment Reporting Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] Stockholders' Equity and Comprehensive Income Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block] Equity Based Employee Benefit Plans Quarterly Financial Information [Text Block] Quarterly Summary Earnings Per Share [Text Block] Computation of Earnings Per Common Share Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block] Business Combinations Non-cash write-down of assets Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill) Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity Statement, Equity Components [Axis] Equity Component [Domain] Equity Attributed to Staples, Inc. Common Stock Additional Paid-In Capital Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Retained Earnings Treasury Stock Noncontrolling Interests Comprehensive Income (Loss) Statement, Scenario [Axis] Scenario, Unspecified [Domain] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member] Changes in Stockholders' Equity Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Tax Effect from Share-based Compensation Tax benefit on exercise of options Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Share-based Compensation, Requisite Service Period Recognition, Value Stock-based compensation Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan Sale of common stock under Employee Stock Purchase Plan and International Savings Plan Common stock dividend Dividends, Common Stock, Cash Foreign currency translation adjustments Other Comprehensive Income, Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax Other Comprehensive Income, Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax Changes in the fair value of derivatives (net of taxes of $17,847, $23,817 and $15,807 in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively) Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Comprehensive Income (Loss) Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method Purchase of treasury shares Noncontrolling interest acquired Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Stock Issuance or Sale of Parent Equity Interest Other Stockholders' Equity, Other Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease) Other Comprehensive Income, Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Tax Effect Changes in the fair value of derivatives, taxes Other Comprehensive Income, Defined Benefit Plan, Net Prior Service Costs Arising During Period ,Tax Deferred pension costs, taxes Stockholders Equity, Balance as Previously Reported Balance, as reported Balances, as previously reported The amount of stockholders equity before any adjustments, as previously reported. Short-term investments Short-term investments Deferred pension costs (net of taxes of $58,900 and $17,128 in 2008 and 2009, respectively) Other Comprehensive Income, Defined Benefit Plan, Net Prior Service Costs (Credit) Arising During Period, Net of Tax Issuance of common stock for stock options exercised Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Compensation Effects of adoption of ASC Topic 810 Cumulative Effect of Initial Adoption of EITF Issue 08-3 SCHEDULE II - VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS SCHEDULE II - VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block] Basis of Presentation New Accounting Pronouncements Integration and Restructuring Costs and Acquisition Reserves Fair Value Measurements, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Equity Based Employee Benefit Plans Pension Plans Stockholders' Equity and Comprehensive Income Computation of Earnings Per Common Share Segment Reporting Guarantor Subsidiaries Commitments and Contingencies Subsequent Events Business Combinations Debt and Credit Agreements Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss). Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Income Taxes Quarterly Summary Integration Restructuring Acquisition Reserves [Text Block] Integration and Restructuring Costs and Acquisition Reserves Integration, restructuring costs and acquisition reserves.