Amazon appears to be having another dispute with one of its suppliers. The retailer is no longer offering pre-orders of Disney films on Blu-ray or DVD in an apparent move to coerce the company to agree to modified terms. Presumably, Amazon is seeking a larger share of the profits from movie sales, but neither Disney nor Amazon have provided comment on the situation.
The move appears to be affecting all yet-to-be released DVDs and Blu-rays of Disney movies, including Captain America: Winter Soldier, Maleficent, Muppets Most Wanted, and Million Dollar Arm. Digital versions of those movies are still available for pre-order from Amazon Instant Video — it is likely that digital distribution is covered under separate terms than physical copies.
Amazon has now found itself repeatedly wielding its commanding online retail presence to attempt to get suppliers to bend to its will. The company remains in a protracted contract dispute with book publisher Hachette over ebook prices. Amazon has raised prices and made it more difficult to buy Hachette books over the course of negotiations. Earlier this year, the retailer also shut down pre-orders on Warner Bros. DVDs and Blu-rays before new (undisclosed) terms were agreed upon by the two companies. For its part, Amazon has said before that disputes between retailers and suppliers are common, and that they are often necessary to ensure quality service and low prices.