- Amazon wins on price for most individual items, but Office Depot and Staples beat it when you factor in business accounts, same-day pickup, and services.
- Staples and Office Depot are closer than you'd think, but Staples has a slight edge on tech and Office Depot is better for furniture and printing.
- Your best choice depends on how you buy, not just what you buy. Here's who wins for each scenario.
The Three Contenders at a Glance
Office Depot, Staples, and Amazon are the three places most people buy office supplies, but they're not really competing for the same shopper. Amazon is the default for “I need it cheap and I can wait two days.” Staples and Office Depot are fighting over people who want to see things in person, need stuff today, or buy in bulk for a business. Understanding this helps you pick the right store for the right purchase.
Let's break it down category by category.
Price Comparison: Who's Actually Cheapest?
Basic Supplies
For everyday items like pens, paper, notebooks, and folders, Amazon wins. Not always by a huge margin, but consistently enough that it adds up.
- HP Copy Paper (1 ream, 500 sheets): Amazon $7.49 / Staples $8.99 / Office Depot $8.49
- Pilot G2 Gel Pens (12-pack): Amazon $12.49 / Staples $14.99 / Office Depot $14.49
- Post-it Notes (12-pack, 3×3): Amazon $10.49 / Staples $11.99 / Office Depot $11.99
- Avery 1″ Binder: Amazon $4.99 / Staples $5.99 / Office Depot $6.49
- Sharpie Markers (12-pack): Amazon $8.97 / Staples $10.49 / Office Depot $9.99
Amazon's prices average about 15-20% lower than both Staples and Office Depot on basic supplies. That's significant if you're buying in volume. On a $500 supply order, you'd save roughly $75-$100 by buying on Amazon.
But. Office Depot and Staples both offer store-brand alternatives that close that gap. Office Depot brand copy paper is $5.49 per ream, which actually beats Amazon's price on the HP equivalent. So if you're flexible on brands, the price differences shrink.
Winner: Amazon for name brands. Office Depot for store-brand alternatives.
Ink and Toner
Ink pricing is surprisingly competitive across all three. Manufacturers like HP and Brother control the pricing tightly, so the differences are small.
- HP 63 Black Ink: Amazon $17.89 / Staples $17.99 / Office Depot $17.99
- HP 63 Combo Pack (Black + Color): Amazon $35.99 / Staples $36.99 / Office Depot $36.99
- Brother TN-760 Toner: Amazon $69.99 / Staples $74.99 / Office Depot $74.99
Amazon edges out both stores by a dollar or two on most cartridges. But here's where it gets interesting. Office Depot gives you $2 back per recycled cartridge (up to 10/month), and Staples offers $2 back per cartridge as well (up to 10/month). Amazon offers nothing.
If you recycle regularly, Office Depot and Staples effectively beat Amazon on ink pricing. Recycle five cartridges a month and you're getting $10 back, which more than covers the $1-$2 price difference on new cartridges. Also, both Office Depot and Staples sell remanufactured cartridges at 20-30% below OEM prices. Amazon has third-party compatible cartridges too, but quality is a gamble. The store-brand remanufactured cartridges from Office Depot and Staples are more consistent.
Winner: Office Depot and Staples (tie). The recycling rewards make them cheaper in practice than Amazon.
Printers
All three sell the same printers from the same brands at nearly identical prices. A Brother HL-L2350DW goes for $119.99 everywhere. An HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e is $229.99 everywhere. The manufacturers enforce pricing parity pretty strictly.
The difference is in the buying experience. Staples has the best in-store printer section of the three (more models on display, better-trained staff). Office Depot is solid but has fewer display models. Amazon has every model available but you can't test print quality before buying.
Staples and Office Depot both offer in-store setup help if you buy from them. Amazon doesn't. If you're not tech-savvy and need help getting a printer connected to your network, buying locally is worth the identical price.
Winner: Staples for the in-store experience. Amazon if you know exactly what you want.
