Tax on books
Sir,—As a book-buyer who delights in good bookshops, I am sorry to be at odds with Harold White and David Ault. I recognise that freight costs must make books dearer here than in their countries of origin. But, if the example I cited is typical (arid I gather that the textbook in question
does not attract the discount which Harold White mentions), there is also a substantial mark-up not attributable to freight, at least for non-student buyers. So, especially as there is no price competition between booksellers here, it is legitimate to ask the reasons for this. Certainly a New Zealand bookseller has to pay staff salaries, rent, rates and so on; but so does a bookseller in New York or London — and almost certainly at much higher cost. Without more details of the price-fixing mechanism which David Ault mentions, we cannot judge whether it is fair or not.—Yours, etc., ANDREW CARSTAIRS. July 15, 1982.
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Press, 16 July 1982, Page 12
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158Tax on books Press, 16 July 1982, Page 12
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