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Promotions New reusable shopping bag in NBS National Book Store is saving the earth one shopping bag

at a time with its new reusable shopping bag. The RED bag (stands for Reduce Earths Destruction bag) is NBS response to the ever-pressing challenge of reducing solid waste by limiting the use of plastic bags in retail stores. As the largest bookstore chain in the country, it recognizes its role in the proliferation of non-biodegradable refuse and its greater influence in reversing this harmful practice. This red mesh tote is sturdy and can handle moderate to heavy purchases. It is ideal for office and school supplies shopping. It is roomy, durable, and most importantly, earth-friendly. With the launch of this ecobag, NBS hopes to help change the Filipinos consumption practices and do its part in caring for the environment. Avail of the RED bag for a minimum purchase of P1,000 or buy it for P65 only. Get P0.50 off your purchase every time you shop with the RED bag. Limited stocks only. Our vision is to build a thousand knowledge centers in the Asia-Pacific region by 2025. Our core values are: having Malasakit, being Innovative, having Dignity in what we do, being Service-Oriented and striving for Excellence and working as Team. Having this MINDSET is key to our success. Mission: Our purpose is to serve our customers with tools that enrich their minds and improve skills to ensure their success. All our efforts are concentrated to serve this purpose. We provide the largest selection of products and services, reaching more customers through our growing branch network, and spreading the love of reading and learning through our advocacy and community campaigns. Products: *Books*

For 67 years, National Book Store has served countless generations with highquality reading materials at the most competitive prices. It has been instrumental in shaping young minds by nurturing children with books rich in core values and providing a wide array of academic titles and reprints for their education. As they blossom into discerning readers and book-loving citizens, National Book Store continues to empower minds with a selection of over 20 categories suiting every interest from all walks of life. *School and Office Supplies and Equipment* National Book Store also offers every imaginable product for school and office use. From ordinary supplies to creative novelties, students and professionals in search of a particular item seldom leave the stores disappointed. Most importantly, every product is of the best quality at the best priceeven students can purchase them off their allowances. National Book Store, the Philippines largest chain of bookstores is the featured success story for today as we witness the life story of the woman behind it, Socorro Ramos or more commonly know to her staffs as Nanay Coring. Her story is truly an inspiring one as she built the business National Book Store from scratch with a lot of challenges and hurdles as she and her husband Jose Ramos literally built and rebuilt the business three times from scratch. Thats the true entrepreneurial spirit with enough courage and determination. [pic] Nanay Coring or Maria Socorro Cancio in her early years was born in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on September 23, 1923. Ever she was young, she grew up in an entrepreneurial environment as one of the six children born to entrepreneur parents and grandmother. Her parents used to ran a store selling a lot of stuffs from slippers to clothes and a lot more while her grandmother had a market stall where the young Socorro got used to seeing customers withdraw items on credit. Unfortunately, her grandmother did not manage the business carefully not maintaining a list of those items availed on credit and their business fell. After that event, they went to Manila. Her mother struggled hard to feed six children and the young Socorro considered herself as lucky if she got money from her mother. Her elder sisters helped the family by working in a candy and bubble gum factory and she spent her summer doing summer jobs too. In one instance, young Socorro was hired to peel off the paper used in old cigarettes so that it can be reuse to make new fresh cigarette sticks. She received 5 centavos

per pack of cigarettes. But the young Socorro started her entrepreneurial skills and hired kids and their neighborhood paying them 5 centavos for every two pack of cigarettes leveraging her efforts. Since then, the young Socorro was on her way to become an entrepreneur as early as 10 years old! Immediately after graduating from Arellano High School, she worked as a salesgirl at Goodwill Book Store owned by the family of her present husband Jose Ramos. Socorros brother Manuel married one of the Ramos children and in 1940, they needed someone to look after the branch they set up along Escolta Street, on the ground floor of Panciteria National. Jose Ramos took over it and asked Socorro to work on him in that branch. They renamed it as National Book Store. Their love story began but her parents were against with it as Socorro was just 18 years old back then. She was told to stay in the province to keep away from marrying Jose Ramos. But as they say, true love never dies, the young Socorro with just 11 pesos in her pocket, struggled to went back to Manila to marry Jose. Because of this act, her family was so furious and angry that they considered her dead already. It was short-lived though lasting only until Socorro gave birth to her twins named Alfredo, who is now the President of National Book Store and Benjamin, now the Vice President. As mentioned above, the business National Book Store faced a lot of challenges as it was built and rebuilt three times from scratch! [pic] First, Socorro admitted that it was not easy to start the business from scratch. She recalled that during the Japanese occupation, they would look on each and every book title on sale. If they found questionable books, they would just tear the pages off leaving them useless. So instead of selling books, Socorro and Jose decided to fill their bookshelves with stuffs from candies, soap, slippers, papers, and cigarettes. During the war, she would transfer goods to her smaller stores. Second, when the Japanese were driven away, it was now the time for the Americans. Their National Book Store stall in Escolta was damaged in the war. They recovered a bit by selling unused greeting cards and uncensored books, which they had hidden in their home. Third, in 1945, they relocated their National Book Store previously located at Escolta to Avenida. The business is doing quite well during first few post-war school years but unfortunately, three years after, a typhoon blew the roof of their