Shipping and Delivery: Speed Matters
Amazon Prime gives you free two-day shipping on most items, and same-day delivery on select products in major metros for $5.99 (or free on orders over $35). This is still the gold standard for delivery speed. No question.
But both Staples and Office Depot have gotten surprisingly competitive here:
- Office Depot: Free shipping on orders over $35. Free same-day pickup at local stores. Same-day delivery for $9.99 (free over $60) in metro areas.
- Staples: Free shipping on orders over $35. Free same-day pickup at local stores. Same-day delivery for $7.99 (free over $50) in metro areas.
- Amazon: Free two-day shipping with Prime ($139/year). Same-day delivery on select items. No in-store pickup option.
Here's the thing: if you need something today, Staples and Office Depot are often faster than Amazon. Order online at 10 AM, pick up at your local store by noon. That's faster than any Amazon delivery option outside of their limited same-day metro coverage. And it's free.
For furniture and heavy items, Office Depot and Staples both offer free delivery on orders over $45, though it's curbside only. Amazon includes delivery to your door for most items with Prime, which is a real advantage when you're ordering a 65-pound desk.
Winner: Amazon for home delivery. Office Depot and Staples for same-day pickup.
Business Accounts: The Real Battleground
This is where Office Depot and Staples pull ahead of Amazon, and it's not even close.
Office Depot Business Solutions
- Contract pricing 10-20% below retail
- Net-30 payment terms
- Dedicated account representative
- Custom catalogs based on your purchasing history
- Free setup, no minimum spend requirement (practical minimum around $100/month)
Staples Business Advantage
- Contract pricing 10-25% below retail (slightly better than Office Depot on average)
- Net-30 payment terms
- Dedicated account representative
- Broader product catalog (including breakroom, cleaning, and facilities supplies)
- Free setup, no minimum spend requirement
Amazon Business
- Business-only pricing (usually 5-10% below consumer pricing)
- Net-30 available for approved accounts (credit check required)
- No dedicated account rep
- Huge product selection across all categories
- Free to sign up
For businesses spending $500+ per month on supplies, Staples Business Advantage usually offers the best contract pricing. Office Depot is a close second with slightly less aggressive discounts but better customer service (their account reps are more responsive, in our experience). Amazon Business has the selection advantage but can't match the personalized pricing or payment flexibility.
The net-30 terms from Staples and Office Depot are also more generous. You get approved quickly, and the credit limits are higher. Amazon Business net-30 requires a separate credit check and starts with lower limits.
Winner: Staples for the deepest business discounts. Office Depot for better account management. Amazon for product breadth.
Office Furniture: Sit Before You Buy
Amazon has the most office furniture options by far. But “most options” doesn't mean “best options.” Buying a chair on Amazon means relying on photos, reviews (many of which are fake or for different products), and a return policy that requires you to ship back a 40-pound box at your own expense.
Office Depot carries a tighter selection, but you can sit in the chairs and touch the desks. Their Realspace brand offers solid value at the $150-$400 price range. The Realspace Magellan L-desk ($329.99) is one of the most popular home office desks they sell, and it's genuinely good for the money.
Staples has an edge here. Their house brand, Union & Scale, is a step above Office Depot's Realspace line in both design and build quality. The Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken mesh chair ($229.99) is one of the best sub-$250 ergonomic chairs you can buy. Office Depot doesn't have a direct equivalent at that quality level.
Both Staples and Office Depot offer assembly services ($50-$100 extra). Amazon doesn't, unless you hire someone through Amazon Home Services, which is inconsistent.
Winner: Staples for furniture quality and design. Office Depot for value-priced options. Amazon only if you know the exact model you want and don't need to test it.
Services That Only Physical Stores Offer
This is where Amazon simply can't compete, and where Office Depot and Staples justify their existence in 2025.
