In an unprecedented move designed to protect the forthcoming Harry Potter book from plot leaks and under-the-counter sales, its publishers Bloomsbury have imposed draconian legal sanctions on booksellers that threaten to throw the industry into turmoil.
Retailers wishing to stock the fifth instalment of JK Rowling's phenomenally popular series about the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Magic, which is expected to break all records upon its release on June 21, are protesting at being forced to sign up to a set of strict terms and conditions before receiving copies of the book.
The London-based publisher is demanding that book shops keep copies of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix stacked in secure cartons behind locked doors and insists that no staff may even look at the children's adventure until the moment it goes on sale. In addition to being refused access to reorders and future titles, anyone breaching these conditions may also be sued for damages.
While many retailers are vehemently opposed to a move they say will strike at the very heart of their profession, such is the power of a literary juggernaut, which has already garnered an estimated £2 billion worldwide, that few feel able to break ranks and defy the sanctions.
'This flies in the face of everything our trade is supposed to be about. Rumour has it that the latest book contains much darker, mature themes than its prequels and while normally my customers would expect me to be able to advise them on its suitability for their children, this time round I will be powerless to help,' said one independent book shop owner, who insisted on anonymity for fear of reprisals.
'With any other novel, I'd tell them where to stick it, but this will be the biggest release of the year and if I don't have it on the shelves, I'll be lucky to sell a single book this summer.'
Despite such protests, Bloomsbury insist that the unparalleled level of security is necessary to prevent the kind of storyline leaks that have dogged previous instalments of the series, which have sold over 200 million copies in 55 countries. The company has also confirmed that there will be no exceptions to the rule -- even for internet retailers like Amazon for whom the tight deadlines will mean heavy shipping costs.
'What is the point of an embargo if you don't impose the sanctions contained within it?' said Bloomsbury's children's marketing director Sarah Beal. 'How retailers choose to sell their goods is their business. There will be no early copies from us.'
While few in the industry will publicly condemn Bloomsbury's stringent sales strategy, privately many are questioning the long-term wisdom of the move. The venerable house had reportedly been struggling commercially prior to securing the Potter series and in view of Rowling's long-stated intention to bring the magical odyssey to a halt after completing its seventh instalment, many wonder whether today's hard-line stance might result in backlash.
'They could restrict sales to a single shop in the middle of the Gobi desert and Order of the Phoenix would still shift a million copies,' said media analyst Charles Parker. 'But nothing lasts forever and sooner or later the company is going to be asking retailers to promote unknown titles.'
'A good relationship with booksellers is critical to publishers and this is an industry with a notoriously long memory. When the Harry Potter craze finally subsides, lasting resentment could well see Bloomsbury struggling to get the co-operation they need.'
Thanks to
The Sunday Herald for this.