Advertising, ad campaigns, ad agencies, and the people that make it happen

Does any one else find it amazing that with the release tonight of what is without question the most hyped and enthusiastically expected book on the face of the planet, virtually none of the retailers selling it are going to make any money? I am of course, talking about the final Harry Potter book. With an  unprecedented first printing of 12 million copies and a huge retail list price of $34.99. you would think lots of people, besides J.K Rowling and the publisher would be making fistfuls of cash. But no, apparently, online booksellers such as Amazon, mega-bookstores and big-box stores, such as Costco, are offering the book at discounts of up to 50 percent off the list price. Which means they are selling the book for little more than the price they paid the publisher. Amazon is actually saying that it won't make a profit on the book, which they've been offering for $17.99 in pre-release. Plus, customers also received a $5 certificate to spend at the site in August. Amazon claims it leads buyers on to other parts of their site. That's the same argument that caused them not to make a profit for the first dozen years they were in business. Remember the good old "Dot.Com" days when it was all about building a customer base and in time the profits would flow in. That's why ninety percent of those company's went belly up. Maybe Amazon is hoping some of Harry's magic will rub off!

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It's OK... This isn't how it ends!