Price war breaks out in the book world

Upcoming hardcover releases such as Sarah Palin's Going Rogue and John Grisham's Ford County will now be available at a suprising amount, with free shipping. Read on to know more.

A price war has broken out in the book world.

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Price war breaks out in book world

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has announced that its online site, walmart.com, would charge just $10, with free shipping, for such upcoming hardcover releases as Sarah Palin's Going Rogue and John Grisham's Ford County, a cut of 60 per cent or more from the regular cost.

Amazon.com, the leading online book seller, has responded, also slashing its price to $10 for Going Rogue, Ford County, Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes and other leading pre-orders.

"At Walmart.com, we remain committed to providing our customers with the lowest prices available online. That commitment extends to the nation's best-selling books, especially during an increasingly challenging year for many of our customers," Raul Vazquez, Walmart.com's CEO, said in a statement.

"Our newest offering — the Top 10 pre-selling books at just $10, with free home delivery — is a true reflection of this commitment to better help our customers shop and save money online, just in time for the approaching holiday season."

In a new program called America's Reading List, Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart also will offer 50 per cent off or more on 200 current best-sellers, including Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and Kathryn Stockett's The Help.

Booksellers have fought hard for blockbuster releases such as Brown's Lost Symbol and the Harry Potter stories, offering reductions of 50 per cent or higher. But Wal-Mart's announcement suggests a broad, sustained race for customers at prices few can afford to offer.