Dubai: Online shopping is a strong trend in the UAE when it comes to back to school items.
According to Ruban Shanmugarajah, chief operating officer of Babyshop, online shopping is rapidly becoming a more preferred medium for parents.
Stores here are increasingly offering a variety of back-to-school products on their online stores as well as in the physical stores. Online shops selling other products are also expanding their product range to include school accessories.
“We are trying to ensure our customers have access anytime and everywhere to our latest and newest range of brands,” said Shanmugarajah.
“More people are registering and purchasing on our web store,” said V. Nandakumar, chief communication officer of LuLu Group.
To increase online traffic, the group has extended its product range on the web store, he said. “
Retailers are expecting more online traffic by the last week of August or early September.
Trendy backpacks and trolley bags are the hot picks for both girls and boys when it comes to making a style statement in school. While primary school kids go starry eyed at bags that have their favourite cartoon hero or character, “We see a change in the trend in the case of pre-teens this year. Kids of grades five to eight are more into buying what we call “teenage-line” products. They are going for plain-coloured bags or the ones with simple designs or stripes,” said Nandakumar.
Before they head to school for the new academic year, many kids are also accessorising themselves with smart watches made exclusively for kids.
Prices of back-to-school items
Bags Dh15 to Dh1,549
Pencil cases/pouches Dh4.00 to Dh290
Notebooks: Dh1.75 to Dh125
Tablets: Dh119 to Dh3,399
Lunch boxes/bags: Dh3.00-Dh110
Uniform (pair of trousers and a shirt): Dh90 to Dh220
Backpacks: Dh20 to Dh359
Trolley Bags: Dh39 to Dh549
Shoes: Dh30 to Dh500
Water bottles: Dh4 to Dh29
Stationery products/notebooks/journals: Upto Dh56
Book Cover Rolls: Dh7 to Dh56
