Rebranded Wankaew eyes kids' market
NANMEEBOOKS, a leading publisher and the operator of a chain of bookstores, is confident that its policy of concentrating on the children's and family markets will be a success, including in the provinces, although this year's economy is experiencing a sl
The company yesterday announced that it was rebranding its Nanmee Bookstores as Wankaew Children Bookshops. The first branch under the new brand is in CentralPlaza Rama 3 department store.
Sirote Jiraprayoon, deputy managing director for sales and marketing, said it appeared that consumption in the remaining months would grow slowly because of high household debt, but the purchase of books and educational kits for children was very important for parents, particularly in families with kids under 15 years old. “In the global book industry, sales of books for kids and families enjoy at least 20 per cent year-on-year increases, while other kinds of books are facing either stagnant or declining growth. So there is more room to grow for kid’s books,” Sirote said.
In Thailand, children’s books account for 30 per cent of total sales, in line with global trends.
Wankaew is the country’s first chain targeting only children and families. Of the 30,000 titles on sale, 90 per cent are for children and the rest for parents and other adult family members. It also imports international children’s and parenting books.
Kim Chongsatitwatana, deputy managing director, said the company planned to renovate four existing branches at Paradise Park department store, CentralWorld shopping complex, Chamchuri Square and its head office on Sukhumvit 31 in Bangkok by the end of this year. The renovations will cost Bt1 million to Bt3 million per branch.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old company is also expanding this new model in at least two upcountry locations, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen. Both new branches are designed as flagship showrooms to welcome retail customers as well as teachers and librarians from government and private schools.
“Another key focus of the company is non-book business, which includes selling educational kits and providing training and seminars for schools,” Kim said.
By end of this year, Nanmeebooks targets Bt850 million in revenue, 80 per cent from book sales and the remainder from non-book business. Of book sales, those to schools take the lion’s share while about 10-15 per cent go to individual customers.
“In the near future, once we have 20 stores, we expect to see 30 per cent of our book-sale revenue coming from retail customers,” Sirote said.
