School stationery demand lower than expected — sector operators

AMMAN — The start of the second school semester has modestly increased sales at stationery shops, according to sector operators.

“Parents and their children are coming to our shop and are buying the things they need, but sales grew by only 10 or 15 per cent,” Ghaith Fawaz, an employee at a stationery store based in Amman’s Marj Al Hamam area, told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

There is a wide range of stationery and school supplies people are not interested in buying, as for now, they are just getting what they think is necessary, said Fawaz.

Sales barely rose because people are trying to save as much money as possible amid difficult economic conditions, Fawaz added.

“New school semester gains are growing at a modest pace, and what I noticed is that each year parents’ stationery checklists are growing smaller and smaller,” said Emad Mahmoud, the owner of a stationery shop in downtown Amman.

Most people are only buying notebooks, pencils, pencil cases, colouring pencils and rubbers, Mahmoud added.

“I always make sure that my two daughters are well equipped for their school. Every year as they grow, their schooling needs increases,” Lara George, a Jordanian mother of three, told The Jordan Times over the phone.

She added that the most costly equipment is the supplies for her daughters’ science fair projects.