
<PAGE>   1

              As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                              on September 30, 1996

                                                      Registration No. 333-12903


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                        POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                      TO
                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                  Staples, Inc.
             -------------------------------------------------------   
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                   Delaware                         04-2896127
          -----------------------------         -------------------
               (State or other                     (I.R.S. Employer
         jurisdiction of incorporation)         Identification No.)

                      One Research Drive
                 Westboro, Massachusetts                           01581
         ------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                (Zip Code)


                        1994 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
         ------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)


                             Peter M. Schwarzenbach
                       Vice President and General Counsel
                                  Staples, Inc.
                             100 Pennsylvania Avenue
                         Framingham, Massachusetts 01701
          -----------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                  (508) 370-8500
          -----------------------------------------------------------------
             (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

<PAGE>   2
Item 8 - Exhibits.
- -----------------

    See Index to Exhibits attached hereto.


<PAGE>   3



                                   SIGNATURES

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
         Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
         meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly
         caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
         undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Westborough,
         Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 30th day of September, 1996


                                            STAPLES, INC.



                                            By: /s/ Peter M. Schwarzenbach
                                               ----------------------------
                                               PETER M. SCHWARZENBACH
                                               Vice President, General 
                                               Counsel and Secretary



<PAGE>   4




              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
         Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
         capacities indicated on the 30th day of September, 1996.

                   SIGNATURE                          TITLE
                   ---------                          -----

                        *                   Chairman of the Board of
          ------------------------------    Directors and Chief Executive
              THOMAS G. STEMBERG            Officer (Principal Executive
                                            Officer
                                            

                        *                   Executive Vice President and
          ------------------------------    Chief Financial Officer
              JOHN J. MAHONEY               (Principal Financial Officer)
                                            


                        *                   Senior Vice President --
          ------------------------------    Finance (Principal
              JAMES FLAVIN                  Accounting Officer)
                                           


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              MARY ELIZABETH BURTON


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              MARTIN E. HANAKA


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              W. LAWRENCE HEISEY


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              LEO KAHN


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              JAMES L. MOODY


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              ROWLAND T. MORIARTY


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              ROBERT C. NAKASONE




<PAGE>   5









                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              W. MITT ROMNEY


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              MARTIN TRUST


                        *                   Director
          ------------------------------
              PAUL F. WALSH


*By: /s/ Peter M. Schwarzenbach
     --------------------------
     Attorney-in-Fact





<PAGE>   6



                                  Exhibit Index
                                  -------------
 

         EXHIBIT             DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
         -------             ----------------------
         PAGE
         ----

         4.1       --   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                        Company.........................................   *

         4.2       --   Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company.....  **

         5.1       --   Opinion of Hale and Dorr........................ ***

         23.1      --   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP....................

         23.2      --   Consent of Hale and Dorr (included in
                        Exhibit 5.1).................................... ***

         24.1      --   Power of Attorney .............................. ***

         99.1      --   Amended and Restated 1994 Employee
                        Stock Purchase Plan.............................

         ---------------

         *    Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report
              on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended August 3, 1996, as
              amended on Form 10-Q/A.

         **   Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to the Annual Report on
              Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 1996.

        ***   Previously filed.


