Donald Tiffany
Retail Marketing
Staples Case

1. Staples have undoubtedly created a successful multichannel strategy in their sales process. They have done such a good job at creating one from their efforts in combining their existing experience, extensive distribution infrastructure, and customer service expertise with web-based information technology. By the use of these multichannel outlets, Staples has found that a customer that would use 2 channels would spend double the amount on supplies and a customer that would use 3 channels would spend almost triple the amount as a customer that only used one. Then even in there big box stores if a customer can not find what they are looking for they can order the product on an in store kiosk and get overnight shipping and decide as to where they would like that product shipped.
2. The in store kiosk system can have its advantages and disadvantages. I believe the advantages are clear and simple. The big box stores hold about 8,000 SKUs but then the online part can hold up to around 45,000 SKUs, so with that even though Staples may try to always anticipate a customers needs in have the product in house, they may inadvertently miss to do so. So with having that kiosk this allows a kick solution for the store and customer. Now yes this could work in most cases cause this customer would be receiving the supply that is needed the next day but a disadvantage of failing to meet the customers immediate need would be that if they have an urgent need for the supply. This would have its chance of leaving the customer unfulfilled and could result in a slim chance of return of that customer.
3. Now with Staples having so many SKUs overall in there inventory, 45,000 I think to be exact and only 8,000 able to be held in stores, you may ask now which ones should the company keep on hand in the big box stores? Well originally your going to start off with the most bought products of course but then what, I would believe it to be smart if they held some certain items that could be of critical need but seldom used and as also hard to find. Now you wouldn’t need to hold as many of these units in store as a normal product but altogether would still be a wise choice. The problem with that is with making the decision on to which product these may be to hold. I believe these products would