Staples offers three ways to print: order online for in-store pickup or delivery, use a self-service machine at the store, or hand your project to an associate at the print counter. Which option works best depends on what you need, how fast you need it, and whether you want to handle the details yourself or let someone else take care of them.
Order Online for Pickup or Delivery
The most convenient option for planned projects is ordering through the Staples website. You upload your file, choose your paper size, color preferences, quantity, and finishing options, then select how you want to receive it. There are two main paths:
- Same-day pickup: Place your order before noon and pick it up in store before closing time that day. This is free for standard pickup on most products.
- Multi-day orders: More complex projects or custom work are typically ready for in-store pickup in one to three business days. You can also choose standard or express shipping to your home or office instead of picking up.
If you need something faster than standard same-day, Staples offers express pickup for an additional fee. Express orders are guaranteed ready within three hours. The cutoff is three hours before the store closes, so check your local store’s hours before submitting. Any order placed after the noon cutoff for standard or the express cutoff will be ready the next business day.
What You Can Print Same Day
The list of products eligible for same-day turnaround is broader than most people expect. Beyond basic documents and copies, you can get same-day posters, banners, business cards, postcards, flyers, brochures, blueprints, cards and invitations, advertising labels, return address labels, and even custom stamps. Staples also offers same-day photo mugs, travel mugs, and custom wrapping paper, which makes the print counter useful for last-minute gifts or events.
Use the Self-Service Machines
Every Staples store has self-service printers near the print counter. These machines handle copying, printing, scanning, and faxing. You can print in black and white or color, and the machines support double-sided printing, stapling, and hole-punching. You pay right at the machine when you’re done.
There are two easy ways to get your files onto the machine:
From a USB drive. Plug your drive into the machine, select your file, choose your settings, and print. This is the fastest method if you already have your document saved and ready to go.
From email. Before you even leave home, email your document to staples@printme.com. You’ll receive a confirmation email with an eight-digit code and a barcode. At the store, tap “Print” on the self-service machine’s touch screen, then select “Email.” Enter your code or scan the barcode, and your document loads up for printing. This is especially handy if you don’t have a USB drive or if someone else needs to send you the file.
Self-service machines are ideal for quick, straightforward jobs: printing a few pages from a report, copying a form, or scanning something to email. You control every step, so there’s no wait for an associate.
Use the Full-Service Print Counter
For anything more complex, walk up to the print and marketing counter and work with an associate. This is the better route when your project involves binding, large-format printing, custom finishing, or when you’re not sure exactly what settings you need. Associates can walk you through options for binding presentations and manuals, printing banners and event materials, or handling specialty projects like blueprints.
You can bring your files on a USB drive or have them already submitted online. If you’re not sure how your project should look, the associate can help you choose paper weight, finish type, and layout before anything gets printed.
How Much Printing Costs
For standard letter-size (8.5 x 11 inch) pages, Staples charges $0.32 per page for black and white and $0.80 per page for color. Those are the base rates for single-sided copies and documents. Prices go up from there for larger paper sizes, specialty media, binding, laminating, or other finishing work.
Self-service pricing follows the same general structure, and you pay directly at the machine. For online orders, the website calculates your total as you customize the job, so you’ll see the exact price before you submit.
If you’re printing in volume, the per-page cost can add up quickly. Printing 100 color pages at the base rate, for example, comes to $80. For large runs, it’s worth asking an associate whether bulk pricing or a different paper option could bring the cost down.
Tips for a Smooth Print Job
Save your file as a PDF before uploading or bringing it on a USB drive. PDFs preserve your formatting, fonts, and layout far more reliably than Word documents or other editable formats. If your project includes images, make sure they’re high resolution, at least 300 DPI, so they don’t look blurry when printed.
For same-day orders, give yourself a cushion before that noon deadline. Submitting at 11:55 a.m. with a complicated file increases the chance of something going wrong. If your project is time-sensitive, the express pickup option with its three-hour guarantee is worth the extra cost for peace of mind.
Check your document’s margins and bleed areas before submitting, especially for posters, banners, or anything with color that extends to the edge of the page. Most standard printers can’t print to the absolute edge, so leaving a small margin prevents awkward white borders on your finished product.