v2.4.0.6

Segment Reporting (Tables) | 6 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jul. 28, 2012
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Abstract] |
Summary of sales and business unit income by reportable segment and a reconciliation of segment income to consolidated income before income taxes | The following is a summary of sales and business unit income by reportable segment and a reconciliation of business unit income to consolidated income before income taxes for the second quarter and first half of 2012 and 2011 (in thousands):
| 13 Weeks Ended |  | 26 Weeks Ended
| July 28, 2012 |  | July 30, 2011 |  | July 28, 2012 |  | July 30, 2011
| Sales
North American Delivery | $ | 2,412,755 |  |  | $ | 2,433,217 |  |  | $ | 4,967,826 |  |  | $ | 4,944,863 |
North American Retail | 1,989,139 |  |  | 2,045,143 |  |  | 4,312,970 |  |  | 4,373,228 |
International Operations | 1,096,602 |  |  | 1,341,252 |  |  | 2,322,525 |  |  | 2,674,459 |
Total segment sales | $ | 5,498,496 |  |  | $ | 5,819,612 |  |  | $ | 11,603,321 |  |  | $ | 11,992,550 |
| Business Unit Income (Loss)
North American Delivery | $ | 185,767 |  |  | $ | 204,765 |  |  | $ | 386,726 |  |  | $ | 401,615 |
North American Retail | 88,413 |  |  | 102,872 |  |  | 255,368 |  |  | 280,221 |
International Operations | (22,081 | ) |  | 16,576 |  |  | (40,851 | ) |  | 26,100 |
Business unit income | 252,099 |  |  | 324,213 |  |  | 601,243 |  |  | 707,936 |
Stock-based compensation | (32,042 | ) |  | (46,074 | ) |  | (63,130 | ) |  | (81,470 | )
Interest and other expense, net | (41,695 | ) |  | (40,735 | ) |  | (82,694 | ) |  | (87,257 | )
Consolidated income before income taxes | $ | 178,362 |  |  | $ | 237,404 |  |  | $ | 455,419 |  |  | $ | 539,209 |

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the profit or loss and total assets for each reportable segment. An entity discloses certain information on each reportable segment if the amounts (a) are included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) are otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss. It also includes the tabular disclosure of all significant reconciling items in the reconciliation of total profit or loss from reportable segments, to the entity's consolidated income before income taxes, extraordinary items, and discontinued operations. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | spls_ScheduleOfSegmentReportingInformationAndReconciliationOfOperatingProfitLossBySegmentTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | spls_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | spls_SegmentReportingDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | spls_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration