Amazon Feud with Disney, Warner (1 Viewer)

[Brian Kidd]

Brian, thanks for the details in both of your messages; they are really informative. I got curious, so I looked up the order dates. The last two times where I had a gift card refund for price increase were for orders I placed on April 6, 2016 (refund amount 19 cents) and March 13, 2016 (refund amount $6.99, twice, as I ordered the same item for myself and as a gift.) These are, I think, the only two occasions prior to this current one where I have tried to get a refund for this particular reason. I don't use any apps to find the lowest price; typically I just got to Amazon because of my Prime membership, because other stores prices may be cheaper, but I have to pay for shipping from them, which (usually) gives Amazon the advantage. And in all of those cases, I noticed the price difference myself while looking up the item again to track my original shipment, which demonstrates how close after my order the price was adjusted. So, obviously, I'm not the kind of person who is trying to game the system or get unending refunds on things. I guess some people who do that have ruined it for the rest of us.

Out of curiosity, do you know if the policy allowing these kinds of price adjustments was abandoned before or after those dates? I do hope the reps who gave me those refunds did not get in trouble for doing so.

While I understand what you are saying in that the rep didn't have a choice in the matter, I still think it is fundamentally absurd that he/she (I forget their gender as I did it via instant message chat) was able to offer to pay return shipping (in case I wanted to return it and order it again for the cheaper price), but the return shipping cost would have been higher than the amount of the refund I was seeking ($2.23.) So even though it's not their call, that policy still doesn't make logical sense. Had I agreed to take them up on that offer, Amazon's cost for dealing with my issue would have been higher than the $2.33 I was asking for.

Also,since you said their jobs are dependent upon good survey responses: what happens to a rep if I simply don't fill the survey out? (I usually do, but I'm thinking for example, if they didn't really solve my problem but I don't want to give them a bad rating that could endanger their position, could I just not answer it and they'd be fine?)

(Covering my butt. Again, I no longer work for them and don't speak for the company. Also, I'm 45 and my memory isn't perfect.)

Jake, I left Amazon in the summer of 2015. I want to say it was shortly before I left that they stopped refunding the difference. When it was in effect it was only for something like 7 days after purchase. I don't remember exactly.

As for letting you return it and re-buying it, in those cases that's the only option the CSA has to give. Once a policy changes, they have to ensure that all of the CSA's are following it and not giving exceptions right and left. Most people aren't going to want to deal with the hassle of returning an item and re-ordering it, so it isn't like Amazon is having to pay for return shipping in most of these cases. It's an option if a customer is bound and determined to get a lower price on something. I agree that it seems silly but you have to look at the big picture and see that, even with those folks who decided to return and re-buy, Amazon is still going to save more money than if they refunded the difference like they used to do. They're a business and always have to balance taking care of customer wishes with making money. They're very good at making money and still doing right by customers as often as possible.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Also,since you said their jobs are dependent upon good survey responses: what happens to a rep if I simply don't fill the survey out? (I usually do, but I'm thinking for example, if they didn't really solve my problem but I don't want to give them a bad rating that could endanger their position, could I just not answer it and they'd be fine?)

Forgot to answer this one. I don't want to say yes or no to whether or not to respond to the survey. They are very important and absolutely impact the CSA's job. I recommend going with your gut. If the CSA was genuinely trying everything they could to help you but you can tell that their hands are tied, not responding to the survey won't hurt them. HOWEVER, if you genuinely feel like they weren't helpful and that you just know something else could have or should have been done, say "no." You are usually given an opportunity to make comments. Those comments are read and are a useful way for Amazon to see what works and what needs improved.

I guess my best advice to everyone is just to not take them lightly and click "no" for no reason.

 

[Malcolm R]

I wonder why this "feud" does not extend to Amazon UK? Disney blu/3D discs are very reasonable there (and largely Region-Free), generally £7-17 which is about $10-25. Though you do have to pay a nominal amount for shipping/duty to the US, though that is mostly offset by some kind of discount to US addresses (subtraction of VAT?).

I just ordered Thor 3D and Captain America: First Avenger 3D for £10 each (list price £12 before reduction at checkout).

 

[Brian Kidd]

I wonder why this "feud" does not extend to Amazon UK? Disney blu/3D discs are very reasonable there (and largely Region-Free), generally £7-17 which is about $10-25.

Hard to say for sure. Although all of the international sites are owned by the same parent company, they are all run as separate businesses, due to the differences in business law from country to country. That's one reason, though not the only one, why you can't subscribe to Prime in the U.S. and have it work for the international sites as well.

