Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 02:18 pm

Training docs reveal Macs, iPhones, iPads heading to Staples in late March

By Kevin Bostic

The timeline for Apple gear to go on sale at office supply chain Staples may have gotten a bit clearer, as internal training documents point to a late-March date for the retailer to begin selling not only Apple accessories, but iPhones and iPads, as well as Mac notebooks at some locations.


Mac Rumors shared on Wednesday screenshots from training materials for Staples sales associates. The screens describe sales curricula for the iPhone 5, Apple TV, and Mac notebooks.

Those materials showed that the training modules needed be completed by March 26 or 27, likely indicating that the retailer will begin selling Apple products shortly thereafter.


Reports that Staples was preparing to sell Apple products emerged earlier this year, with a Staples executive tweeting the news, though without specifics. Subsequent reports brought word that the retailer would be carrying Apple TV and accessories.

The addition of Apple's higher-end merchandise to Staples' offerings will put Apple products in more than 1,500 outlets across the United States, considerably expanding the computer maker's accessibility. Staples' reputation in the enterprise sector could also aid Apple in accelerating the growth of its presence in the enterprise segment.