Print and Copy Services
Both Office Depot and Staples have full-service print centers in every location. Business cards, flyers, posters, binding, laminating, large-format prints. Pricing is similar between the two:
- B&W copies: Office Depot $0.09/page, Staples $0.09/page
- Color copies: Office Depot $0.49/page, Staples $0.14/page (Staples is significantly cheaper here)
- Business cards (250): Office Depot $19.99, Staples $17.99
- Poster printing: Office Depot $7.49/sq ft, Staples $8.99/sq ft
Staples wins on color printing by a wide margin ($0.14 vs $0.49 per page). That's a huge difference if you're printing marketing materials. Office Depot is slightly cheaper on large-format printing. For most people, Staples is the better print shop.
Tech Services and Recycling
Both stores offer free tech recycling, free document shredding for rewards members, and basic computer diagnostics. The services are nearly identical. Office Depot gives you 5 pounds of free shredding per visit, Staples gives you 5 pounds as well. Both accept old electronics, batteries, and ink cartridges.
Amazon, obviously, doesn't offer any of these.
Winner: Staples for printing (especially color). Tie for tech services and recycling.
Customer Service and Returns
Return policies across the three:
- Office Depot: 30 days most items, 14 days tech, 90 days store-brand. In-store returns easy. Online returns require shipping at your expense (unless defective).
- Staples: 30 days most items, 14 days tech, 30 days furniture. In-store returns easy. Online returns include prepaid shipping labels.
- Amazon: 30 days most items (sold by Amazon). Third-party seller policies vary wildly. Easy online returns through UPS/Kohl's/Whole Foods drop-off.
Amazon has the most convenient return process overall. Print a label, drop it at UPS or Kohl's, get your refund in 2-3 days. No hassle, no arguing with a cashier.
Staples is second best because they include prepaid return labels for online orders, which Office Depot doesn't. That's a meaningful difference if you buy online and need to return something.
Office Depot's return policy is fine for in-store purchases but frustrating for online orders. Paying your own return shipping on a heavy item like a chair can cost $30-$50, which eats into any refund.
Winner: Amazon for returns convenience. Staples second. Office Depot third.
Who Should Shop Where (No Hedging)
Here's the straight answer for each type of buyer:
You're a small business spending $500+/month on supplies: Go with Staples Business Advantage. They offer the best contract pricing and their account management is strong. Office Depot is a close second if you have a local store you like.
You're a home office worker buying supplies a few times a year: Amazon for basic supplies (best prices, free shipping with Prime). Office Depot or Staples for furniture (sit in the chair first) and printing services.
You need something today: Office Depot or Staples, whichever is closer. Their same-day pickup can't be matched by Amazon in most cases.
You print a lot and go through ink fast: Office Depot or Staples. The $2 per cartridge recycling reward at both stores makes them effectively cheaper than Amazon for ink over time.
You need printing, shredding, or tech services: Staples for color printing (their price is dramatically lower). Either store for shredding and recycling.
You're buying a desk or office chair: Staples if you want the best house brand (Union & Scale). Office Depot if you're on a tighter budget (Realspace). Never buy a chair on Amazon without sitting in it first somewhere.
The Bottom Line
There's no single winner here, because these three retailers serve different needs. Amazon is cheapest for one-off purchases of name-brand supplies, and their delivery and returns are the most convenient. Staples has the best business accounts, the best print shop, and the best house-brand furniture. Office Depot sits in the middle: decent business accounts, good furniture value, strong recycling rewards, and reliable same-day pickup.
If you're forced to pick just one, most individual shoppers should default to Amazon for supplies and visit Staples or Office Depot only for furniture, printing, and same-day needs. If you're a business buyer, Staples Business Advantage gets you the deepest discounts. And if you go through a lot of ink, either Staples or Office Depot will save you more than Amazon thanks to the cartridge recycling rewards.
Use all three strategically. Amazon for cheap supplies, Staples for business accounts and color printing, and Office Depot for recycling rewards and affordable furniture. Playing them against each other is how you actually save money on office supplies.
