Parents will spend hundreds of shekels on schoolbooks for each of their children attending school - NIS 300 for new school books for children in the first grade, NIS 520 for children in the fourth grade, and NIS 1,200 for children starting the seventh grade.
Prices of school books approved by the Ministry of Education are regulated, and most shops sell them at these prices, but you can get them cheaper if you shop around online, where the competition between book sites is brisk.
"Globes" found out the price of school books for pupils at three schools first grade pupils at the Ramon School in Modiin, fourth grade pupils at the Ben Gurion School in Kfar Saba, and seventh grade pupils at the Reali High School in Haifa - and compared them with the prices on Sefernet, (a joint venture with stationary chain Kravitz), Dyonon, books4u, Israel Post, bookme, bookshopdina, and bookmarket (which the last two also offer second hand books and a credit on purchases in exchange for second hand books).
The survey found that prices at some sites, such as Dyonon, books4u, and Israel Post, were 5-10% lower than the price list. Prices on bookme were 5% lower. For the sake of illustration, a set of books for a first grade pupil costs NIS 291 on Sefernet, a similar set costs NIS 277 on bookme, and NIS 258 on books4u and Israel Post (a difference of 11%).
Mailing costs also varied. Dyonon offers a special delivery service free on orders over NIS 180 (a sum that is fairly low considering the list of the books people need), with delivery in up to seven working days. Bookmarket provides free delivery on orders over NIS 300 but deliveries are made within 21 working days. Israel Post and books4u offer free delivery on orders over NIS 500 within seven working days. Delivery costs on orders below the minimum amount are NIS 10-15 at Israel Post, and NIS 15-15 at books4u, NIS 15-30 at Sefernet, depending on distance, and NIS 28-35 at Bookshopdina.
Not just online
Another way that parents can make shopping around for books easier and avoid the crush in stores, especially towards the end of the summer vacation, is to send in their orders ahead of time and then collect them at the store.
Tzomet Sfarim, for example, offers a service called "send and forget." Parents can fax their book list, state which branch they wish to collect it from, and will then be notified when the order is ready. Orders are filled up to three days from receipt of a list.
Nearly every private store that sells school books will provide a similar service. What is important is to state whether you want new or used books (or a combination of both).
Used in good condition
The used book market is a convenient and cheap solution, especially for pupils in the higher grades. The saving on the cost of buying new is considerable. Most private stores also buy and sell used books, and there are often used book fairs at shopping centers, cultural centers, and other public venues. "We're seeing a steady increase in the purchase of used books rather new ones, and this trend becomes even more pronounced as pupils move to higher grades," says Yossi Gil, school book sales manager at Tzomet Sfarim. Gil adds that used book sales rose 20-25% in July alone, compared with the same month last year.
The amount of credit paid on a new book will also depend on its condition. Kfar Saba bookshop Aladdin, for example, offers a full credit on books that haven't been used and are, essentially, new.
Books in "good condition" at the used book fair at the Reali School in Haifa will be sold at half the price of new books. The Office Depot stationary chain does not sell new books, but it held a book fair last week (which lasted until August 10), at which used books could be bought and sold for NIS 5 each. Tzomet Sfarim offers 30% off the original retail price for used books, and will buy them for a third of the original retail price.
Second hand sales site Yad2 is another place where one can find used school books. Latest examples of books on sale are a copy of Algebra Part II by Benny Goren for NIS 35 (compared with NIS 87 for a new copy); an Atlas for NIS 100 (compared with NIS 170-200 for a new one); and a Cassuto Bible for NIS 425 (instead NIS 900-1,000 for a new copy).
School books are also available for sale on Wallashops, although the range there is fairly small.
Study in Tel Aviv, order in Eilat
In Eilat, where purchases are exempt from VAT, the books are already subsidized when they go on sale. And so, last year, a local bookshop, Graph, took the initiative. Customers in central Israel could fax their orders to them, pay a discounted price exclusive of VAT, and then have the books mailed to them for a delivery charge of NIS 20-25. However, due to "higher than expected" demand, the service will not be continued this year. But if you know someone who is heading south for their vacation, you can send your order, pay by phone, and the order will be waiting at the store. And you've saved 15.5% into the bargain.
