Back to School promotion at Lulu Hypermarket. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula.
DOHA: As summer vacations of different schools draw to an end in the last week of this month many parents have started back-to-school preparations and shopping.
Parents are rushing to tailors for uniform orders or collection while many are preparing lists of schools essentials to avoid last minute hustle. Numerous retailers have launched back-to-school offers as well on stationery and other school related items.
On visiting hypermarkets parents are burdened by demands of their children who are excited to buy new things for schools. The sight was familiar at the Lulu Hypermarket where parents were found shopping for school items with their children.
Lulu Hypermarket has come up with an exciting ‘School Time’ offer having marketing slogan ‘get ready for school with deals so cool’.
Talking to The Peninsula, an expatriate mother said: “ Every year I prefer Lulu Hypermarket for back-to-school shopping where we get amazing set of stationery at a reasonable price and that too of good quality.”
She said that she had bought a set of school bags at a reasonable price. “This time I bought for my son a set of car-themed trolley school bag with pencil box, lunch box and water bottle for only QR109. Hypermarkets make it easy for children and parents to select what they want easily.”
Shopping trolleys were full of notebooks, files, pens and pencils as children chose bags, water bottles and lunch boxes from a vast variety displayed on the shelves.
The management of most of major supermarkets and bookstores selling back-to-school goods said they were receiving a good number of customers.
“As schools opening will come closer, customers rush will increase manifold,” said a salesman at a bookstore in Old Airport area.
Excitement of children has come to the next level for schools after a long summer break.
Sumit, a student of Newton International School at a book store said: “Preparations are almost coming to an end and a few things are left to buy. We have come to buy our school bags. Our uniforms were collected from our school a week ago. We are very excited to go back to school and meet our friends and teachers after a long break.”
A number of parents were seen outside tailor shops and different school-uniform shops to purchase school uniforms and collect their orders from the tailors.
Talking to The Peninsula, a staff member of Zaks Trading (a uniform shop) said: “We provide uniforms for international schools like Newton British Academy, Qatar International School, Newton International School, Doha British School among others. Parents visit us during the morning timings as rush time starts after 6pm. We provide rich quality uniforms to all of our customers as per their orders.”
As Eid Al-Adha holidays will be immediately followed by back-to-school season, tailors are receiving more orders from the parents and customers preparing clothes for Eid Al- Adha as well. Tailors around the country are heading for a busy season due to double factor; Eid Al-Adha and back-to-school season.
Mukhtar, a Pakistani tailor in Muntaza said: “I make school uniforms for all Pakistani schools and few Indian schools as well. Parents bring in their orders as soon as month of August starts. Most of my customers brought their Eid orders early as they knew that this year Eid Al- Adha and back to school season coming simultaneously.”
“I have completed most of my orders for uniforms and only 20% of school uniforms are left because we are working on our Eid clothes order side by side,” he added.
