Guarantor Subsidiaries (Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 29, 2011	Oct. 30, 2010	Oct. 29, 2011	Oct. 30, 2010
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Sales	$ 6,569,927	$ 6,537,676	$ 18,562,477	$ 18,129,711
Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs	4,737,146	4,733,928	13,552,923	13,244,200
Gross profit	1,832,781	1,803,748	5,009,554	4,885,511
Operating and other expenses (income)	1,342,426	1,341,877	3,979,990	3,903,398
Consolidated income before income taxes	490,355	461,871	1,029,564	982,113
Income tax expense	164,025	173,201	329,252	368,293
Consolidated net income	326,330	288,670	700,312	613,820
(Loss) income attributed to the noncontrolling interests	(50)	(10)	(751)	6,614
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	326,380	288,680	701,063	607,206
Staples, Inc. (Parent Co.)
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs	2,715	2,807	8,642	8,715
Gross profit	(2,715)	(2,807)	(8,642)	(8,715)
Operating and other expenses (income)	(329,095)	(291,487)	(709,705)	(615,921)
Consolidated income before income taxes	326,380	288,680	701,063	607,206
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Consolidated net income	326,380	288,680	701,063	607,206
(Loss) income attributed to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	326,380	288,680	701,063	607,206
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Sales	4,048,603	3,968,034	11,303,123	11,027,989
Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs	2,955,171	2,913,335	8,388,950	8,222,687
Gross profit	1,093,432	1,054,699	2,914,173	2,805,302
Operating and other expenses (income)	777,847	769,053	2,270,346	2,220,232
Consolidated income before income taxes	315,585	285,646	643,827	585,070
Income tax expense	132,037	127,369	277,217	255,877
Consolidated net income	183,548	158,277	366,610	329,193
(Loss) income attributed to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	183,548	158,277	366,610	329,193
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Sales	2,521,324	2,569,642	7,259,354	7,101,722
Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs	1,779,260	1,817,786	5,155,331	5,012,798
Gross profit	742,064	751,856	2,104,023	2,088,924
Operating and other expenses (income)	538,588	537,809	1,625,249	1,610,325
Consolidated income before income taxes	203,476	214,047	478,774	478,599
Income tax expense	31,988	45,832	52,035	112,416
Consolidated net income	171,488	168,215	426,739	366,183
(Loss) income attributed to the noncontrolling interests	(50)	(10)	(751)	6,614
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	171,538	168,225	427,490	359,569
Eliminations
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Operating and other expenses (income)	355,086	326,502	794,100	688,762
Consolidated income before income taxes	(355,086)	(326,502)	(794,100)	(688,762)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Consolidated net income	(355,086)	(326,502)	(794,100)	(688,762)
(Loss) income attributed to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Staples, Inc.	$ (355,086)	$ (326,502)	$ (794,100)	$ (688,762)