10 Reasons Why Booksellers Hate Harry Potter*

So it has finally been announced. The new Harry Potter novel will be published on 21st July. But for some, this huge publishing event is little more than a costly pain in the arse. Here are 10 reasons why:

1. Because Bloomsbury insist that booksellers sign the most draconian legal document imaginable before they will consent to send you a single copy. I may not remember it word for word but I seem to recall it insists that no boxes are opened until the stroke of midnight, that all stock is stored in a lockable room, no human being can breathe within 3 metres of the boxes, that all other books by non-Bloomsbury authors have to be covered with a tarpaulin so that they do not contaminate the stock and the first-born of someone in the shop has to be offered up as collateral should there be any breach of these rules. Some of these may not be 100% correct.

2. Because if you do have to be shut inside a bookshop at midnight you do not want to spend that time with a bunch of pre-pubescent children all wearing glasses and with red biro scars drawn on their foreheads. Or with their parents. Or with childrens' entertainers, local TV reporters, and owls.

3. Because it is no longer a book. It is actually a book-shaped tin of beans that supermarkets will pile high and sell at a loss. As a result, no traditional bookseller will make any money out of it whatsoever.

4. Because Bloomsbury will not give retailers any extra discount. Fair enough you may say, it gives everyone a level playing field. Well no, what it actually means is that the accounts that enjoy high discounts already (internet and supermarkets) can piss all over the traditional bookshops who have spent much of the past 21 years selling lots of Bloomsbury books no supermarket would touch.

5. Because every other publisher will shit themselves and refuse to publish any books on or around the same date, meaning that you have absolutely nothing new and interesting to sell.

6. Because the success of Harry Potter has lead to agents flogging any old half-baked kids' fantasy book for an absolute bloody fortune, thereby flooding the market.

7. Because publishers have paid a bloody fortune for a bunch of half-baked kids' fantasy books, and what is worse they have published the blighters in hardback. Children's fiction does not sell in hardback. Hardly at all. If you don't believe me, go into a bookshop and stand next to a display of children's fiction in hardback. Now, don't move until someone buys one. Call me when you get bored.

8. Because the success of Harry Potter has made Bloomsbury the most arrogant and unapproachable publisher in the country. Most publishers, large and small, welcome feedback from their customers. Bloomsbury practically discourage it and largely ignore it anyway. But when you are making that sort of money from one author why would you bother? Hang on, what does a 'profit warning' mean again?

9. Because we are all, of course, just a little bit jealous.

10. Because all of the above has made what is actually quite a sweet, imaginative and much-loved series of books into something that turns the stomach of many who work in our industry.

*OK, so a more accurate title would be '10 Reasons Why Some Booksellers Don't Like Harry Potter Quite As Much As You'd Think' but I subscribe to the Tim Adams and Nick Cohen school of journalism (i.e. quite economical with the truth if it makes for a good headline).

Comments

[Steerforth]

Horray! Give the man a medal!

Like a lot of booksellers I was very pro-Potter in the early days. It was great to see an unknown author do well and the first three books were good fun. I remember doing my bit to push this new unknown author.

Sadly, by the fourth book, both the publisher and author seemed to have disappeared somewhere up themselves (in the author's case this was evidenced by the book's increase in length), whilst Warner Bros stepped in and created a franchise out of the whole thing. The very people who worked hard to make Potter a success were suddenly treated as second-class citizens.

Once Pottermania is over Bloomsbury will be dependent on booksellers like Waterstone's again - they won't be selling Rupert Thompson at Asda (unless R&J suddenly take a shine to him). Waterstone's, Borders and Smiths should insist on better terms and conditions this time round, with reprisals if Bloomsbury dig their heels in.

As for Potter night, although I'm cynical about the whole franchise thing, the actual launch parties are great and yes, there are lots of speccy kids with lightning scars, but I really think that it's an event they'll remember for the rest of their lives.

[Dan]

As a former bookseller I hear you, but I was wondering what would you have done differently/better if you were publishing the book? Do you think Harper or Penguin would've handled this better?

[Rob]

Re: point no. 2, I think I might like to just try being in a bookstore at midnight with some owls. Just to see. But I agree, none of those other things sound like fun.

[Quink]

In all things Bloomsbury, points 4 and 8 stand out as to why they deserve a complete kicking from the retailers. But of course they won't get one, sadly.

How can a company with that much cash and apparent financial solidity issue a profits warning as they did in December ? That's one for the Bloomsbury shareholders, methinks. Fuck-off advances have been Bloomsbury's calling card for too long.

