Why we will not be selling Harry Potter 7

The circus has started again. But we will not be part of it. Not this time. We wanted to opt out the last time as well, but Joyce came in and said, "Please, please, please …" and we succumbed.

We received a set of non-disclosure forms a few weeks ago, which got promptlythrown into the waste-paper basket. Basically, we had to promise not to sellthe book until the actual date for worldwide release. That is really not that bad. What riles is the shear capitalist exploitation of it. The last time wehad to order a minimum quantity, at a reduced discount and on non-returnablebasis. (Is that the worst face of capitalism, or what? If something sells well, raise the price.)

And all that for what? With the big stores all offering a 20% discount on the book we had to follow suit. The operating cost of an average bookstore is approximately 20%. And after we gave away another 20% in discount, we were actually selling the book at a substantial loss. Why do that? (In the US and UK the discount was 50%. Go figure. The book industry is bizarre. Bookstores, especially the mega ones, have been defying gravity for far too long. The music industry does not sell newly released, best-selling CDs at 50% discount, does it? No wonder Borders is losing money, and has to pull out of UK.)

Harry Potter makes no sense to booksellers. The only ones who make money are the publishers, distributors and Ms Rowling. Everyone else loses money. (Bloomsbury's profits were down 75% in 2006 because it was a non-HP year.)

Last time around, mountains of HP 6 were remaindered all over the world within six months of its release. ACMA Books was selling a Harry Potter 5 & 6 set (both hardbacks) for MYR20.00. In total we (a few friends) bought over twenty sets to give away as presents. Our advice: if you must have HP7, don't be so kiasu. Wait for a while and you will be able to buy it at a substantially lower cost. Kiasu-ness costs money, a lot of money. And if the past few HPs are anything to go by, save the money for another book and/or give yourself a treat at a fancy restaurant. You will enjoy yourself more.

Don't get me wrong. I loved the cheek and charm of HP 1 & 2. The blending together of an Enid Blyton adventure (complete with afternoon English tea and crumpets), a dollop of Narnia and a pinch of Tolkein, was really quite charming. Then with HP 3 things started getting weird - okay, flying cars I can take, but the travel-in-time-and-raise-the-dead bit was quite a bit beyond Ms Rowling's limited talents, I thought. Don't even ask about HP 4, 5 & 6. It has been panned enough.

Read HP 1 & 2. They are still the best by far.