store and they were left with soaked books and stuffs that were worthless. Again, for the third time, they have to start from zero. They struggled hard to rebuilt National Book Store for the third time. But since then, every centavo that they earned were used to buy the lot where the Rizal Avenue Branch of National Book Store stands to this day. Today, National Book Store is considered as the largest chain of bookstores in the country. They have ventured into several businesses already such as a convenience-type store named NBS Book Express, publishing companies named Cacho-Hermanos printing press, Anvil Books and Capitol-Atlas Publishing, another book store named Powerbooks, music store named Tower Records and Music One, Gift Gate, the home of Hello Kitty and Swatch, and a department store named Crossings department store. Socorros children and relatives ran all these. Socorro Ramos life and success story and the challenges that she faced with her business National Book Store business was another inspiring story. In fact, it was recognized when she was chosen as the Ernst and Youngs Philippine Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005. Today, at the age of 85, Socorro Ramos or Nanay Coring acts as the General Manager of National Book Store. And she told that the core values in her success are to keep learning, being actively involved in the business, being able to read changes and act on them immediately, and most of all, never give up! With over 60 years experience in retailing, wholesaling, publishing, and distributing books, National Book Store has established itself as the leading bookstore chain in the country. This solid enterprise has developed into an institution which now has a total of 69 branches throughout the country. Offering a wide array of both local and foreign books, school and office supplies, and a complete range of greeting cards, National Book Store has earned the title of the TOTAL BOOK STORE. Non-book products, such as toys, games, sports equipment, records, postcards, posters, gift items, and even religious items, are offered too. National Book Store is the leading book store in the Philippines that sell imported, high-quality paperback editions of best sellers, fiction and non-fiction, classics, romance, mystery books, biographies, business, self improvement books, how to books, cookbooks, dictionaries and sell them at affordable prices. It makes the effort to negotiate for the best prices and selects the most cost efficient

means of transporting books to make sure prices stay affordable for the average Filipino. To ensure that the newest titles are made available immediately to the local market, the company imports directly from the major U.S. and U.K. publishers. Its present list of publishers include Warner, Bantam Doubleday Dell, Random House, Simon & Schuster, Western Publishing, Penguin, Harper Collins, Darling Kindersley, Addison Wesley, McGraw Hill, and many more. The company offers the widest range of childrens books and trade reference books in the Philippines. To make text books more affordable to the students, the company holds a contractual arrangement to reprint with McGrawHill and Prentice Hall, Simon & Schuster Education Group. In the 50s, in collaboration with a German company, National Book Store started a line of picture postcards depicting significant Philippine tourist spots to give a boost to the tourism industry. And in 1973, National Book Store became the licensee of Hallmark cards, the worlds leader in the personal communications business, to provide the public with high quality greeting cards. The company attributes its success to proper retailing, characterized by innovative customer service, integrated merchandising and promotions, fast product turnover, and a unique and recognizable store identity. Mindful of increasing customer sophistication and contemporary trends towards globalization of products, National Book Store constantly updates its stocks and scouts around the world for different sources. It stays current with customers needs, adding variety to books and other products. Each branch allows its customers leisure browsing while they shop for the books they need. National Book Store emphasizes product quality with competitive price leadership. The company makes itself convenient for customers through its extensive branches, and strong presence in the countrys leading malls. It aims to maintain its industry leadership by translating its corporate philosophy and values into daily acts of service excellence. Our marketing department constantly organizes creative promotions and programs to help our suppliers sell their products. There are quarterly shoppers catalogs, yearly product calendars, plus a Back-to-School promotion and CutPrice Book Sale two of National Book Stores biggest annual in-store events.

National Book Store aims to keep up-to-date by constantly investing in information technology and integrated systems. There is also the stores official website (www.nationalbookstore.com), a book-finding service via phone, fax, or email for customersall to make shopping convenient and hassle-free. Today, NBS has established a nationwide literacy program, in-store storytelling sessions, and a childrens book club.

Only one bookstore in the Philippines has established trust, inspired loyalty, and served generations of Filipinos. National Bookstore is the largest retailer of educational, professional and social communication products in the Philippines, with branches in Metro Manila malls, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Through the leadership of Socorro Cancio-Ramos and the late Jose Ramos with their family, the National Book Store has evolved from its humble beginnings into the biggest bookstore chain in the Philippines. Before the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, the first branch of National Book Store located in Escolta, was already selling supplies, text books and some GI novels. The company then shifted to trading soaps, candies and slippers when war broke out, since strict book censorship was implemented at that time. They peddled the merchandise they bought from wholesalers to smaller retailers. [edit] Rebuilding The war ended, but not before the whole area of Escolta, including the shop of the now famous Ramos couple, was burned down. Through their persistence, the couple were able to rebuild their business in form of a small "barong-barong" in the corner of Soler and Avenida Rizal just in time to catch the post-war business boom. Using their door as a counter, the couple sold textbooks, notebooks, pad paper, and pencils. Since only a few shops sold schools supplies at that time, business went very well. The timing of National Book Store's opening was strategic to welcome the first postwar school year. [edit] Typhoon Gene In 1948, the Ramoses experienced another trial when Typhoon Gene destroyed their shop, soaking all their merchandise. Adversity forced the couple to work harder. There were days were the couple would only sleep for three hours,

