Amazon Refusing To Let Customers Pre-Order Warner Videos

Amazon, the so-called “Everything Store”, is refusing to take advance orders of upcoming Warner videos including The Lego Movie in its latest standoff with a supplier, the New York Times reports.

This means 300: Rise of an Empire, Transcendence, and the hugely popular Lego blockbuster due out on DVD next week are all off limits for Amazon customers.

The company’s dispute with Warner has angered consumers hoping to pre-order The Lego Movie. One 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.”

The company’s block on customers buying Warner movies, which began in mid-May, marks its third attempt in recent weeks to gain leverage over a major supplier.

Amazon is also grappling with the Hachette Book Group over e-book conditions, prompting the retailer to delay shipments and not take pre-orders of Hachette books.

The retail giant’s third feud is with the Bonnier Media Group over how to share the earnings of electronic books. Consequently, Amazon has delayed orders from Bonnier’s backlist.

Amazon’s obstinacy has surprised many — as has the suppliers’ unwillingness to back down. The Lego Movie is considered June’s biggest movie release, and The Silkworm, JK Rowling’s latest novel from Hachette, the biggest book release.

Both Warner and Amazon have declined to comment on the block. Amazon didn’t even feature The Lego Movie in its list of upcoming “Kids & Family” movies. In response to the standoff with Hachette, Amazon released a statement saying such issues with suppliers were commonplace and that customers could always go elsewhere. Neither Warner nor Hachette has yet to reach a resolution with Amazon.

[NYT]