Australian electronics retailer Harvey Norman has ordered its franchises to stop selling HP's TouchPad tablet, after the product manufacturer said it would no longer be making the device.

The tablet, which went on sale only Monday, had been touted as the main competitor to Apple's iPad. But dismal sales led to HP discontinuing its operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS smartphones.

Harvey Norman's general manager for computers and communications division, Ben McIntosh, told ZDNet Australia the decision was a reaction to the uncertain future of the webOS platform.

"I'm taking a very proactive view on this, rather than waiting and waiting," McIntosh said. "Because I can't be sure that webOS won't be supported ongoing, I've instructed my franchisees to take the TouchPad off the shelves. Not because HP told me to, just because we can't be sure if they're going" to be supported in the future.

Harvey Norman had already taken delivery of 6,000 units of the TouchPad in its first shipment. The retailer reports that it had sold between 1,000 and 1,200 units of the device in the four days it was available. Harvey Norman is offering refunds for customers who bought the device.

"We've contacted customers who have bought it, offered them a full refund or full credit to go to another tablet," McIntosh said. Customers who choose to keep their TouchPad will still be eligible to receive a refund if HP will no longer support the webOS platform.

"There will be some customers who wish to keep the TouchPad; if they do, that's fine, we'll support them. No customer that's bought a TouchPad will be disadvantaged at all."

Harvey Norman will meet with HP Australia to discuss the best course of action for the remaining TouchPad stock.

The GM said that he was disappointed at the decision to discontinue the TouchPad.

"Am I disappointed? Absolutely. I'd be disappointed if this happened to any product, [but] this has absolutely no effect on our sales results at all. The tablet category is growing very strongly," he assured.