Staples
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you need same-day office supplies, print jobs, or recycling drop-off at a physical store.
New check
Comparison
Staples vs Target
Staples lands on Depends, and Target lands on Worth it.
Target
Worth it
Confidence: Low
Low confidence: only one public source was reviewed.
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Worth it |
| Best for | Bulk office supply runs | Everyday grocery and essentials runs |
| Who it's not for | Price-sensitive shoppers . Amazon and Walmart undercut it | Software buyers . this is a store, not a tool |
| Privacy | Two public incidents: 2014 card breach (~1.16M) and a Dec 2023 cyberattack that downed systems during Cyber Week.⁷ | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.12 |
| Support quality | BBB complaints, mixed service reviews | No support evidence reviewed |
| Public sentiment | Reviews skew negative . 2.7/5 on ConsumerAffairs with recurring complaints about pricing practices and customer service, though retail locations draw some praise.¹ | No user review sources were available in the evidence reviewed. |
| Biggest gotcha | Cyberattack took systems offline during Cyber Week 2023; keep a backup supplier for peak season⁷ | Gift card fraud exists; Target advises caution before buying or sharing card numbers12 |
Pick Staples when
- Bulk office supply runs
- Same-day print jobs
- In-store pickup shoppers
- Electronics recycling drop-offs
When Staples is not a fit
- Price-sensitive shoppers . Amazon and Walmart undercut it
- Online-only buyers needing reliable checkout during peaks
- Anyone shopping for software . the IT-services pages are a store, not a vendor
- Offices expecting white-glove customer service
Pick Target when
- Everyday grocery and essentials runs
- Contactless pickup or delivery shoppers
- One-stop household and seasonal shopping
When Target is not a fit
- Software buyers . this is a store, not a tool
- Bulk or wholesale shoppers . no warehouse pricing here
- Guess: International buyers . fulfillment is US-centric
Sources
- Staples Reviews & Complaintsconsumeraffairs.comreview
- Read Customer Service Reviews of staples.comtrustpilot.comreview
- Staples . Yelp store reviewsyelp.comreview
- Is it worth it? . r/Staplesreddit.comreview
review
- Working at Staples: 13668 Reviewsindeed.comreview
- Staples hit by cyberattack during critical Cyber Week salescybersecuritydive.comsecurity
- Staples says security breach may have affected 1.16 millionsg.finance.yahoo.comsecurity
security
- Stores Like Staples: Amazon, Target, Walmart, Office Depotconsumergravity.comnews
- Staples.comstaples.comofficial
- Product security pagetarget.comsecurity