Merchant: Staples · What this page covers: Staples coupon codes, Easy Rewards math, ink recycling, price match, print offers, and teacher savings · Sources: Staples’ own pages, listed under Offer provenance.
Is there a Staples coupon code you can use right now? We did not find a public, site-wide Staples promo code on any Staples page we checked. Staples does use coupons, but its own redemption instructions describe them as offers delivered by email (with a code that adds to your cart) or printed for in-store use, not as codes posted for everyone. The savings Staples publishes openly are points offers inside its free Easy Rewards program, a price match guarantee, and in-store ink cartridge recycling rewards.
The catch is the conversion rate. Easy Rewards points are worth half a cent each (200 points equal $1), so the base earn of 1 point per dollar is about 0.5% back. The promotions are where the value is: Staples was advertising “40% back in points on all ink and toner” and “25% back in points on custom print orders of $100+” when we checked. Teachers should know one more thing up front: the Easy Rewards pages and terms we reviewed contain no educator benefit, and Staples’ old Classroom Rewards address now shows the general Easy Rewards overview instead of a teacher program.
Staples savings at a glance
| Offer | Code needed? | Status | Expiration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Rewards base earn: 1 point per $1 on qualifying purchases (200 points = $1) | No, free membership | merchant_direct | Standing program | staples.com Easy Rewards overview and Easy Rewards Terms and Conditions |
| 2X points in 3 member-chosen bonus categories | No | merchant_direct | Standing program | staples.com Easy Rewards overview |
| 40% back in points on all ink and toner | No | merchant-listed · last seen active | None published | staples.com Easy Rewards overview (site banner) |
| 25% back in points on custom print orders of $100+ (activation required) | No, activate in account | merchant-listed · last seen active | None published | staples.com print coupons and offers page |
| Ink cartridge recycling: 500 points per cartridge, up to 6 (3,000 points per calendar month) | No | merchant_direct | Standing program | staples.com in-store recycling page |
| Price Match Guarantee (in store, online, and custom print) | No | merchant_direct | Standing policy | staples.com Price Match Guarantee page |
| Free delivery on orders of $35 and free same-day pickup | No | merchant-listed · last seen active | None published | staples.com print coupons and offers page (banner) |
| Classroom Rewards teacher program | n/a | unverified (no current program found) | n/a | staples.com/classroomrewards now shows the Easy Rewards overview |
Staples coupon codes: how they actually work
Staples’ coupon redemption help page describes three ways to use a coupon: online, where clicking the coupon email’s “Add to cart” link adds the code automatically and the discount shows on the review-your-order page once you hit the minimum; in store, where you print the coupon and hand it to the associate; and by phone, where you read a 16-digit code to customer service.
The rules on that page are strict and worth knowing before you build a cart around a coupon:
- “Limit one per customer, nontransferable.”
- The coupon cannot be combined with other coupons.
- The minimum must be met with items that no other coupon or instant savings offer already applies to.
- Tax and shipping do not count toward the minimum.
- Coupons do not apply to services, gift cards, postage stamps, or prior purchases.
If a third-party site shows a “Staples promo code,” be skeptical: Staples ties codes to emails and printed coupons. Our guide to spotting fake coupon sites covers the warning signs.
Easy Rewards: the real math
Easy Rewards is free to join through the Staples app, online, or in a store; the terms require only a name and valid email. Here is how the numbers work, taken from the overview page and the program terms:
- Earn: 1 point per $1 spent on qualifying purchases, excluding taxes and shipping. Points round down, so a $49.99 purchase earns 49 points.
- Redeem: 200 points equal $1 off, redeemed at checkout in $1 increments.
- Bonus categories: members pick 3 categories to earn 2X points. Choices listed include paper, ink and toner, print services, furniture, breakroom, technology, office and school supplies, shipping supplies, and cleaning supplies.
- Expiration: points do not expire for active members, but you must earn or redeem at least one point in an 18-month period. The terms say an account inactive for 18 months can be terminated and all points forfeited.
