Staples declares July 8 start of back-to-school season

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. Staples has declared today, July 8, the official first day of the 2008 back-to-school shopping season. To mark the event, the company rung the opening NASDAQ bell.

"We analyzed historic trends and feedback from parents and schools, and added our in-depth knowledge of shopping patterns to determine the official start of the 2008 back-to-school season," said John Mahoney, vice chairman and cfo of Staples. "Based on our more than 20 years of experience in the back-to-school supply industry, we can put a stake in the ground in a way that has never been done before. Schools begin opening their doors as early as July, and as a national retailer with a wide assortment of products at great prices, our goal is to make back to school shopping easy for parents and teens."