v2.4.0.6
Equity Based Employee Benefit Plans Share Activity (Details) (USD $)
6 Months Ended
Jul. 28, 2012
Rate
Jan. 28, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding 44,800,697 45,995,348
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 19.79 $ 19.89
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number 14,841,307 [1] 16,799,262 [1]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 15.73 [1] $ 18.13 [1]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross 2,478,921  
Share-based Compensation Arrangements by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 13.03  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 13.13 [1]  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period 4,548,772 [1]  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period (1,462,782)  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 11.43  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period (5,188,156) [1]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 20.72  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period (2,210,790)  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 19.87  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period (1,318,571) [1]  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeitures, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 20.13 [1]  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Purchase Price of Common Stock, Percent 85.00%  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Maximum Employee Subscription Rate 0.00%  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number 34,908,337  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 20.11 [1]  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 43,790,123,000  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 19.85  
[1] Restricted Shares do not include 0.5 million special performance and retention shares ("Performance Shares") which Staples granted to certain employees in 2010 with a fair market value of $19.27 per share. Performance Shares are awards under which restricted stock is issued only if the Company meets minimum performance targets. The fair value of Performance Shares is based upon the market price of the underlying common stock as of the date of grant.