In what’s become the second major dispute with a supplier in recent weeks, Amazon is now refusing to accept pre-orders for a number of Warner Home Video films including The Lego Movie, 300: Rise of an Empire, Winter’s Tale and Transcendence according to a report from The New York Times.
A quick visit to Amazon and a search for any of the titles above reveals they’re only listed for purchase via digital release. Searching for a disc-based version nets you the product page but there’s no way to pre-order and no indication of when it will be available. The best option is to sign up for an alert to be notified when it becomes available.
The standoff reportedly started in mid-May which led to some customers voicing their opinions on company forums. Given that films like The Lego Movie are highly anticipated, what gives?
The publication believes it all boils down to money. Amazon is using the tactic to gain leverage from the supplier in the hopes that they’ll get even higher margins from sales of the films. It’s not uncommon for retailers and vendors to have a dispute but in this case, both sides are holding firm on their stance.
It’s too early to know for sure if the vendor will eventually meet Amazon’s demand but in the interim, it’s no doubt costing Amazon some customers.
Both Amazon and Warner Bros. declined to comment on the matter.
https://www.techspot.com/news/57078-amazon-halts-dvd-pre-orders-in-price-war-with-warner-bros.html
