Schools have reopened and the market is flooded with ‘Back to School’ offers. The Jayanagar 4th block shopping complex takes the cake for all copycat products. Apart from having a great variety they also are the cheapest. Big Bazaar comes in close at second as they have standard products at reasonable prices. Chain stores such as Landmark, Crossword and Staples sell branded and higher priced products.
Spoilt for choices. Pic: Smit Zaveri
School bags
- Jayanagar 4th block complex- Children’s bags and Backpacks start from Rs 200
- Big bazaar- canvas and polyester bags – Rs 349 to Rs 999.
- Staples – upto 50% off on all bags and back packs
- Landmark – Kids can win gifts and hampers upto Rs 500
Lunch boxes
- 4th block complex- starts from Rs55
- Big bazaar- Rs 89 to Rs 299
- Landmark- Princess and Mickey lunch boxes at Rs 129
- Crossword- Rs 110 to Rs 349
Pencil boxes
- The metallic boxes – starting from Rs 95
- Plastic pencil boxes – 4th block complex for Rs 20.
Water bottles
- Plastic water bottles – Rs 40 onwards (4th block Jayanagar) Rs 110 (Everywhere else).
- Sports water bottles – Rs 199 (Landmark) Rs 139 to Rs 450 (Crossword).
Combos
Lunch boxes, bottles and pencil boxes. Rs 65 (Jayanagar 4th block) Rs 249 (Staples) Rs 249 (Landmark)
The USP of the chain stores were their unique back to school combos.
- Stationery kit+water bottle+lunch box +magnetic pencil box= Rs 499
- Lunch box+ sipper+ pencil box+ eraser set(Hannah Montana, cars, Ben 10)= Rs 579.
Our recommendation
Even though this is the techno generation, vendors in 4th block still sell slates and abacus. This combo can be bought inside the main market for Rs 52. And a store near the Vijaya Bakery has great stuffed toy bags, which are Rs 320, were one of the cutest ones that we saw throughout the day. Even though they are expensive, Staples has really unique stationery such as the car and camera sharpener. They even have magnetic pop out pencil boxes with calculators, magnifying glasses and many other gadgets attached to it. Crossword has a good collection of sports water bottles. Definitely worth checking out.
Maitri Vasudev and Smit Zaveri, are students of communication at Mt Carmels and are summer interns at Citizen Matters.