Why Is Amazon Limiting Sales of DVD Titles?

by: pace306

Amazon playes the gated off game with alot of hot items, from alot of manufactorers...and there's very little anyone can do about it.

Amazon, as big as they are, is still afraid of being dragged into court for whatever absured reason the specific manufactorer feels like.

To protect themselves and to garnish favor in thier eyes, they cut off 3p sellers.

Pioneer, Sony, Monster and many others are blocked off entirely or have the NEW category removed.

There are also hidden Asins that are ONLY activated by manufactorer request - as I found out the hard way AFTER I bought the merchandise.

Its Amazon's sandbox so there isnt much anyone can do about it.

Warner is always looking for someone to blame aka ''piracy'' but thier newest game is ''intereferance in the contract between thier dealers and themselves''. Thats what I was told (I dont sell media but asked about it when I had an Amazon CS rep on the phone about another topic). Of course since Amazon 3p sellers arent party to those agreements, its all BS - but Amazon makes too much money from selling WB movies and downloads to even deal with the issue - its easier to just screw the 3p seller (as always).


Best of luck to all the media sellers on Amazon!

by: Ming the Merciless

This is another example of a corporation behaving the way modern American corporations behave.

The amount of corruption, endemic dishonesty, and theft from customers is measured by degree.

In terms of how it treats its 3p sellers, Amazon is only marginally more trustworthy than ebay.

Perhaps Amazon and Warner Bros have some sort of 'gentlemen's agreement' in place here.
ly Disruptive Purge began with policy changes that put ebay's then largest DVD seller, Glacier Bay, out of business.

Amazon is in business to make money for Amazon. As long as 3p sellers produce a great deal more revenue than the presence of 3p sellers consumes, Amazon will take a little here and there.

But if and when the "noise" level from 3p sellers sufficiently annoys Amazon, Amazon will have acquired a huge product catalog and source information from their 3ps, and 3p sellers will be history.

Don't trust ANY corporation.

by: Cowbell

It looks like an illegal end-run around the First Sale Doctrine. Media producers HATE the secondary markets because they don't get a cut. They are STILL trying to prevent the sale of used CDs and DVDs. They are STILL messing with the rental markets.

They simply do not want a small seller to buy a DVD at Wal-Mart for $10 and sell it for $15 on Amazon or eBay. The best way to stop it is to accuse the sellers of copyright infringement or counterfeiting. The burden of proof is now on a seller who lacks the resources to wage a court battle. All it takes is one such accusation to get your account shut down. Amazon doesn't care. There is always another seller to take your place.

It's possible to fight it on eBay, but they are such dimwits it's a hard slog.

Copyright holders HATE the First Sale Doctrine and will do whatever it takes to undermine it. Many sellers now actually believe it is "illegal" to sell a lawfully purchased DVD. You will see this stupid statement over and over on the Amazon board. A lot of sellers think "better safe than sorry" and just stop selling CDs and DVDs. This spreading attitude will help destroy the secondary markets from within, which is exactly what the studios and RIAA want.

by: BackInBlack

I've been hopeful the courts will at some point uphold the First Sale Doctrine because of the far-reaching implications of overturning it. Doing so could potentially stop the resale of ANY copyrighted thing---CDs, DVDs & games, sure, but even potentially old collectible books, magazines, photos, cassettes, vinyl records, VHS/Beta tapes, LaserDiscs, etc.  What applies to one should theoretically be universally enforced with all. The obvious & sensible answer is, if I buy it, I have every right to resell it for as little or as much as I wish in a free market economy. But maybe we don't live in one of those anymore. The game is rigged; the rich get richer & the poor get poorer.

by: bitbybit

Here is what this all boils down to - as a consumer would you continue to buy new knowing it would be illegal to resell if the First Sale Doctrine was taken away?

Wouldn't seem like a free country to me. Personally I would stop purchasing new books, cds, dvds etc unless I got them dirt cheap since I would feel my rights were being taken away. I wonder how many others would feel this way if this were to pass? How many people would continue to be in a financial position to always buy new? Is this a peek into the fiscal cliff and what to expect?

by: FREDDY

Wonder if the first dale doctrine would apply to - lets say a FORD MOTOR MUSTANG.  I'm sure that have that name locked up. If it would apply to books why not a car????

by: FREDDY

Possible that Warner etc. have nothing to do with new releases but Amazon not wanting competition?????

by: pace306

@ Freddy .... No its NOT Amazon.

Think about it this way ... the vig they make on you the 3p seller is in ''most'' cases more then they would make themselves if they sold it ... 3P (as long as its ''managed'') is win/win for Amazon. If they make the sale its win - the money is all thiers, if a 3P makes the sale - then they make %8-15 ...and thats not chicken feed!

Amazon has a dept for these types of issues. Whether its blocking ASINS (manufactorer request), copyright issues etc ... its all managed.

Dont ever forget - Amazon isnt eBay. Amazon is managed and eBay is the wild west!