High price for a magazine in KK! Why?

I never have any problem to buy any magazine or books back in Kuala Lumpur but here in Kota Kinabalu caused me some hard time. Being a stay at home mum, my daily routines are basically take care my son, blogging and built up my online business. I only go to mall once in a while. So what do I do, reading lo, books and magazine. Magazine, every kind of magazine, Jap nails magazine, fashion/women mag, Nat Geo, Dsicovery, Reader's Digest (both English and Chinese version) and etc.

I never regretted to pay a lil to buys books/magazines because it's knowledge source. Why would I say it is expensive, I still remember my ex-colleague said: "Wah, Reader's Digest ar?! So expensive one wor!" (in broken english). Then hallelujah for you, in the future when your kid ask you something and you don't how to answer, what a shame! Beside that, I heard a guy stand beside me when I bought Reader's Digest said this: " So expensive ar? Just a small lil book?". Then don't buy condom, what a small little plastic thing cost you RM1+ (cheapo brand la) because you going to dispose it anyway, just use some cling wrap and do it! Cheaper alternative!

Cut the crap short, I just want you to know I not stingy when paying for knowledge. The problem in Kota Kinabalu is the book store markup the magazine price higher than the publisher suggested selling price! Not those MPH (we don't have it here), and I have not check out the magazine price at Popular book store yet. Book store here is refer to those small store selling magazine and newspaper like in KL most of them run by Indian kind of book store.

Prove it?! Nah…

For Chinese mag like Newtide, East Malaysia selling price is RM10 and they sell it at RM13.20.

Cosmopolitan HK edition October issue, selling price in West M'sia is RM8 and here you buy it at RM15.70.



A common scene you gonna see in the book store, a lady pick up the mag she interested and then put it back to shelf, less than 10 seconds on her hand so obviously she not reading the head topic in the topic on the cover. Why? The price la, a local magazine selling at RM30+, will you buy it? Not imported mag, is LOCAL MAGAZINE! Or maybe ship it to East Malaysia is considered as "IMPORTED"?

One more, hubby like to play pc game and pc hardware so guess what when he saw the MAX IT Malaysia Edition selling price over here. It's RM16.90. Dam! The publisher suggested selling price is ONLY RM7.00!

OK, I can just boycott it but what I need to do with my spare time?! I going to start subscribe the magazine on yearly basis directly from the publisher next year. Now I know why my bro in law subscribe the Nat Geo/Discovery mag directly from the publisher.

Save time, save petrol, save my saliva (of bithching about this)! And I might get some free gift like fragrance or cosmetic when subscribe those magazine directly from the publisher! Free gift worth RM145 -a Shiseido Maquillage Eyeshadow palette from Newtide!

I not being sarcastic, but why I need to buy at a higher price than what the publisher suggested selling price? Anyone who know the reason, please tell me.

Joey