According to a recent article in the New York Times, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) will soon no longer be able to call itself the “Everything Store”. In its latest contract dispute with a supplier, the online retailing giant is reportedly refusing to take advance orders of soon to be released Warner videos including The Lego Movie.
This is a pretty big deal, considering this means 300: Rise of an Empire, Transcendence, and the mega-hit Lego blockbuster coming out on DVD next week cannot be preordered or purchased on Amazon.com.
Neither Warner and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) were willing to comment on the preorder block situation.
Amazon’s move to block customers from buying Warner movies, which apparently has been going on for more than two weeks, is the company’s third effort in the last few weeks to pressure a major supplier currently negotiating a contract.
Customers angry, want to buy the LEGO Movie
The company’s dispute with Warner has angered consumers hoping to pre-order The Lego Movie and other titles. One clearly upset customer wrote: “This has got to be the most eagerly awaited 2014 movie being released so far… Amazon may be digging their own grave if they keep this up.”
Standoff with Hachette and Bonnier over ebooks
The retailer’s third dispute is with the Bonnier Media Group, again revolving around how to share ebook profits. Amazon has also delayed orders from Bonnier’s backlist.
Analysts say they can see no end in sight to the standoffs. However, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)’s tactics with Warner Home Video are probably not going to get quite as much attention, as DVDs aren’t the same as books and the videos will be easily available at Target, Barnes & Noble and other outlets. It’s also noteworthy that Amazon has not yet imposed shipping delays on Warner videos once they go on sale, a step they took with Hachette that infuriated book authors and the book-buying public.
