Amazon has axed the ability to pre-order Warner Home Video titles like "The Lego Movie," "300: Rise of an Empire," "Winter’s Tale" and "Transcendence," in a effort to gain leverage with the supplier, according The New York Times.
This is the second public fight that Amazon has picked in the last several weeks: The company is also in a standoff with Hachette Book Group, delaying shipment on its titles and also removing pre-order buttons as it tries to win more favorable terms for e-book pricing.
Amazon apparently started refusing pre-orders for Warner Home Videos (the video distribution division of Time Warner) back in mid-May. It has also chosen not to feature "The Lego Movie" in its list of upcoming "Kids & Family" movies, despite the fact that the film had astronomical success in theaters and is widely anticipated.
In an effort to make a point to Time Warner in its negotiations, Amazon is angering customers, who have taken to an Amazon forum to discuss the issue. One writer says that he ended up ordering the movie from Best Buy instead.
New York Times reporter David Strietfeld notes that if Hachette continues to hold out and Warner doesn't cave, it could have significant implications for Amazon as it continues its relentless push for better margins.
