BACK-TO-SCHOOL shoppers can expect to pay, on average, two per cent more for textbooks this year, according to the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ).

“Majority of the prices have gone up a percentage or two (while) there are some local books that have gone up nearing 10 per cent,” said Franklyn McGibbon, chairman of the board of the BIAJ.

He was quick to add that the books that have increased by 10 per cent — including both primary and secondary textbooks — are few and due only to a decrease in the volumes printed.

“What happened with the local books (is that) some of them, they have had to reduce the number they print (and) the less you print of a book, the higher the costs,” he told Career & Education.

McGibbon credited the low increase in the prices on the majority of books to a stable foreign exchange rate.

“The (foreign) exchange rate didn’t go up and it was that exchange rate stability (which) was set off against the printers’ increase and the publishers’ increase, which is why the increase was in the end so low,” he said.

Still, McGibbon said that the local book industry has been hit hard by the visit of the floating bookstore Logos and the continuing economic recession.

“Book businesses have really faced some hard times over the past year going into two years. The recession is still on. The fact that Logos came as well (is also a factor) because nobody purchased anything after Logos. We can’t complain about persons getting a good deal, but I can just tell you the impact on the local trade,” he said.

Added to that is the fact that “recreational reading and general reading is quite low and we continue to press to improve on that part of the market,” McGibbon noted.

He advised, in the interim, that persons who have not yet started their back-to-school shopping hasten to do so now.

“They need to go and get the books now because every year going on to the end of August, some books are short. The demand is generally unpredictable in some books and so if you want to get all your books, buy them early,” McGibbon told Career & Education. “We always encourage persons to buy the books at the end of June, the beginning of July because that is when you get the best deals on books.”

Book dealers, he said, take a little time before they adjust prices “and you are more likely to get deals around then (because) it is a slower period”.

Meanwhile, there are a few bookstores that are offering various deals to customers. They include the Kingston Bookshop, which is offering a rewards card that earns customers points with each purchase. The bookstore chain is also offering customers the opportunity to win $25,000 with every purchase over $2,000.

“The more you shop, the more you save,” said Donna Fuller Clarke, the company’s director of special projects. “Also, we have specials on dictionaries and we have stationery packages that we put together because we know times are hard.”

“We usually offer teachers discounts and certain educational institutions… We actually give schools discounts if they buy in bulk,” she added.

Sangster’s, for their part, offer customers the chance to win one two computers with each purchase. They also have giveaways of Sangster’s drawstring bags and exercise books for people who spend more than $4,000 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Those who use their Scotia credit cards to make purchases are given a five per cent discount for purchases over $5,000.

“We have great customers and friendly staff. And if we don’t have the books, we will source them for you,” said Kerone Lawson, a customer service representative at the Mall Plaza store.

Shopping for school textbooks and supplies

* Plan your shopping routes carefully.

* Integrate your daily activities with incremental shopping.

* Take the child’s book list with you to the store and check the edition, author and the publisher’s name given on the book list to ensure that you have the correct copy.

* Before writing the child’s name in the books, check again.

* If you can afford to, get the hard covers, as these tend to last longer.

Source: Consumer Affairs Commission