Web Site Receives Top Award

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL --- Quill Corporation announces  that its Web site, www.quill.com, has been named I.Merchant of the Year  by Catalog Age magazine. The award was announced in ceremonies held recently  during the 20th Annual Catalog Conference in San Francisco, CA. Quill.com  also captured top honors in the business-to-business soft goods category,  receiving a Gold Award for that distinction.

I.Merchant of the Year was determined by 10 industry  experts who rated Quill.com on design, customer service functionality,  breadth of product, comprehensiveness, creative and marketing execution,  and check-out procedures. Judges critiqued the websites of hundreds of  direct marketers across all industries, and winners were determined by  secret ballot.

Judges praised Quill.com for understanding that  its "time-pressed customers need to locate products in a second,"  and described the site's search function as "tops." They also  recognized its "utilitarian and intuitive" home page and emphasized  that the site makes online shopping pleasant and hassle-free, offering  a "wealth of items to choose from" in each product category  while not over-merchandising or overwhelming the customer.

"Our goal is to always give the customer an online shopping experience  that is just as good, if not better, than shopping from the catalog,"  says Sarah Alter, Quill.com vice president. "We constantly strive  to provide more flexibility, greater options, and other advantages that  will serve customers faster, easier, and more effectively. We look at  every opportunity to improve the site and enhance the customer's interaction  with us."

Begun in 1996, Quill.com was one of the first successful online launches in the office products industry, and is consistently ranked as one of the best online merchants by Bizrate.com.  The Web site offers 24-hour-a-day access to over 50,000 business essentials, including basic supplies, office furniture, technology products, imprinted items, and much more.  The site also provides many value-added features, including Purchasing Manager and live help.

Catalog Age is the leading publication in the catalog industry, published by Primedia Business, one of the world's largest technical and trade media companies.

About Quill: Founded  in 1956 and headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, Quill Corporation is the  nation's premier business-to-business direct marketer of office products,  furniture, and technology supplies. Quill maintains 11 regional distribution  centers located strategically throughout the U.S. to facilitate next-day  order delivery. Renowned for its outstanding customer service, Quill serves  customers through direct marketing, telemarketing, outside sales, and  online. A brand new business book, The Really Useful Guide to Working  Smarter, Not Harder, is available exclusively from Quill, and provides  no-nonsense tips for today's business workplace. Quill Corporation has  been a wholly owned subsidiary of Staples, Inc., since 1998.