Amazon is the latest retailer refusing to stock Beyoncé's new self-titled album after iTunes landed the exclusive rights to sell a digital copy for the first week of its release. According to Billboard.com, Amazon has decided that it won't carry the physical CD and will only sell the digital version through third-party sellers.
Customers cannot see Beyoncé's album in the Amazon Marketplace and can only find it by searching for it. Earlier in the week Target announced that it would not carry the physical CD because they were upset that the singer gave exclusive rights to Apple.
Beyoncé surprised everyone when she dropped her fifth studio album on Dec. 13. The 14-song, 17-video "visual" album sold more than 600, 000 units in the U.S. (820, 000 worldwide) in the first three days of its release. "Beyoncé" also rose to the No 1 spot in 104 countries.
Label sources told Billboard that Amazon is also upset that an edict was handed down by Sony Music Entertainment that banned any retailer from pre-selling the album. Amazon reportedly felt this was another way for Sony to protect the rights given to iTunes. In the past pre-selling an album has proved to be an effective marketing tool.
According to sources, conversations are said to be taking place between Amazon, Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment because the merchant is considering further reprisals against them later on down the line.
Even though Target and Amazon have decided not to sell the physical album, most retailers are including Walmart. The Queen B even surprised her fans by popping up at a Walmart in Tewksbury, N.J. to do a little shopping for her daughter Blue Ivy.
Fans said the singer was pushing her own cart and was seen walking up and down the aisles picking up toys for Blue. She even purchased a copy of her CD. To add a little more holiday excitement she said hello to the crowd over the store's loud speaker and handed out 750 $50 gift cards, Fox News reports.
