CASE STUDY
How Staples Delivered a Scrub Program for 20,000+ Employees
A Fortune 500 healthcare provider needed a scrub program for a massive, decentralized workforce. Staples Promotional Products set aside the standard eStore model and won a competitive bid with Uniform Stores.
PARTNER
Staples Promotional Products
TYPE
Global branded merchandise leader
END CLIENT
Fortune 500 healthcare provider
PROGRAM SIZE
20,000+ employees
LAUNCHED
March 24, 2025
RESULTS
20,000+
employees served by a single program
$4.1M+
in sales to date
100%
of the client's criteria met
“Uniform Stores partnered closely with us to clearly identify the client’s needs and deliver a solution that not only met but exceeded their requirements.”
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Strategic Account Manager
Staples Promotional Products
The Organization
Staples Promotional Products (SPP) is a global leader in branded merchandise and promotional solutions. With enterprise-level scale, strong compliance standards and end-to-end program support, they deliver reliable, brand-safe solutions for everything from large-scale global programs to targeted campaigns and employee initiatives.
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When a premier Fortune 500 healthcare provider needed a sophisticated uniform solution for over 20,000 employees, SPP looked beyond traditional models to deliver a high-impact, strategic program.
The Challenge: Complexity at Scale
The client required a highly flexible scrub program that could accommodate a massive, decentralized workforce while maintaining strict operational control. The project presented several critical requirements:
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Multi-supplier choice. Access to high-quality scrubs from various brands without the burden of inventory liability.
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Complex financials. A system capable of managing employee-specific allowances while allowing personal payment for purchases exceeding the allowance.
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Operational efficiency. Requirements included rapid fulfillment, direct-to-employee shipping, flexible returns and consolidated monthly billing.
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Data integration. The need for regular employee data updates and actionable, real-time reporting to ensure program transparency.
The Solution: A Strategic Pivot
While Staples has a long history of managing uniform programs, they knew this specific challenge required an evolved approach. Initial plans to use a standard eStore platform were set aside in search of a more specialized solution.
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After reaching out to their scrub sources, they found Uniform Stores. This platform was identified as the ideal engine to meet 100% of the client’s criteria. Despite a highly competitive bidding process involving other major scrub suppliers, the partnership between SPP and the Uniform Stores team distinguished itself through:
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Employee empowerment. Moving beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach to offer comfort and style autonomy.
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Collaborative integration. Functioning as a true extension of the Staples Promotional Products team to map out complex “rules of engagement” and technical integrations.
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Proactive management. Providing dedicated account support to navigate the “heavy lift” of the initial launch, plus ongoing support.
The implementation: From Transactional to Strategic Partnership
The launch phase required significant technical integration to ensure seamless data flow and user experience. The Uniform Stores team supported SPP throughout the entire lifecycle, from the initial sales pitch to the complex back-end integration.
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This successful execution transformed the relationship between Staples Promotional Products and Uniform Stores from a transactional vendor-buyer dynamic into a long-term strategic partnership.
The Results
The program has delivered measurable success for both the client and the employees:
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High engagement. Ongoing marketing support ensures employees maximize their annual allocations, driving program utilization.
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Operational excellence. The client receives consolidated billing and detailed reporting, eliminating the administrative burden of managing 20,000+ individual users.
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Employee satisfaction. By providing scrubs that fit well and feel comfortable, the program has supported better job satisfaction and daily comfort — critical factors for retention in healthcare environments.
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Revenue growth. From a sales perspective, the streamlined UI and personal payment options have maximized captured sales beyond the base allowances.
Future Outlook
The success of this program has provided a proven blueprint for success. Staples Promotional Products has since established a formal strategic partnership with Uniform Stores to bring this specialized, scalable solution to all clients within the healthcare and uniform sectors.