Different concepts to lure buyers

Different concepts to lure buyers

Rikza Abdullah, Contributor, Jakarta

Bookstores in Jakarta are trying to make innovations in
attracting buyers but they apply different approaches in
implementing the new marketing concept.

All major bookstores in Jakarta make their books easy to find
by labeling their racks with the themes of the books and
arranging them in a way that makes it easy for visitors to read
their titles and authors. At their windows and entrances, they
generally display new arrivals and books of recent interests.

As Muslims consolidate themselves by fasting during Ramadan,
for example, The Times Book Shop on the underground floor of
Plaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta and the Kinokuniya in the Sogo
department store on the third floor display Islamic books, such
as those on the translation of the Koran, in their windows and
entrances.

But some of them provide facilities for their visitors to read
the offered books conveniently, while some others create an
atmosphere that will allow visitors to do some observation of the
books but not to read them for too long.

The Aksara bookstore on Jl. Kemang Raya, South Jakarta, is one
of the stores that facilitate convenient reading for visitors. It
provides chairs at the sides of its front section, a leather sofa
in the inner room and a carpet with some cushions on the wooden
floor of its children's section, indicating that visitors are
welcome to conveniently read the books or magazines being
offered. Meanwhile, most of the books are left open, without
being wrapped with transparent plastic sheets. Even though some
of the books are wrapped in plastic, samples are available for
reading.

"We know that some of the books may become dirty while being
opened and read frequently but let such a risk be on our
responsibility," customer service officer Armel said Saturday.

Spokesperson Adinda Simandjuntak said her bookstore wanted to
offer pleasant browsing experiences to its customers by assuring
that its attendants were not deployed to monitor their activities
but to assist them in case they had queries.

QB (Quality Buyers) World Books, which has four outlets in
Jakarta, also allows visitors of its outlet on Jl. Sunda, Central
Jakarta, to read books or magazines at its internal cafe. Its
outlet on Jl. Kemang Raya in South Jakarta is also equipped with
an art gallery besides a cafe.

"We design QB World Books for the convenience of book lovers,"
said director Richard Oh. "We, therefore, leave our books open in
spite of the risk of damage."

Besides its outlet on Jl. Sunda and Jl. Kemang Raya, the QB
World Books also has outlets in Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta,
on Jl, Sultan Iskandar Muda, South Jakarta, and at the Gema
Building on Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

Hanna Yakin, marketing manager of the Periplus Bookstore,
acknowledged that book suppliers, knowing that their customers
preferred to buy books that were kept clean and neat, would offer
good services by wrapping their goods.

"But a good bookstore must allow its visitors to open and read
its books, so that they can choose the ones that they really want
to buy," she said. "If it does not want all its books damaged, it
should, at least, make samples available."

Periplus Bookstore, with 95 percent of its books imported,
operates outlets at the Grand Hyatt and Aryaduta hotels in
Central Jakarta, at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in
West Jakarta, at Villa Kemang and at Kampung Kemang, both in
South Jakarta.

However, the Kinokuniya bookstore does not encourage its
visitors to read its books for too long. "We prefer our visitors
not to read books for too long because our bookstore is not
designed as a reading ground," said corporate affair manager
Edwan.

"The books and magazines displayed at our bookstores,
therefore, are generally wrapped with transparent plastic sheets.
But our attendants will be ready to help open the seals if
visitors want to quickly read their contents," he added.

The goods at Kinokuniya, which also has an outlet at the Sogo
department store in Plaza Senayan, 20 percent consist of Japanese
books, 20 percent Japanese magazines, 25 percent English books,
15 percent English magazines, 10 percent Indonesian books and 10
percent Indonesian magazines.

Major bookstores also organize launching ceremonies or review
gatherings for the promotion of new books and at once the
introduction of their outlets to book lovers. QB World Books
usually prefer to hold gatherings for the launching or reviewing
of literature books, while Kinokuniya prefers the review of books
being most wanted. At Aksara, ceremonies for the launching or
reviewing of books are usually accompanied by live music
performances.

"After each promotional event, our sales usually increase by
15 percent," Edwan commented.

To facilitate easy buying, major bookstores also receive
orders and offer deliveries through e-mail messages. Some of them
operate websites with different features. From the website
address www.qbworld.com, browsers can obtain information on newly
arriving books and reviews on some recommended books as well as
making orders from QB World Books. Other bookstores that operate
websites include Gramedia (with the address
www.gramediacyberstore.com) and Toko Buku Gunung Agung
(www.tokogunungagung.com).

One bookstore at the Ambassador Mall in South Jakarta tried to
implement a new method of selling books but it failed to survive
due to weak demand. The store, called Ayo-Membaca.com, allowed
its buyers to return the books that they had bought within two
weeks and regain 80 percent of their purchasing prices. The store
then resold the books at 90 percent of the original prices.