Malaysia's top bookstores refuse to sell Harry Potter book amid price war

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Major Malaysian bookstores pulled the final volume of the Harry Potter series off their shelves Saturday, protesting a price war sparked by supermarket retailers that sold the book at a massive discount.

Only customers who reserved copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in advance could collect the book, Malaysia's three leading book chains — MPH Bookstores, Popular Book Co. and Times The Bookshop — said in a joint statement.

The companies, which run a total of more than 100 branches nationwide, also scrapped promotional activities — such as quiz competitions and breakfast parties — that were supposed to mark the book's launch at 7:01 a.m. Malaysian time Saturday (2301 GMT Friday).

The move was in response to what the booksellers called an "indiscriminate price discount" by grocery giants — including Malaysian outlets of Britain's Tesco PLC and France's Carrefour SA — that offered the new book at a discount of 40 ringgit ($11.40; €8.25) off its recommended retail price of 109.90 ringgit (US$31.40; $22.70).

The bookshops' decision, announced following a meeting late Friday, caught some customers by surprise.

"I have to rush to Tesco now and hope I can still get a copy," said college student Cynthia Raj. "This is terrible."

Nearly 80 Harry Potter fans had gathered outside Tesco's outlet in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Ampang by 7 a.m.

"I'm here because the location is convenient," said 25-year-old clerk Tan Soh Yin. "But I wouldn't have minded paying more than 100 ringgit for the book. It's the final Harry Potter book. This only happens once in a lifetime."