Some people with whom I spoke would often get really mad that U.S. Customer Service couldn't tell them what was going on with their item they ordered on Amazon.co.uk or one of the other sites. You could give them the simplest explanation possible and they'd still say, "BUT IT'S STILL AMAZON!!! FIX IT!!!" One of my other least-favorite things to hear a customer say was, "BUT I'M A PRIME MEMBER!!!" I always wanted to retort with, "So am I. Enjoy the shipping benefits, streaming video, and Kindle books. It doesn't make you special." I needed the job, so I refrained, though I'm sure the contempt in my voice often came through. I worked in Chat support for a while, which was great because you could complain to the person next to you and the customer would never know.

The stories I wish I could tell about supervising a Mayday team and a team that helped launch the Fire Phone. Oh, the Fire Phone. I still shudder when I think about it.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I'm bumping this thread because I noticed something strange with Amazon's listing of Paddington 2, which is a WB title currently available for pre-order via Amazon...on Blu-ray.

The DVD-only version is listed, but without a price and you can't order it, exactly like back when the feud was going on. A few Disney titles have had similar pages put up in the midst of their ongoing feud.

Of course, I don't want the DVD-only -- I want the Blu-ray -- so I'm not directly affected by the lack of pre-order ability for the VD. But I noticed it and thought it was odd.

Also, the Blu-ray price hasn't budged from the unusually high and random price point of $30.04, which even by Warner Bros. standards is a lot for a new release. Of course, it doesn't arrive until April 24, so there's some chance for it to go down still. But I've already submitted to them that Target has the same item pre-ordering for $22.99 and Amazon has yet to match that. I know about the pre-order price guarantee, but so far I am hesitant to place the order button until it gets down to a range that I would feel comfortable with. I really want this film, since I think it is one of the best movies ever, but even I have my limits.

I hope that this post ends up being much ado about nothing, but I really hope this is an isolated incident and not indicative of Warner Bros. and Amazon wanting to get into it again with each other. I'm so over this whole mess as it is ongoing with Disney for well over a year now. We as customers don't need this happening again with another studio. (Plus, what happens if and when Disney's acquisition of Fox goes through and they inevitably absorb Fox's disc distribution? That will basically make Fox fall under the Disney feud as well, once they merge.)

Jut ugh....

 

[Dick]

Amazon and Disney are acting like little children, unable to compromise...but that is the atmosphere of our country and government right now.

 

[MatthewA]

Acting more like children than children, as Barbra Streisand once sang.

This is why we can't have nice things, like supplemental features that jump from format to format, uncut and uncensored hybrids and musicals, and restorations that don't smear fine details to the point where they actually make you miss cel dust.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I'm bumping this thread because I noticed something strange with Amazon's listing of Paddington 2, which is a WB title currently available for pre-order via Amazon...on Blu-ray.

The DVD-only version is listed, but without a price and you can't order it, exactly like back when the feud was going on. A few Disney titles have had similar pages put up in the midst of their ongoing feud.

Of course, I don't want the DVD-only -- I want the Blu-ray -- so I'm not directly affected by the lack of pre-order ability for the VD. But I noticed it and thought it was odd.

Also, the Blu-ray price hasn't budged from the unusually high and random price point of $30.04, which even by Warner Bros. standards is a lot for a new release. Of course, it doesn't arrive until April 24, so there's some chance for it to go down still. But I've already submitted to them that Target has the same item pre-ordering for $22.99 and Amazon has yet to match that. I know about the pre-order price guarantee, but so far I am hesitant to place the order button until it gets down to a range that I would feel comfortable with. I really want this film, since I think it is one of the best movies ever, but even I have my limits.

I hope that this post ends up being much ado about nothing, but I really hope this is an isolated incident and not indicative of Warner Bros. and Amazon wanting to get into it again with each other. I'm so over this whole mess as it is ongoing with Disney for well over a year now. We as customers don't need this happening again with another studio. (Plus, what happens if and when Disney's acquisition of Fox goes through and they inevitably absorb Fox's disc distribution? That will basically make Fox fall under the Disney feud as well, once they merge.)

Jut ugh....

I would go ahead and place your pre-order on Amazon at $30.04. If it doesn't drop to an acceptable price within a week of its street date, you can always cancel it and pick it up at a local Target or Best Buy, if you have one, as they will likely have it at $24.99 or less at launch. I do not have that option, as the closest Target or Best Buy is 120 miles away.

 

[Sam Favate]

I would go ahead and place your pre-order on Amazon at $30.04. If it doesn't drop to an acceptable price within a week of its street date, you can always cancel it and pick it up at a local Target or Best Buy, if you have one, as they will likely have it at $24.99 or less at launch. I do not have that option, as the closest Target or Best Buy is 120 miles away.

