Potter Sales Pure Magic
By George Anderson
If J.K. Rowling writes it, they will come in record numbers.
The latest edition to the series of magical fantasy novels, Harry Potter
and the Order of the Phoenix, set a record with over five million copies
sold in the US on the first day, according to Scholastic.
Steve Riggio, chief executive, Barnes & Noble told The Associated Press,
“We expected to sell 1 million copies in the first week and we sold that many
within the first 48 hours.”
Amazon.com reportedly shipped more than a million copies of Order of the
Phoenix on Saturday. That made it “the largest distribution day for a single
item in e-commerce history,” according to the AP report.
Moderator’s Comment: How do you explain Harry Potter’s
sales magic? What should retailers do to make sure they capitalize on the business
opportunity it represents?
The local Pathmark was announcing over its intercom yesterday
afternoon that the Barnes & Noble in the area had sold out of its copies
of the newest J.K. Rowling novel. All the more reason to buy Harry Potter and
the Order of the Phoenix at the supermarket’s low, low price of $18 and change.
[George
Anderson – Moderator]