With the book more here:
More than two years after the outbreak of the corona, book chains are preparing for Book Week and celebrating the Book Holiday at many fairs and promotions.
Despite the rise in paper prices in the world, the chains indicate that there was no damage to the promotions this year, and that particularly attractive promotions are expected.
According to Avi Shomer, CEO of Tzomet Sefarim, “We are already feeling an optimistic atmosphere of celebration since Book Week has been lacking in recent years.
This year, unlike the last two years in which Book Week was absent, fairs in malls and city centers are taken further.
Also, the number of titles this year is greater.
This year, more than 7,000 titles have been published, so preparations must be made logistically. "
Regarding prices and promotions, Shomer said that "we offer a changing promotion every few days. For example, all Harry Potter books for NIS 49.9. This is more than a 60% discount. In addition, we offer cookbooks for NIS 50. Understand that these are promotions offered against the background of rising paper prices. Despite the 50% increase in paper prices, we have not raised prices. This increase affects publishers, who are trying to raise prices, but as mentioned we have not raised prices. Even better.
"We also absorb the costs, and also reduce the retail margin. Our goal is not only that prices will not go up, but that they will also go down. We turned to publishers and explained to them that the price now imprinted on the books is too high and that it deters customers.
We need to think of another way to lower the catalog price so that it will be within everyone's reach. "
What part of the books are your purchases today?
"During the year, books make up 65% of sales, and during the book week we increase to 85%. The main focus of the book week is book sales. We see that the share has increased, and we are proud of it. "We are tired of the screens and there is an awakening of the parents, who understood that something needs to be done with the reading of children and youth. We also see this year, and in recent years in general, an awakening in the purchase of books in foreign languages, especially English."
"Specials for everyone"
Lilach Atli, VP of sales for the Steimatzky chain, also talks about the tremendous preparations for Book Week. She says, "We work on Book Week all year round.
In January we start to check the situation with the big municipalities we work with and with new municipalities, with which we are interested in doing fairs.
On top of that, we set up fairs in malls.
We have more than 50 fairs around the country.
In terms of number, it's almost a third of our network. "
"The whole field of children's books dominates sales."
Book Week, Photo: Yehoshua Yosef
Atlee also says that the promotions this year are attractive.
"We offer two adult books for NIS 100 and three children's books for NIS 120. Our big advantage is that you can combine books from different publishers, and we offer more than 1,000 titles on sale."
Atlee says that "the whole field of children's and toddlers' books dominates sales. Even if someone is not a devout reader and has no natural reading habits, Book Week encourages reading. The Ministry of Education goes out for a reading month, and there are celebrations around it."
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