We Still Need Notebooks!

As a Lebanese citizen I have to admit that I my local shopping was mainly restricted to food and, rarely, clothes. However, with the pandemic and economic crisis falling all together on us I realized that many online businesses had been doing really well and many more have arisen because of the circumstances.

Since I am particularly interested stationary I have been looking up a lot of Instagram accounts and going through lots of libraries to see how the prices have been changing and which were more profitable for customers. The fact that most libraries would put a higher price on notebooks than online shops really shocked me. I thought the contrary would happen since a lot of the latter would usually take your personal choices into account and customize the notebooks for each buyer.

I haven’t ordered anything online yet, but I am sure that it would be more profitable for both buyer and vendor. Online shops have more options: I already mentioned customized items. There are also cute stickers or pen that could come with the notebook. The page could use recycled paper to create cute designs and the packaging truly makes the whole difference. (Little plus: you don’t have to leave the house to buy them)

In libraries, stationary has barely changed since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2019. The prices have exploded but the offer is still the same. Sure you don’t have to pay delivery charges, but is getting stationary at a really high price worth dressing up and going out? I mean, some people (mainly students) are required to buy their stationary from libraries. However, I think it is better to save the money and go online your notebook doesn’t need a “dress-code”.

I said that I didn’t order anything online. Yes, but I have asked around and apparently the quality of sold merchandise is quite good and could sometimes compete with the good old notebooks from libraries. Knowing that people are making the notebooks and their designs might be a scary thing and the buyer might not be trusting enough to give such a job to anyone.

Believe me, I am a really picky person in these matters but you would be surprised to see how great the paper, cover, and designs of notebooks are.

When I say notebooks I also mean cooking books, agendas, coloring books and what have you.

Paper is an essential part of our life. No matter how much technology evolves and gets successful it is necessary to always carry a paper notebook and a pen, especially in a country such as Lebanon where anything could happen.

if you are intrested, here are some of the accounts i found:

https://instagram.com/memories_shop.lb?utm_medium=copy_link

https://instagram.com/btdt.lb?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca1sgU2glTF/?utm_medium=copy_link

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