FYI, if you open a Target credit card (which has no fees), they will ship to you for free and give you a 5% discount on everything. I have ordered the Disney/Marvel/Lucasfilm titles that Amazon won't list from them, and they don't usually get here on release day, but most of the time it is the day after.

The Amazon/Disney thing has gone on so long, I never even look anymore. It's been more than a year.

 

[Tony Bensley]

FYI, if you open a Target credit card (which has no fees), they will ship to you for free and give you a 5% discount on everything. I have ordered the Disney/Marvel/Lucasfilm titles that Amazon won't list from them, and they don't usually get here on release day, but most of the time it is the day after.

The Amazon/Disney thing has gone on so long, I never even look anymore. It's been more than a year.

And this is a telling sign that the long ongoing Amazon/Disney feud has done some permanent damage on both sides. Sad.

 

[David Norman]

What damage do you think Disney has taken? People in the US still seem to buy pretty much the same number of Disney items as always.

The only people that appear to be affected are the internationals who prefer US items and Amazon is the easiest to buy from and a tiny proportion of folks who pretty much have decided that Amazon is the only retailer in the US.

 

[Jake Lipson]

And this is a telling sign that the long ongoing Amazon/Disney feud has done some permanent damage on both sides. Sad.

I don't see that for Disney. If I want a Disney Blu-ray, I'm still going to get it; I'll just go get it from somewhere else. They haven't lost a single sale from me because I haven't been able to buy these from Amazon.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Yet another compelling reason to only buy region-free machines. My Blu ray of 'Paddington 2' was despatched 2 days ago from the UK. Sold by Amazon!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

This feud hasn't really affected me, either. I haven't been buying Disney films upon release in quite a while, as the cost is higher than I am willing to pay for a new release. It can be many months before I pick up one of their titles - - or not at all in the case of Rogue One.

 

[Brian L]

I don't see that for Disney. If I want a Disney Blu-ray, I'm still going to get it; I'll just go get it from somewhere else. They haven't lost a single sale from me because I haven't been able to buy these from Amazon.

Same here. Not that I have bought many titles, but the only entity losing money from me is Amazon.

Of the Disney titles that I have been unable to preorder from Amazon, I think I bought one at a Target B&M (Rogue One, maybe?), and ordered one from BB; the last Pirates film. To my pleasant surprise, BB got Pirates to me on the Saturday before street date. I have also pre-ordered TLJ from BB.

 

[Jake Lipson]

the only entity losing money from me is Amazon.

Yeah. The reason they don't care is it's not enough lost money to impact their bottom line. I buy Disney titles frequently, but Amazon still gets my other money when I buy titles from other studios who aren't feuding with them, which is also frequently. So they haven't lost me as a customer or as a Prime member, only the Disney titles. As such, they're certainly not being crippled by this because they're a giant, and never really needed my Disney sales in the first place.

And so it continues and continues, with no end in sight, because neither side has any meaningful incentive to come to a deal.

 

[Brian Kidd]

I think you also have to remember that the percentage of total sales that DVD and Blu-ray make up for Amazon is incredibly tiny. Most discs are dirt cheap these days and Amazon sells sooooo many other products, both physical and digital, that their bottom line isn't taking a hit by not selling pre-orders of Disney films.

I seem to remember that the whole thing revolves around Amazon wanting to get a better deal from Disney because of the sheer amount of discs they sell and Disney won't budge on the standard price they set.

They did the same thing to Redbox. Redbox found a way around it by simply buying the Disney discs from retailers, rather than directly from Disney, and then selling the used discs (and even digital codes) in their kiosks. Disney was furious and took them to court. The case is still pending, but Disney recently had their request for an injunction denied that would have stopped Redbox from selling the codes while the case was pending.

It's certainly an interesting business.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I think you also have to remember that the percentage of total sales that DVD and Blu-ray make up for Amazon is incredibly tiny. Most discs are dirt cheap these days and Amazon sells sooooo many other products, both physical and digital, that their bottom line isn't taking a hit by not selling pre-orders of Disney films.

Yes, that's what I meant to express, but you hit on it more directly than I did. I think their bottom line IS being affected by it, because if they were offering Disney pre-orders, I would have The Last Jedi and Black Panther coming from them, and I don't, so that is two sales they would otherwise be able to add to their bottom line. However, as you noted, the significance of a handful of lost Blu-ray purchases to their bottom line is so incremental that it's not an amount of money that they care about.

 

[TJPC]

I do have those 2 3D discs pre- ordered from Amazon.uk.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I do have those 2 3D discs pre- ordered from Amazon.uk.

It's kind of weird how this is only affecting the U.S. site.