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Malaysian bookstores shelve Harry Potter boycott
2007-07-24
The final Harry Potter book is back on the shelves of four major Malaysian bookstores after they agreed to end a sales boycott in protest over heavy discounting by two hypermarkets. The four stores had withdrawn "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" from their outlets nationwide in protest at the "indiscriminate price discount." British hypermarket Tesco and French-based Carrefour were selling the books at only 69.90 ringgit (20.60 dollars), less than the recommended retail price of 109.90 ringgit set by the sole distributor, Penguin Books Malaysia. "MPH Bookstores, Times the Bookshop, Popular and Harris Bookstores are happy to have reached an agreed solution with Penguin Books ... with regard to 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'," the bookstores said in a joint statement. The stores did not give a reason for the change of heart. They said they would sell the book at the recommended price, but with a 20-percent discount for customers who also made other purchases and 25 percent off for loyalty scheme members.
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