Staples Inc. Partners with ICG Commerce to Leverage Its Online Procurement Solution

Staples Makes Strategic Investment In ICG Commerce

PHILADELPHIA - Wednesday, July 05, 2000 - (NASDAQ: SPLS) today announced that it has made an investment in ICG 
Commerce and that the two companies have formed a strategic partnership to leverage ICG Commerce's online procurement 
expertise and capabilities. Staples will implement ICG Commerce's e-procurement offering to reduce its own procurement
costs and will also become a supply partner, helping to service the needs of ICG Commerce's growing global customer 
base.


"This agreement with ICG Commerce is part of our overall strategy to invest in and partner with companies that share 
our mission and focus — to save our customers valuable time and money," said Jeff Levitan, executive vice president 
of strategy for Staples.com. "Our goal is to make it easy for our customers to shop with us and to find ways to reduce 
the cost and hassle of running our own business as well. ICG Commerce is taking the benefits of e-procurement to the 
next level." 


"We are excited about this pact, and look forward to working with Staples to develop our relationship across all fronts," 
said Rick Berry, president and CEO of ICG Commerce. "Our first step in this relationship is to assess their current 
procurement processes and to look for ways to streamline them to maximize their savings." 


About ICG Commerce 
ICG Commerce is the world's first comprehensive online procurement service provider for businesses, unmatched in 
supply chain management, purchasing and strategic sourcing for any industry. The company delivers to customers 
complete, tailored services built around a flexible, Internet-based platform that requires minimal start-up cost and time 
and no software purchase or installation. ICG Commerce can effect the entire spectrum of purchasing strategies, 
including aggregated buys, portals and exchanges, hosted auctions, eRFQs/eRFPs, spot buys and catalog purchases. As 
such, the company is uniquely positioned to help customers streamline all of their procurement decisions and processes 
and to effect substantial savings and efficiencies. ICG Commerce is a member of the Internet Capital Group 
(NASDAQ: ICGE) network of partner companies, and is based in Jenkintown, PA. For more information, access the 
company's Web site at www.icgcommerce.com. 


About Staples:
Staples Inc. is a $9 billion provider of office supplies, furniture, technology and services to consumers and businesses 
of all sizes in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Headquartered 
near Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. 
The company has 50,000 employees who help customers slash the cost and hassle of running their businesses through 
more than 1,200 retail superstores, an e-commerce business, direct mail order operations under the brands of Staples 
and subsidiary Quill Corporation, and a national accounts contract business. More information about the company is 
available at www.staples.com.


Contacts: 

Chris White
For ICG Commerce
(404) 880-5292
chris_white@cohnwolfe.com


Shannon Lapierre
For Staples Inc.
508-253-8468
shannon.lapierre@staples.com