Stationery stores clear old stocks with discounts

Stationery stores are tempting parents and children with discounts on old or expired items and offering promotions on school-based products in an attempt to rid themselves of old stock. Some stationery stores are offering discounts of up to 50 percent on all their items with free gifts, according to shop workers.
A tour of some stationery stores in Riyadh uncovered huge discounts on school items.
Workers cautioned parents against buying cheap goods which have outlived their utility and which might be harmful for children due to the toxins in the expired paper and plastic materials.
The workers also complained about large department stores selling stationery because it lowered their sales.
Mohammad Al-Harbi, owner of a stationery store, said that many stationery shops offer sizable discounts and promotions at the beginning of the school semester to attract customers and to dispose of old stock in order to replace them with new products.
He pointed out that these specialized stores don’t only sell stationery but also offer services to teachers such as ready-made lesson plans which often garner good sales at the beginning of the semester. Moreover, these shops which are found all over the capital provide photocopying services to students, teachers and other professionals for a nominal fee, increasing their popularity and, of course, revenue, he said.