"That could be Staples' internal policy/order for the supervisor, CSR - use whatever way to avoid giving pricematch. Why should a business sell you something without profit? If you're the owner, will (sic) you want to do that? "
Kingofcomputer - I think the larger question should be, why would a business owner establish a policy (price-matching with coupons) that would cause the business to not make a profit?
And TBP is right. You don't look at it solely from the perspective that [ I may ] lose profit selling this one item at such a price, but that I may lose a customer if [ I ] don't. You don't alienate customers to counter a "bad corporate policy". It isn't the purchaser's responsibility to determine whether the vendor is making a profit or not, and to use such tactics is dishonest, unethical (not that the buisness community has much of a track record when it comes to corporate ethics), and above all, serves to develop distrust in the company that is dependent on the consumer to ensure it's existence. Office Max and Staples are both classic examples of where such dishonest and unethical behavior have resulted in a loss of this trust.