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Author Topic: Differential Ticket Pricing Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 08-29-2007 04:20 PM                        I have to agree. People are likely going to the Vogue for its location and character, I don't think the price will change their mind. (If you live in SF, you're used to paying a lot). However, if you are going to fluxuate on your pricing, you need to let people know who may not already be your customer. If you can get people to stop going to your competitor because they know you're $1.50 cheaper, then you're in business.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 08-30-2007 10:07 PM                     Mike, I wish you much success with the Vogue. I used to be a Regal Secret Shopper for the Vogue (and Coronet and Metro, maybe that's why they all closed? LOL. ), so I've seen all types of audiences and movies at the Vogue within the last few years. It definitely has potential, and it truly relies on the neighborhood for the majority of it's audience. There are also certainly a few folks in SF who WILL travel to the Vogue for what it is. Mainly, for what's it's not I should say (AMC 54-plex). I have mixed views on the differential pricing. My first thought as a customer is showing up on Friday night and seeing the price difference for Sunday night and feeling "cheated" or "taken advantage of" or even "nickel and dimed" for being there on a Friday night. On the flip side, after I see the movie on a Friday night, and looking to go to the Vogue again for the next attraction, I might consider going on Sunday or Tuesday night, to feel as though I'm getting the better value and/or better deal. So in essence, the plan works to get me in on a Sunday-Thursday. And if I reeeeely want to see a movie Friday night, I know about the option to pay the $10 and go. It's really a kind of catch-22 I think... But in all honesty, like I said folks are going to the Vogue because it's the Vogue, so I don't think you'd loose any customers or potential customers who might be miffed at first over paying more on a Fri-Sat night. The more I think about it and type this, I think it's a good idea. Wasn't the idea of Bargain Matinees to get folks to the theatre in the daytime? Well, this is the same sort of marketing... Gettin' folks in the seats during the weeknights! I'm waitin' to see the day when entire wings of theatres at these "54-plexes" are actually closed off mon-thur...with only half of the screens of the "54-plex" operating. You know it's coming... Also Mike, what about working out some deals with the surrounding restaurants offering a combo "dinner and a movie" package. From what I read, the restaurants were a big supporter of keeping the Vogue open. This would bring business to both the restaurants and the theatre!  |  IP: Logged Michael Wilkinson The Entertainment King of Colusa and Beyond Posts: 89 From: Colusa, CA USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-18-2007 01:34 AM                        Here's what's happened so far: nothing. I have been there for shifts on Friday & Saturday evening as well as Sunday through Thursday evenings and I have not really heard more than one or two people make a comment one way or another. I have heard "expensive" on one Friday night, but the $10 isn't much different than the numbers at the other theaters. So far I haven't really had the best films to pick from so I'm not sure if I'll be able to gauge the success until a little more time has elapsed. About working with the restaurants: Yes, I agree that this may prove to be the best discount ticketing alternative for a neighborhood venue such as the Vogue. I will certainly give that a try once the renovations are complete.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Pitt Master Film Handler Posts: 266 From: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: May 2007 posted 09-18-2007 03:39 PM                     In the UK, new movies tend to be released each Friday. People wanting to go and see the first screenings often have to pay the higher price - since they can't go and see it during the day, with work, school etc. I noticed that Cineworld Bradford is doing a special 'bargain matinée' on Mondays and Tuesdays. Films shown in the daytime, from 12pm (opening time) to 4:30pm, are only about £3 for an adult ticket! In addition, it seems that my local cinema (Leeds Light) has finally realized that they're not doing enough business in the mornings and early afternoons. It's no longer the summer vacation, so children won't be coming to see movies - and many adults are at work. Therefore, they don't actually open on weekdays until 2pm! Weekends, on the other hand, are a different matter - opening at 11am...  |  IP: Logged John Joseph Fink Film Handler Posts: 60 From: West Hartford, CT Registered: Feb 2006 posted 09-18-2007 08:44 PM                        Some Crown Theaters (before they sold most sites to Bow Tie) had a drasticaly diffrent price structure for weekdays for about a year ("Crown Movie Madness", they called it). I'm not sure how well it did but I can say at the Palace in Hartford it was discontinued shortly after Bow Tie Cinemas took over. They charged $9.00 for an adult ticket on the weekends and $6.00 Monday-Thursday. I also am not sure how well they did, I know I was apt to go more often but I didn't really see any change in attendance and folks still came out on the weekends. The program was heavily promoted in the local papers, website and the lobby but it never lead to major crowds on the weekdays from my experience during the program. AMC also has this price structure at their Hampton 24 - all shows during their "Weekday Escape" are $6.00 (verses $9.00). I don't know what sort of results its had.  |  IP: Logged Mike Croaro Master Film Handler Posts: 394 From: Millbrae, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 09-18-2007 11:01 PM                     Come to think of it UA used to have "$2.50 Tuesday" at their three first run theatres in the mid to late 90's in Santa Rosa, CA. At the time Adult Tickets were in the range of $7.50 adult and $4.50 Child/Senior/Matinee. Mike  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 09-19-2007 08:58 PM                        Having grown up in Sonoma County I thought that EVERY theatre had Tightwad/$2.50 Tuesday. It wasn't until I started managing theatres in Marin County and then working for Century that I realized it must have been a regional thing only.  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-22-2007 12:41 PM                     I was an exhibitor for several years in the eighties and nineties. When I first reopened a closed theatre as a sub run house in 1981, at my booker's suggestion I charged $2.50 for adults on Friday and Saturday evenings and $1.50 all other times. Children and seniors were $1.50 at all times. My observation was that Fri. and Sat. nights were soft and weeknights were marginally busier. I was losing money. My subrun competition at that time was charging $1.00 at all times for all seats. After nearly a year I got the picture and went to a $.99 policy for all seats at all times. Within weeks I was in the black and continued this policy for many years. Eventually the distributors put per capitas on film rentals and drove prices up. This ruined the subrun business for me. I hung on for a few years as a first run but was ubable to compete with the nearby malls. Bob  |  IP: Logged Michael Wilkinson The Entertainment King of Colusa and Beyond Posts: 89 From: Colusa, CA USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 10-02-2007 02:17 AM                        Quoting John quote: John Joseph Fink The program was heavily promoted in the local papers, website and the lobby but it never lead to major crowds on the weekdays from my experience during the program. AMC also has this price structure at their Hampton 24 - all shows during their "Weekday Escape" are $6.00 (verses $9.00). I don't know what sort of results its had. I'm wondering since going to a movie is essentially a luxury anyway maybe a buck, two, or three in the over-all perceived cost of going (including concession cost) just isn't enoguh of a motivating factor for most to change their viewing habbits. Maybe the way to make it work would be to package a small concession item in with a ticket purchase? Mike-Scott. $2.50 Tightwad Tuesday- . My experience with that was that your regular clientel would learn to avoid coming on Tuesdays altogether. Otherwise $2.50 Tuesday was a free for all for everyone else to come in with their green chewing gum, microwave popcorn, and spare diapers and trash the theatre.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 10-02-2007 10:08 AM                     quote: John Joseph Fink The program was heavily promoted in the local papers, website and the lobby but it never lead to major crowds on the weekdays from my experience during the program. AMC also has this price structure at their Hampton 24 - all shows during their "Weekday Escape" are $6.00 (verses $9.00). I don't know what sort of results its had. AFAIK, the "Weekday Escape" involved a coupon that had that name on it that was only good during the weekdays unless my memory is bad. But all AMCs have a program they call "AM Cinema" where all shows on Fri, Sat, Sun, and Holidays before noon are either $4, 5, or 6 (depending on the market). And depending on the market they might not have it on Fri (since it's pointless to open early if none of the families with kids are gonna show up when their kids are in school). At those ones, they'd do it on Fri only during summer.  |  IP: Logged

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