AfterDawn: News

Amazon blocks pre-orders of new Warner DVDs, Blu-rays in ploy for leverage with supplier

Amazon has shut down the ability to pre-order hit movies from Warner Home Video including "The Lego Movie" as it tries to gain added leverage with the major supplier.

Among the hit films that are unavailable in physical copies are the aforementioned Lego Movie, "300: Rise of an Empire," "Winter's Tale" and "Transcendence." Amazon still offers the digital download.



Amazon is currently in a similar row with Hachette Book Group, delaying shipments of the publisher's books and removing pre-order ability for new titles. Amazon is trying to gain better prices on e-books and as the world's largest book retailer it has some leverage to try this.

Hachette has so far refused to give in, and it is unclear who will cave first.

All we know is that consumers are the only losers in this situation.

Source:
NYT

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 12 Jun 2014 11:59

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• 3 comments

• SoTired

  I would not agree that the consumers are the only losers, or that we're losers at all as a result of this spat. Life won't end if we can't buy The Lego Movie from Amazon. On the other hand, all consumers can thank Amazon for driving prices on nearly everything down to some truly remarkable bargains, and Amazon accomplishes that by negotiating low prices from suppliers and then passing that onto consumers at low margins. Amazon's track record on delivering good value to consumers has earned enough them credibility with me that, if they think a publisher is overcharging, I'm prepared to support Amazon.

  12.6.2014 13:50 #1

• Menion

  Not that i disagree, but Karma is a bitch for Warner Home Video who were clearly extorting Red Box a few years ago. What goes around always seems to come around.
  

  13.6.2014 01:50 #2

• favosys1

  How are the consumers losers at all?
  Quote: All we know is that consumers are the only losers in this situation.
  That is probably the stupidest phrase in the Internet right now. Thank you Amazon for doing this.
  
  There was a preorder for Lego 3D Movie but then warner changed the edition for a much more expensive one, Amazon had to cancel preorders and got a lot of complaints. Amazon is trying to make things right.
  

  14.6.2014 18:42 #3