Example math (our calculation from Staples’ stated rates):
- $200 of regular supplies at the base rate earns 200 points, which is $1 back, or 0.5%.
- The same $200 in one of your 2X bonus categories earns 400 points, or $2 back (1%).
- Reaching 5,000 points ($25) at the base rate takes $5,000 of qualifying spending.
That is a thin base return; doubling 0.5% still only gets you to 1%. The bigger wins are the promotions below.
Two terms details matter. First, points are earned on the amount you pay “after application of all promotions, coupons, instant savings, and Points redemption,” so a coupon shrinks your points too. Second, returns claw points back: the terms say points from a returned item are debited, the balance can go negative, and Staples may reduce your refund to cover it.
Ink and toner: the largest points offer we found
Staples was advertising “40% back in points on all ink and toner” in its site banners. No end date or fine print was shown alongside the banner, so check the offer details in your account before you rely on it.
Example math: read at face value, a $60 ink order would return $24 in rewards. At 200 points per $1, that is 4,800 points. The base rate would earn 60 points (30 cents).
Ink cartridge recycling rewards
Staples’ in-store recycling page lists the cartridge offer as “500 points per cartridge you recycle in store, up to 6 cartridges — up to $15 in savings!” with the conditions “In store only. Limit 3,000 points earned per calendar month. Exclusions apply.”
Example math: 500 points is $2.50 per cartridge. Recycling the 6-cartridge maximum in a month earns 3,000 points, which is the $15 Staples cites.
The same page lists tech Staples accepts for recycling in store. Some items carry fees that do not apply in certain states (printers are listed at $9.99 each), so check the page for your state first.
Print and marketing deals
Staples’ print coupons and offers page listed “25% back in points on custom print orders” with an “Activate now” prompt, and the site banner gives the threshold as orders of $100+. Because it requires activation, an unactivated order may not earn the bonus.
Example math: a $120 custom print order (business cards, flyers, banners) at 25% back would return $30 in rewards, or 6,000 points. A $90 order would fall under the $100 threshold shown in the banner.
Staples price match guarantee
Staples runs three separate price match policies, and the competitor lists differ:
- In store: matches Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon.com, FedEx Office, and The UPS Store. Bring printed ads, photos of signage, or a mobile offer showing price and product details.
- Staples.com: matches Grainger, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon.com, Quill, WB Mason, and Uline. You request by phone (1-800-333-3330), and the policy says “Screenshots or pictures will not be accepted.”
- Custom print: matches any U.S.-based seller or reseller of custom print products that produces the item in the U.S., with quotes dated within 30 days.
For in-store and online purchases, if you find a lower qualifying price within 14 days of buying, Staples says it will refund the difference. Key exclusions: marketplace items sold or shipped by third parties, clearance and closeout items, out-of-stock items, holiday sale offers including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, gift cards, warranties, and Staples Business customer pricing. The limit is one price match per eligible product per customer per day, and items must be identical down to model number and quantity.
Example: you buy a $250 printer and see the identical model for $219 at a listed competitor 10 days later. A successful match refunds $31.
Is there a Staples teacher discount? What happened to Classroom Rewards
Staples has run teacher programs in the past. Its own newsroom carries an announcement titled “Staples Introduces Classroom Rewards: 5 Percent Back to Teachers,” and Staples published parent and teacher flyers pointing to staples.com/classroomrewards.
When we loaded staples.com/classroomrewards, it showed the general Easy Rewards overview with no Classroom Rewards or teacher content. The current Easy Rewards overview and the Easy Rewards Terms and Conditions do not mention teachers, educators, or Classroom Rewards. We did not find any current Staples page describing a teacher discount or educator reward rate.
So the honest answer: we could not find a current Staples teacher discount. Teachers can still use Easy Rewards (choosing “office and school supplies” as a 2X bonus category is the closest thing to a teacher perk), ink recycling, and price match. For retailers that do publish educator programs, see our teacher discounts master list, the Barnes & Noble educator discount, and Michaels’ teacher discount policy.