spending the rest of their day at work. Their dedication paid-off, as they were able to construct a two-storey building with a mezzanine, a building that would become their retail store for years. [edit] Product development In the 1950's, the company started making greeting cards and post cards which feature the culture and sights in the Philippines. It was a brilliant move for the company, to increase its earnings while promoting the traditions and sights in the country to the international market. This would lead to the company's acquisition of the franchise of the international card brand, Hallmark. The company also began a publishing program, with assistance from international publishers such as McGraw-Hill, Prentice Hall, Lippincott, Addison-Wesley, and others. After five years of negotiation, the Ramoses were finally able to acquire a piece of prime property owned by the Guerreros in 1955. And in 1963, the construction of the Albecer Building. The building was named after the couple's three children -- Alfredo, Benjamin, and Cecilia. This nine storey building would be the first of the many that they would build. [edit] Growth The Ramoses expanded their business beyond Avenida, Rizal. The company opened a new branch on Recto Avenue, a place were many students hang-out at that time. And in the 1970's, they were able to acquire space in new shopping centers in Cubao and Makati. National Book Store continued its steady growth and by the 1990's were already operating over 50 branches across the country. [edit] An institution in retail In 1996, National Book Store decided to change its logo and hired a Singapore design company to recreate the retail empire brand. The company logo evolved to become a modernized script, with more solid stripes through the use of a bolder shade of red. With the new logo also came the company's new image. The store layout was changed where color-coded signages were used in addition to the logical merchandise display providing a more customer-friendly atmosphere in the shops. Over sixty years in operation and National Book Store has grown to be one of the largest bookstore chains in the Philippines. With 2,500 employees in over 80 branches, the company remains as a driving force in the Philippine industry. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National Bookstore said it will still expand its branch network this year despite a rapidly evolving book industry. Alfredo Ramos, National Bookstore president, said the company will open eight to 10 more outlets this year, but this early the bookstore chain is already weighing its options amid the advent of new technologies. We are looking into this seriously. We realize that whether we like it or not, the book [industry] is changing. We believe that in 5 to 10 years, [well be offering] kalahati papel, kalahati electronic. Wala kang magagawa, it is changing, Ramos said. Its a different time. We try to supply the demand on certain categories. But we are beginning to look into it because, remember, books are not the same anymore, he said, citing the iPad. In the near term, National Bookstore is anchoring its expansion on mall developments by SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Robinsons Land Corp. Ramos said the company will spend P20 million to P30 million for every store. It has 120 existing stores nationwide. In addition, National Bookstore is looking to grow its business overseas by focusing on Southeast Asia after it opening a branch in Hong Kong. Founded by Socorro Cancio-Ramos and the late Jose Ramos, the first National Bookstore was established in the 1930s as a stall in Escolta, selling supplies, GI novels and textbooks. In the 1950s, the Ramoses started producing a line of local greeting cards and postcards. It then acquired the Philippine franchise for Hallmark cards, and between 1955 and 1970, National Bookstore grew its branch network to key cities nationwide. National Bookstore: A Profile Of Its Marketing Mix Profile the marketing mix of National Bookstore in the Philippines. Product National Bookstore offers a wide range of products from the retail sale and distribution of books to the sale of various school supplies. National Bookstores products, specifically the school supplies, are mostly aimed for the students and

office workers consumption and needs. However, the customers of National Bookstore are not limited to just students and office workers. The company also caters to kids through the sale of toys, coloring books, crayons and et cetera. Adults are also customers of National Bookstore since they avail of the various selections of books that National has to offer. Students and other consumers as well know that National Bookstore offers products of good quality and of affordable prices that are of great benefit to the consumers. National Bookstore also offers branded school supplies like Staedler, Stabilo, Cattleya, and et cetera. However, National Bookstore also offers their own product line named Best Buy which is more affordable than other brands. In effect, National Bookstore gives the option to its consumers to choose the products and brands that suit their tastes and that fit in their wallet. National Bookstore products have become a necessity for students and office workers. So much so, that Filipinos equate and refer to bookstores as National, like how photocopying is equated to Xerox and marker to Pentel. Filipinos rely so much on National Bookstore providing them quality products that Filipinos no longer look at other bookstores in the market and instead, focus only on National Bookstore. National Bookstore has thus become a huge and integral part of the Filipinos lives. Price Affordable pricing is one objective that National Bookstore has every product is of the best quality at the best price.1 National Bookstore wants that students be able to afford to buy school supplies with their own allowance that is why National...

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