Harry Potter and the corporation of greed

As if there wern't enough reasons already for disliking the greed of Supermarkets, today another one was revealed. In addition to taking over the world of shopping, leaving nothing else to compete with them, news comes out today to say that they will be selling the New Harry Potter book at far less than bookstores can afford to. One bookshop owner said he would be getting supplies from the superstore as it was cheaper.

Asda has sparked a price war by charging £5 per copy, while Tesco and Sainsbury's are charging £8.87. Waterstone's and Woolworths have set prices at £8.99 and WH Smith at £10.99 http://news.scotsman.com/arts.cfm?id=1131552007

They are so big they can afford to loose money on this one item, they have been using loss leaders for years. They get so many customers in to their shops it will give them a chance to sell them lots of more expensive things. But the real cost in this case is paid by small booksellers. For many children this is one of the few books they will be getting this year, so the oppertunity to get them into bookshops and introduce them to other books is priceless. But if everyone picks up the last of the Potter books with their shopping there is little hope of that.

I always thought it strange that anyone would discount a New Harry Potter book, surely there are millions of people that would pay full price to find out what happens next. But every time a new book comes out the shops have been reducing the price, this time the supermarkets have out competed them at this game.