How to save at Staples without a coupon
- Join Easy Rewards and set your 3 bonus categories where you spend most.
- Buy ink and toner during the 40%-back points promotion if it is running in your account.
- Recycle empty cartridges in store for 500 points each, up to six per month.
- Activate print offers before ordering custom print jobs of $100 or more.
- Price match within 14 days against the competitor list for your channel (in store or online).
- Use free same-day pickup or hit the $35 free delivery threshold shown on Staples’ site to avoid shipping costs.
- Time big purchases around sale events using our big deal days calendar.
Stacking order
- Confirm the lowest price, including a price match if a listed competitor is cheaper.
- Apply one emailed or printed coupon if you have one (only one per order, and it cannot share minimum-qualifying items with other instant savings).
- Activate any points promotions (ink, print) before checkout.
- Redeem points in $1 increments if you want to use them now.
Remember that points are calculated after coupons and points redemption, so the more you discount, the fewer points you earn. Our stacking guide explains the general approach.
What we could not verify
- Start and end dates for the 40% back on ink and toner and 25% back on custom print promotions, and their full fine print.
- Whether ink recycling points can also be earned online. The Easy Rewards overview mentions recycling “in store and online,” while the recycling page says the 500-point offer is “In store only.”
- The specific exclusions behind “Exclusions apply” on the recycling offer.
- Whether any teacher or educator discount exists anywhere at Staples today, and exactly when Classroom Rewards ended.
- The exact current list of 2X bonus category options and whether some categories earn more than 2X (“2X or more” appears on the overview).
Frequently asked questions
Does Staples have coupon codes?
Staples issues coupons, mostly through email and printable in-store coupons, according to its redemption help page. We did not find a public, site-wide promo code posted on Staples’ pages.
How much are Staples Easy Rewards points worth?
Under the program terms, 200 points equal $1. At the base earn of 1 point per $1, that is about 0.5% back.
Do Easy Rewards points expire?
Not for active members. You need to earn or redeem at least one point in an 18-month period; inactive accounts can be terminated and points forfeited.
How much do I get for recycling ink cartridges at Staples?
500 points per cartridge recycled in store, up to 6 cartridges and 3,000 points per calendar month. That is $2.50 per cartridge and up to $15 a month.
Does Staples have a teacher discount?
We found no current Staples teacher discount. The former Classroom Rewards address now shows the general Easy Rewards overview, and the Easy Rewards terms do not mention educators.
Does Staples price match Amazon?
Yes, Amazon.com is on both the in-store and Staples.com competitor lists, but marketplace items sold or shipped by third parties are excluded.
Offer provenance
Every fact on this page comes from Staples’ own websites:
- staples.com: Easy Rewards overview (staples.com/lp/easyrewardsoverview)
- staples.com: Staples Easy Rewards Terms and Conditions (staples.com/lp/easy-rewards-terms-conditions)
- staples.com: Easy Rewards marketing page (site banners for ink, toner, and print points offers)
- staples.com: in-store recycling page (staples.com/stores/recycling)
- staples.com: Price Match Guarantee (staples.com/stores/price-match-guarantee)
- staples.com: Printing coupons, deals and offers page
- staples.com: How to Redeem Your Staples Coupon help page
- staples.com/classroomrewards (which now displays the Easy Rewards overview)
- news.staples.com: Staples newsroom announcement “Staples Introduces Classroom Rewards: 5 Percent Back to Teachers” (program history only)
No checkout test was performed. No code on this page was invented, and nothing was sourced from coupon sites. Read how we verify deals and our editorial policy. Spot something out of date? Tell us through our contact page.
Related: Teacher discounts master list · Student discounts master list · How to stack coupons, cashback and rewards · Barnes & Noble educator discount · Canva for Education · saving on Lifetouch school pictures without a code · Office Depot Rewards and ink recycling credits
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Staples, Easy Rewards, and Classroom Rewards are trademarks of their owner. CheezyDeals is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Staples, and uses the name only to identify the business these offers apply to.