School suppliers reap rewards from sales

By Emmy Fitri

JAKARTA(JP): As children get ready to go back to school on Monday, parents are complaining about the high cost of various school supplies. However, the back-to-school event is a windfall for others, especially those selling exercise books and stationery.

"I never thought they would be this expensive," middle-aged Sofyan muttered while he handed over crumpled banknotes to an exercise book trader at Kebayoran Lama market.

He had just bought four packages of ten blank exercise books on Friday for his four children who are all still attending elementary school.

"I never thought that school supplies would amount to so much," Sofyan said, while holding the books which displayed Japanese comic book star, the mischievous Shinchan, on the cover.

Sofyan said not only did he spend more money on books, but also on other needs for his children, such as bags, shoes and uniforms.

Book trader Zul Fami, 32, told Sofyan that all his books were at factory prices.

"Next time, bring more money if Bapak drops by here," said Zul, while arranging his merchandise in the back of his pickup truck.

Zul, who comes from West Sumatra, said prices of his books ranged from Rp 13,000 (about US$1.10) to Rp 34,000 per package of ten exercise books, depending on the paper quality.

Besides books, Zul also sells stationery, such as pencils, pens, pencil cases and erasers.

Zul, who sells books and stationery for his boss, said his daily sales reach some Rp 500,000 to Rp 700,000 per day, and he would be paid about Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 a day.

Zul said he would quit about a week after school begins and would return to his previous job as a clothes and shoes trader.

Next to Zul's display were two other pickup trucks also loaded with books and stationery. Zul said all the trucks and merchandise belonged to the same boss.

Another trader, Atik, a student at a Yogyakarta-based university who also sells books and stationery at Kebayoran Lama market, said she could sell up to Rp 1,000,000 worth of books and stationery each day.

"The stock belongs to my aunt. She gives me Rp 15,000 a day, and that's my lunch allowance. She'll pay me later if we end this business next week," Atik said.

"I am on holiday so I figured I would help her out," she said, disclosing that her aunt spent some Rp 5 million to start as an exercise book vendor.

Another trader at Senen market, Central Jakarta, Rustandi, said that he ran an exercise book business using his own money.

He said the business needed more capital, but it promised higher returns. He said that he could sell about Rp 800,000 worth of books and stationery every day.

The father of two children refused to disclose his profits, and only said that he thanked God for whatever profit he got.

"Alhamdullilah (thank God), this is what I call a windfall. Every year I sell books like this," Rustandi said.

He bought his merchandise from Mangga Dua, North Jakarta, and he said he chooses books with covers of popular children's characters as they usually sold well.

"The favorite book covers are Shinchan, Teletubbies (BBC's television program for children) and the Power Puff Girls (a television cartoon)," he said, adding that he had almost ran out of books with those covers.

"Last time I went to Pasar Pagi on Wednesday and maybe tomorrow I have to go shopping for more books again," he said.

Like any other exercise book trader, Rustandi said that he would later return to his old business as a children's toy seller.