New outlet for office needs opens<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): While many businesses are struggling to stay
\nalive during the current economic hardship, PT Global Lintas
\nMedia, a subsidiary of giant publishing company Grup Gramedia,
\nopened its first U.S.-franchising outlet for office needs here
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Located at Mall Ambasador on Jl. Satrio in the city's \"golden
\ntriangle\" in Kuningan, South Jakarta, the 1,000 square-meter
\nstore -- bearing the name of its franchiser, Office 1 Superstore,
\nnicknamed O1S -- offers 5,000 different office products.<\/p>\n
These range from stationery to electronic goods, furniture,
\ncomputer accessories and office cleaning tools.<\/p>\n
About 80 percent of the goods are locally made.<\/p>\n
\"Our prices are much cheaper than others',\" Indra Gunawan,
\nchairman of Global Lintas Media, told a media conference at the
\noutlet Monday.<\/p>\n
Indra, however, refused to disclose the size of the investment
\nand only admitted that the business had been planned since 1996,
\nor a year before the economic turmoil struck.<\/p>\n
At that time, he said, Global Lintas had already paid an
\ninitial fee to the franchiser of US$250,000.<\/p>\n
\"Under the agreement, we'll be the only O1S franchisee in
\nIndonesia so we could invite interested local parties to run
\nsimilar outlets with us,\" Indra explained.<\/p>\n
He admitted, however, that it would be difficult for Global
\nLintas to attract local investors to participate in the business
\nconsidering the country's weak economic condition.<\/p>\n
\"We had previously set a target of five outlets per annum. But
\nthe crisis has changed our goals. Opening two outlets per year
\nwould be good enough for us,\" Indra said.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to lure buyers, the O1S store also offers free
\ndelivery service for Jakarta customers and customer membership
\ncards.<\/p>\n
Cardholders would receive, among other things, discounts on
\ncertain goods, mailed brochures and the opportunity to order by
\ntelephone. (ida)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-outlet-for-office-needs-opens-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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