Bloomsbury had a unique chance to make a difference, but fell prey to the excessive self-interest that characterises the publishing industry. Ironically they have been a publisher of some great quality fiction and non-fiction but have lost sight of that ambition, dazzled by Potter shillings.

Shame on them, on Newton.

Q

[The Bookseller to the Stars]

Wow say how you feel SP. Great post. Despite the midnight openings being quite fun, I have to agree with you on all counts. Wouldn't it be great if retailers stood up to them and said, "Actually, No."

I know this will never happen but at least this is the last book. What? She wants to write adult fiction next? Shit...

We have so many parents who complain that the children's section is nothing but fantasy and Harry Potter-like booksa. It's a shame, but publishing seems less about imagination and more about finding something and running with it, squeezing whatever you can about it then complain about a flooded market when all they get submitted to them are books of a certain genre. It's kinda irresponsible. Luckily people like The Friday Project exist.

Anyone who has a book out in July, I feel very sorry for them indeed because initial first month book sales are just slashed and it reflects badly on the authors who have hardbacks out that time.

A friend of mine in the states has her book coming out here that week and she's hopefully going to look into delaying the release or pulling it forward, and that's a crime book!

[Clive Keeble]

If my memory serves me right Amazon orders for HP6 were delivered the day of publication.

Am I wrong - quite probably, because nowadays I have no interest in HP

It will be interesting to see the time at which Az will be offering delivery of their £8.99 copies in 2007.

No box openings until midnight - betcha Amazon have them open many hours before, and of course with arrogant Bloomsbury looking in the other direction.

[Andy Walker]

Scott,

England are at last playing competitive cricket and now I have my second reason to cheer this morning. It's about time someone so sanguine as you pointed out the 'emperor's new clothes' froth that surrounds the publication of each new Harry Potter title. My beef with the whole success of Harry Potter is the relative quality of the writing. If Philip Pullman's books were as widely read by both children and adults, the world would be fairer and maybe a little saner.

[mad muthas]

i have a friend (who shall remain nameless) who used to run an independent book shop. no - honestly - she really does exist. i'm not making this up.
anyway - she found that her wholeseller were charging more to her for copies of harry potter than tescos were selling it for. obvious solution? send the copies back to the warehouse, drive up to tesco, buy a shedload, peel the stickers of and sell them in her store.
only common sense!

[Scott Pack]

That is a very good question indeed Dan. What would I have done differently or better? I suspect I wouldn't have handled it any better at all.

The most worrying aspect for me is that we are witnessing the biggest success in publishing history, a book of gigantic proportions, and yet many long-established traditional bookshops won't even be stocking it. That has to be wrong. Bloomsbury may not care but the author must be bothered by that situation.

For the last book, here's what I'd do. It is probably very flawed and is somewhat off the top of my head but you can have it anyway.

I'd split the market for the book into three sectors: Supermarkets & Internet, High Street Chains, Independent Bookshops.

For Supermarkets & Internet I'd just say, you are going to promote on price and sell it dirt cheap. That is your USP, best of luck with it, you have the discount you normally get - fine.

High Street chains, you have the set up to do big preorder offers. We won't stand in your way. You go ahead and give away a free book with every reservation, in fact, here's a nice key ring or some other trinket for you to make part of the bundle.

As for Independent Bookshops, we know you cannot compete on price and we know that many of you are not even going to stock the book. We think that is a real shame so we will provide all indies with a version of the book with a different limited edition cover. It is a one-off, and only applies to your initial order but this unique cover will only ever be sold through UK independents.

That would mean that supermarkets could sell it like they do toilet roll, chains can create a huge buzz and have a nice freebie and indies can have a collector's item that people will be prepared to pay a premium for.

Everyone is happy.

Or am I being too idealistic?

[Clive Keeble]

Scott

Yes, you are being too idealistic

Bloomsbury are like a Mayfair call-girl who will still do a knee-trembler down on the docks, just for old times sake.

[John Self]

I'm one of those arseholes who always goes into Waterstone's on Harry Potter Day and fights my way through the close-up illusionists and burst balloons to buy something in translation just to be contrary. Well, it makes me happy.

[Jon Scott]

Harry Potter has transformed the book world and got more people reading than ever. For that reason alone, we shhould be grateful to Bloomsbury.

Why don't you all stop complaining and realise that publishing the biggest book in the world must be a seriously tough task but it ultimately brings millions of people a lot of happiness?

