NEWS

                                        SEPTEMBER 18, 1996
                                                                       
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  RUSSELL V. CORSINI, JR. OR
                                            TIMOTHY D. ALTHOF (508) 448-6111
                  
                  NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE, INC.   
               ANNOUNCES NEW KINKO'S RETAIL DIRECTION;
                  FIRST QUARTER CHARGE TO BE TAKEN
                  
GROTON, MA -- September 18, 1996 -- New England Business Service, Inc. 
(NYSE:  NEB) today announced it has reached a joint decision with Kinko's
Corporation to pursue a new direction with their retail initiative.  The
action will result in the elimination of the Company's 75 existing NEBS
manned print desks at Kinko's as well as the closing of the NEBS offices
in Phoenix and stationery plant in Scottsdale, Arizona.  The decision will
result in a reduction of approximately 11% of the Company's full and
part-time positions.  The company will take a first quarter pretax exit
charge of approximately $5.2 million and expects to incur additional pretax
expense of $1.3 million during the year.

As part of this action, the Company will incur a total of $0.21 per share
in the first quarter of fiscal year 1997 in exit and period costs associated
with employee severence, facility closures, equipment write-offs, and
other cost actions.  In addition, the Company anticipates incurring 
approximately $0.05 per share in period costs during the second quarter
and $0.03 per share during the third quarter associated with consolidating 
operations and other cost reduction actions.  The actions taken are expected 
to have the effect, when fully implemented, of increasing the Company's
quarterly earnings ny as much as $0.12 to $0.14 per share. 

Mr. Robert J. Murray, Chairman and CEO, explained, "During the past year the
Company continued its initiative to locate NEBS print desks in Kinko's retail
locations so as to expand its presence in the retail channel.  As a result of 
extensive market testing, we found that the expenses necessary to build demand
for custom printing in Kinko's and associated costs of NEBS infrastructure do 
not allow for the profitable operation of NEBS-manned desks.  The Company 
remains committed to growing the retail channel through its profitable dealer 
network, and will continue to work with Kinko's to formulate an economically 
sound program for their sites.  While the Kinko's initiative in its original 
configuration has been costly for NEBS, we believe the experience gained and
the investments in technology made over the past year will provide a solid
foundation for alternative retail growth strategies."

NEBS manufactures and distributes business forms, software and related printed 
products through mail order and retail to over one million small businesses 
throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

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