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Staples: strategic evolution and decline in retailing

John S. Strong (Mason School of Business, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA)

Journal of Business Strategy

ISSN: 0275-6668

Article publication date: 21 May 2018

744

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze strategic decline in office supply retailing. The paper describes how inconsistent and biased internal decisions and perspectives can lead to decline, even for retailers, once dominant in their sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a case study of Staples and the US office supply industry over a 30-year period.

Findings

A series of inconsistent and contradictory strategic decisions led to the decline of Staples, the world’s largest office supply retailer. With a backdrop of increasing online competition, Staples failed to rethink the role of its store network, lost its value positioning and embarked on an inconsistent and flawed acquisition strategy.

Originality/value

This paper shows the need for retail companies to continue to develop strategies for traditional formats while moving into a multichannel competitive environment. The paper concludes with nine lessons for retailers, involving the need for distinct channel strategies, reinforcing of value positioning and the importance of an internal focus on strategic evolution.

Keywords

Citation

Strong, J.S. (2018), "Staples: strategic evolution and decline in retailing", Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-06-2017-0090

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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