Sefernet
The site, a joint venture of Sefernet and Kravitz, went online a few weeks ago.
Guaranteed delivery time - seven working days
Delivery charges - NIS 15-30, depending on destination.
Additional products and services - exercise books, and stationery.
Packaging rates - NIS 30 for orders up to NIS 800, and NIS 60 for orders of NIS 800 and upward. Orders can also be collected from the company warehouse in Yahud.
Search functions - The site lists school book lists by community and school. Once the relevant list has been found, it can be grouped together in one order. In the absence of a list, a free text search will return results if you type in the first three characters of the book's title. All the books we looked for were available.
Books4u
Prices on this site were 5-15% lower than the price list
Delivery charges - NIS 25 for mail delivery up to 14 working days. NIS 15 for special messenger delivery up to NIS 5 days. Orders over NIS 500 are delivered free. Orders can also be collected from the company warehouse in Holon.
Additional products - a limited range of school bags, writing books, pencil cases, and other items.
Search functions: The book search is made by grade and then a subcategory according to subject, or by free text search. Most of the books on the lists are available.
Israel Post
The site has a joint link with books4u. Clicking the button order returns a message that states the discounts on books range from 5% to 15% - something we that subsequently found to be correct when we typed in the titles on our list.
Delivery charges - NIS 15 for orders up to NIS 250, NIS 10 for orders of NIS 250-500, and no charge on orders of NIS 500 and upward.
Delivery time - up to seven working days
Additional products - the site also offers a selection of paperback titles, electronic dictionaries, school bags and pencil cases, one example of which is a branded orthopedic bag marketed by Modan for girls in the first to third grades, whose price on the site is NIS 219 instead of NIS 285 (the list price).
Search functions: The search engine is fairly basic and efficient. Users type in the title of the book and the relevant grade.
Dyonon
The chain, which is owned by Office Depot, specializes in text books for high schools and universities, and also offers books for pupils attending elementary and high schools. Many of the titles on the site are offered at discounts of 15% and even more. For example, out of the book list for first grade pupils, Shadow Stories Part I sells for NIS 29.84 (instead of the listed price - NIS 35), and Using Words, from the list for fourth grade pupils, sells for NIS 48.45 instead of NIS 56.50. Putting together a complete list proved impossible since some books were out of stock.
Delivery rates - NIS 19 by registered mail or NIS 29 for delivery by messenger for orders up to NIS 120. Orders of NIS 180 and over are delivered free by registered mail, or NIS 29 for messenger delivery. Orders can also be collected from Dyonon branches.
Delivery times - up to seven working days.
Bookme.
Bookme is the online sales arm of publishing and distribution company Sefer Lakol. The site offers a flat 5% discount on most books, with selected items selling at the regular price.
Delivery rates - no charge for orders of NIS 130 and upward by regular mail (delivery between three to fourteen days), and NIS 10 for orders of less than NIS 130. Messenger delivery costs NIS 25 (between to eight days). Registered mail is charged by quantity - NIS 12 plus an extra NIS 2 per book. Orders can also be collected from Sefer Lakol branches in Rishon LeZion, Holon and Tel Aviv.
Additional products - paperbacks, thought and multimedia games
Search functions - users either type in the grade and then search for books either by typing in the first letter of the title, or make a free text search. We found the book lists for lower grades easily, although the range dwindled when we looked for higher grades.
Bookshopdina.
A site that offers new and used books, with as much as 50% in difference in price between the two. Users can also hand in books (collected from their homes by special delivery), and receive credit on new purchases. New books are sold at the list price.
Delivery rates - NIS 20 for a parcel of up to two kilograms by regular mail, and NIS 40 for heavier books. Messenger delivery costs NIS 35 for orders up to NIS 500, and NIS 28 for orders of NIS 500 and upward.
Search function - users can search for books using the list of schools on the site, or make a free text search. Here too, the range dwindled, as we went up to higher grades.
Bookmarket
A site that sells, buys and lends books by arrangement with schools. Users pay a NIS 50 charge, and towards the end of the school year, fill in a form listing the books they are returning and the ones they need for the new school year. Prices for new books are the official prices.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 14, 2008
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008