For parents of children in State Board schools, the annual routine of purchase of stationery, notebooks and school bags is usually carried out in earnest in May, ahead of the beginning of classes.
For parents of students in CBSE schools, however, since the school year starts in April, the hunt for the right school bag, the most inspiring stationery and other essentials begins much earlier.
H. Ananth, whose son is studying in Class V in a CBSE school, says they started planning their purchases in March. “We take stock of everything we have. We prepare a list of the things we need – pencils and pens, notebooks, covering paper, pouches and shoes — by the end of the term,” he says, adding that shopping before the summer holidays allowed them to skip the rush.
Tarun Mani, who has just started Class VIII, changes his school bag at the beginning of every school year. “My bag takes a beating through the year and I would like to start my new year at school afresh. While I look at styles online, I prefer to go buy the bag at a regular store,” he says.
Stationery shop owners too say April and May are very busy months for them. “Along with CBSE students coming in for supplies, the schools also place their orders in April, so our work really intensifies at this point,” says M. Udaya Kumar of Giri Stationers in Parry’s Corner.
Malls face the heat, adapt With the extraordinary growth of e-commerce, the shopping culture of many Indians has undergone a sea change.
As more and more people choose to shop through websites, eager to benefit from the deals on offer, the big retail showrooms in malls are finding it tough to stay competitive and are forced to go the extra mile to add some colour to the shopping experience.
For example, Phoenix market city in Velachery has been decorated for the spring-summer season with mannequins and floral installations. The decors will reflect the mood of the season.
According to Noel Vessaoker, centre director, Phoenix Market City, the intention is to enhance the shopping experience. He says: “Being a destination for shopping, dining and live entertainment, we wanted to create an element of grandeur and add to the visual experience.”
Adding some visual bling to a store is nothing new as can be witnessed in T. Nagar during festive seasons. However, in this competitive market, malls are now required to put in more effort to attract footfalls.
(Reporting by Kavita Kishore and Udhav Naig)