Harry Potter And The Welcome Price War

Four major bookstore chains in Malaysia have vowed not to sell the novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to protest against hypermarkets, Tesco and Carrefour's move in selling the novel at a much cheaper price of RM69.90. The retail price of the book is RM109.90. That's forty bucks cheaper!

Yup. This is one price war that I welcome with open arms. For too long have these bookstore chains gotten away with charging sky high prices and reaping huge profits. Of course their excuses are always at the ready in case one questions them occasionally.

So the retail price of this novel is determined by Penguin Books, the distributor. Is there a law which states that one cannot sell below the recommended price? Why are some of these people condemning the hypermarkets? If you're that bloody rich, great. Buy a hundred copies and give it out gratis to some poor Harry Potter fans. Or should only the moneyed folks be privileged to read the book?

Read what Patricia Chen, MPH chief operating officer had to angrily say: “It's not fair to allow hypermarkets to sell such a popular book when they are not in the book business." Huh? It's not fair for the purchaser to pay RM40 less? If hypermarkets or anyone else is willing to sell not only this but other books as well at less expensive prices, it should be welcomed by all. What is the use of paying lip service to encouraging the reading habit, while at the same time these greedsters sitting in bookstore cartel offices rant and rave and openly lament their 'losses' while crying out to maintain cutthroat prices?

If someone tells you as did this clown, Penguin Singapore and Malaysia managing director Eddy Teo, "avid fans are looking for a magical atmosphere rather than just cheap price," tell that person to shove it.

Read the entire report from TheStar, HERE.
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A 'colourful' rant on the above topic, HERE.