Of course the books have to be locked up - if they weren't and someone read it and leaked the ending, then millions of children would be so disappointed. But maybe you scrooges would enjoy that.

As a bookseller, I appreciate the dificulties involved but it is worth it - it's a piece of history, a fantastic series and generally good for the book industry.

[Scott Pack]

Thanks John for being the first dissenting voice, if only for some balance. However, if anyone can be accused of being Scrooge-like I suspect it is not us. You may be wanting to look towards Soho Square for some of those.

[Scott Pack]

Your story is not an isolated one Mad Muthas. For the last Harry Potter hardback, Waterstone's could have achieved a better deal if they got their sister company HMV to buy the stock for them as HMV bought through a wholesaler. Actually, for a while Waterstone's bought all Harry Potter books from THE rather than Bloomsbury as it was more cost-effective.

[gavsstudio]

1. I can't decide to get it from Asda or Amazon - Which is really a midnight or morning question for getting my hands on it.

2. What ever J.K writes next is going to be nowhere near as popular. Bloomsbury is going to milk it for everything they can, though they'd better stop haemorrhaging that war chest they have.

3. You can't blame Harry.

[Sarah]

"Bloomsbury is going to milk it for everything they can"

Who's to say that Bloomsbury will actually publish Rowling's next book? Even if it's adult fiction as is rumored (and further to the rumor is that it'll be a crime novel) I'd imagine the bidding war amongst publishers would be very steep.* Certainly in the US, since Scholastic is a kids-only publisher and the adult trade houses would be foaming at the mouth to overpay significantly for the book.

*Having said that, I could also see Bloomsbury pre-empting before anyone else had a shot at it.

[dan]

Thanks for your comments Scott. I love that you give people answers to their half-baked questions!

Having worked for Waterstones, an independent bookstore and a couple of publishers, I don't really think there is a way to handle Harry Potter in a way that will keep everyone happy. I like the idea of an special edition for independents, but then wouldn't Bloomsbury be accused of gouging fans for more money?

Anyway, I really don't know how you please the readers, independent bookstores, Waterstones/the chains, the supermarkets, the media and international partners. Your answer was definitely better than some I've read this week though! : )

[Mark Thornton]

OK Scott, another challenge for you. What would you do if you were an independent bookseller on July 21st? Obviously this is a blatant (and obvious) pitch for some free consultancy, but I'll share with you our thoughts and see what you think.

As an independent bookseller for all of, ooh, 7 months, the whole Harry Potter launch date announcement has made me feel like a 17 year-old in 1914, with one week's bayonet training about to be shipped off to the trenches. It scares the beejeesus out of me!

As a bookshop with a growing reputation for our children's room, not stocking doesn't seem an option. We discussed this with another independent bookseller last year, and they sold tickets for a magical midnight event, which included the book into the price, and which just happened to not unadjacent to the RRP.

So - our thought is. Huge value-added event, create a magical experience for the kids that they will never forget, as this is possibly the last time a book launch quite like this will ever happen (as Steerforth alluded to). Forget the profit, focus on improving the brand loyalty amongst regulars.

Too naive and optimistic?

[SUSAN HILL]

Unless JKR is very unhappy indeed with the job Bloomsbury have done on HP - unlikely one would have thought - then she is 99.99999% likely to stay loyal to them when it comes to her adult crime novel.
And that will sell as well as HP. I`d put money on it.

[gavsstudio]

But will her crime novel generate a Lego toyset?

[Cyn Jones]

Is the HP buzz as massive as it seems at first glance.

I'm sick of HP media blasts.

My grandsons' are sick of reading HP books.

I've come to the conclusion HP books are bought by kids for their parents: in how to understand why they (parents) are big kids living in the past.

[lance]

Quote:i have a friend...send the copies back to the warehouse, drive up to tesco, buy a shedload, peel the stickers of and sell them in her store.
only common sense!

Now this, I like.
Solves the problem for 'the little guy' and points out just how silly things have gotten.

[anushka]

What a fabulous post. I liked HP when I was eight but at sixteen have long-ago leaped onto proper books. I think that what's good about the books (which I actually detest) is that they got a lot of people reading who previously wouldn't pick up a book. But for the most part I think that they need far more careful editing - they just drag on so, surely at least half could be cut out for a more concise, clean read? And I disagree with the very first comment to this post - if my memory serves me correctly, Waterstones are pretty evil themselves: I read a piece about the price the retailer charges to publishing houses for a place on their Top Ten list or something. Though I also dislike the whole supermarket-retailling phenomenon.