Advise Alpha Bookstore what remedies, if any, it may have against the two publishers.
Alpha Bookstore has the following contracts:
a) to buy 200 copies each of “Cabinet Inside Story” and “The Return of 007” from
Beta Publishing plc at a total cost of £4,000;
b) to buy 500 copies of “The Gryffindor Chronicles” from White Owl Publishing at
a cost of £3,500.
The consignments of the two books from Beta Publishing were both to be delivered
on 1 November. However, they did not arrive. On 3 November, Carolina from Alpha
Bookstore emails Beta Publishing to find out why the consignments have been
delayed. She receives a reply, explaining that Deep Throat, the author of “Cabinet
Inside Story” has been successfully sued for defamation by Pamela White, the former
Home Secretary named in the book. Further, they explain, White’s solicitors have
warned Beta Publishing that it, too, will be liable if it supplies the book to anyone and
Beta Publishing’s own lawyers have confirmed this. One hour after Carolina has read
this reply, her colleague David comes into her office with a news report that Beta
Publishing have just been fined for paying the workers in its dispatch department
below minimum wage.
The copies of “The Gryffindor Chronicles” were to be delivered on 1 December. On
23 November, however, Carolina receives a phone call from White Owl Publishing. It
has suffered a major fire in its warehouse and it will do its best to print more copies, it
will not be possible to deliver them before January. Carolina is very disappointed as
the bookstore had planned to promote “The Gryffindor Chronicles” for the Christmas
season.
