EXHIBIT 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
                                   CONTACT:

                        DANIEL M. JUNIUS AT (978) 449-3416



            NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE, INC.
       ANNOUNCES NEW SHARE REPURCHASE AUTHORIZATION
             AND PLANNED DIVIDEND INCREASE


GROTON, MA -October 27, 2003 - New England Business
Service, Inc. (NYSE: NEB) today announced two actions
dealing with the use of the capital generated by the
Company.

First, the Company's Board of Directors has authorized the
repurchase of up to two million of the Company's shares.
The program is effective immediately and extends through
November 30, 2006, replacing an expiring authorization.
Under the provisions of the authorization, share
repurchases will be made on the open market or through
privately negotiated transactions.

Under the expiring repurchase authorization, which was
approved in October 2000, the Company repurchased
approximately 1.1 million shares at an average price of
$17.73 per share.  The total number of the Company's shares
currently outstanding is approximately 13,186,000.

Additionally, the Company announced that its Board of
Directors plans to raise the regular quarterly cash
dividend by 10 percent, or two cents per share, in the
third fiscal quarter which begins in January 2004.

Robert J. Murray, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
commented, "The steps announced today continue our
commitment to direct capital generated by the Company to
our shareholders. The combination of renewing the capacity
to repurchase shares and a planned increase in our dividend
is driven by the expanding capabilities of the Company and
the Board's confidence in the future of New England
Business Service."

New England Business Service, Inc. is a leading business-
to-business company with approximately 3.1 million active
small business customers in the United States, Canada, the
United Kingdom and France. The Company supplies a wide
variety of business products and services including checks,
forms and other printed material which are marketed through
direct mail, telesales, a direct sales force, dealers,
dedicated distributors and the Internet.  The Company also
designs, embroiders and sells specialty apparel products
through distributors and independent sales representatives
to the promotional products/advertising specialty industry,
primarily in the United States.   More information about
New England Business Service, Inc. is available at the
Company's web site, nebs.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's
current expectations only, and the Company expressly
disclaims any current intention to update such statements.
The Company's businesses are subject to various risks and
uncertainties described in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 28, 2003, on file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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