Bookstore moving on up to boost sales<\/p>\n
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In the past two years, an increasing number of bookstores, both
\nlocally owned and franchises of foreign names, have opened their
\ndoor.<\/p>\n
In the 1990s, there were the slim pickings of Times and
\nRubino's in Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta, along with a few
\nsecondhand bookstores offering some gems among their old dog-
\neared copies, while today there are names like Books Kinokuniya,
\nQB, Aksara or Periplus.<\/p>\n
Aside from the companies' seizing the obviously good business
\nprospects, the sudden influx of stores is also a good sign about
\nthe health of the local literary scene, despite the anecdotal
\nevidence and also surveys showing the sorry reading habits of
\nIndonesians.<\/p>\n
Coming on board most recently is Books Kinokuniya, which has
\nrevamped and expanded its store in Sogo, Plaza Senayan, Central
\nJakarta. It has moved up in the department store from the second
\nfloor to the fifth, occupying a spacious area of 1,850 square
\nmeters, from the former 275 square meters.<\/p>\n
There are over 200,000 book titles available, with 32
\ncategories for English books, 18 categories for Japanese books
\nand 30 categories for Chinese books.<\/p>\n
First established here in 1990, the bookstore (there is
\nanother in Plaza Indonesia) is tapping into the increasing demand
\nfor imported books.<\/p>\n
\"The business has been good and the market is increasing.
\nPerhaps because of globalization and the increasing numbers of
\ninternational schools and foreign graduates,\" said Paulus
\nTandagi, general manager of PT Kinokunia Bukindo, the franchise
\nholder of Japan's Books Kinokuniya.<\/p>\n
Confident about the good prospects available, the company
\ninvested some Rp 24 billion (US$2.7 million) in the new store,
\nwith 70 percent of that amount allotted for book purchases.<\/p>\n
Plaza Senayan remained the location because of its diverse
\nrange of visitors, from children to elderly consumers.<\/p>\n
The company purchases English-language books, which make up
\nabout 60 percent of its entire stock, from Singapore, the United
\nKingdom and the United States. Twenty percent of the collection
\nis Japanese books while 10 percent is Mandarin, bought from
\nTaiwan.<\/p>\n
The bookstore also provides a few select Indonesian-language
\nbooks, and stationary or gift items imported from Japan.<\/p>\n
According to Paulus, the best selling categories so far are
\nliterature, design and children's books.<\/p>\n
\"Books on business and computers are also in high demand,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
As for the high price of imported books here -- with the
\nmargin sometimes up to Rp 100,000 from the price for the same
\nbook purchased in Singapore, for instance -- Paulus blamed it on
\nhigh taxes.<\/p>\n
\"The means of purchasing it through airmail also adds to the
\nprice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, business is growing, and there will be a new
\nKinokuniya store opening in Pondok Indah Mall, South Jakarta,
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
No, Jakarta has yet to have a bookstore like Singapore's
\nBorders, where patrons of all ages happily find space on chairs,
\nthe floor and among the shelves, engrossed in a good book until
\nclosing time at midnight. Still, fingers crossed, we may not have
\nto wait much longer for one to open its doors.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bookstore-moving-on-up-to-boost-sales-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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