Staples Q3 Profit Down 43%

Framingham-based Staples Inc.'s third quarter profit plummeted 43 percent as a result of the company's purchase of Corporate Express and a 6 percent decrease in North American retail sales.

The company reported third quarter sales of $7 billion, a 34 percent increase compared to the same period a year ago.

The company said it saw a "lower spend per existing customer" during the quarter, especially for items such as office furniture and computers.

The 6 percent North American retail sales dip was accompanied by an 8 percent decrease in same-store sales as the average order size shrunk and customer traffic slowed. The company said those decreases were partially offset by growth in technology services and ink sales.