School suppliers reap rewards from sales
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.