Amazon already offers a pretty robust video on demand library through its servers, but there’s always room for improvement.  Given that digital distribution is the future, Amazon is further cementing its place in that game by spending a little of its Kindle money to purchase a new product.  Amazon has announced it is buying up all outstanding shares of video subscription service Lovefilm International.  Lovefilm (or LOVEFiLM) is essentially the European version of Netflix, operating a DVD rental and video streaming subscription service in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

Amazon was already a significant minority shareholder in the company before the announcement of the outright purchase.  Amazon has no other business like this one in Europe; the deal is expected to be finalized sometime within the first quarter of 2011 by European regulators.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The move eases Amazon further away from its core business of selling goods and services and further into the realm of serving the public directly.  It also continues Amazon’s purchasing frenzy, while still allowing the company to diversify. Amazon made waves by moving into the movie production game; now it can distribute its self-made DVDs in Europe, distribute coupons via LivingSocial, and if all that fails, get rid of the failed products via a Woot-Off.

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