Anyone who has been following business news may have heard that Amazon and the publishing company Hachette have been fighting over whether to make the publishing company’s books available for preorder. While Amazon is currently refusing to allow consumers to order the books before their release date, there are also reports that this is part of a larger contract dispute between the two companies.
It seems these contract disputes are not limited to Hachette, however. Amazon is now refusing to allow consumers to preorder videos from Time Warner, which includes Warner Home Video and the biggest-grossing film this year, “The Lego Movie.” Though it is not entirely clear what Amazon’s end game is, it may be doing itself more harm than good.
Of course, Amazon’s contract disputes are not that unique. There are businesses throughout Riverside and California as a whole that are in need of legal assistance because of contracts. While contracts can be immensely helpful, they can also be difficult to get out of when they start to damage a business. In those situations, it may be best to engage with an experienced business lawyer who can help to explain what is permissible under the contract.
Though there are no confirmed reports about why Amazon is fighting with these two companies, it is believed to be about the cost of electronic books, at least with regard to Hachette. As for Warner Home Video, both companies are keeping quiet about what the dispute may involve.
How this will ultimately play out remains to be seen.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Amazon update: Time Warner faces Hachette-style order delays,” Carolyn Kellog, June 12, 2014