The reason I ask is that I’ve just been taken on with a small software company, who specialise in the design of relational database driven products. I’ve been given the task of coming up with some product ideas that combine database and Internet technology.

I know there are many off the shelf e-commerce solutions but I don’t think there are any that cater specifically for cinemas, theatres and concert halls.

If we could produce an easy use e-commerce product with page templates specifically designed to cater for Show times etc, allow your customers to book specific seats in allocated seating shows, even make recommendations to move the print to a larger auditorium if a show looks to be selling out - Is this a product that would interest any of the owner / operators out there?

At the moment I’m just bouncing ideas around, are there any features on an e-commerce package you’d like to see?

Naturally all web servers should be kept topped up with Film-Guard to ensure hassle-free transactions

Phil

 

I find it interesting that theatre owners who never offered telephone advance ticket sales suddenly think internet ticketing is a big deal. The same mis-application of technology has been happening for years. "Radio" Flyer sleds, flying automobiles, jet powered trains, steam powered airships, the list goes on.

The major circuits banded together to develop a type of internet movie ticketing a while back. To the best of my knowledge, the project is still in the red.

Internet ticketing might make some sense for concerts and plays though. In these cases you can add an upcharge to at least partly cover the costs. Motion pictures are a special case, where distributors can totally screw over any innovative ideas because of their strong monopoly on a limited product and head-in-the-sand attitude towards any change that might cost a dime to make a dollar.

There is also a smaller chian in the KC area that, unless they have recently stopped doing it, does telephone ticket sales.. They charge, I believe, a .50 cent service charge per ticket for it...
 

If there's an online surcharge I'll use good old-fashioned cash at the box office window. No surcharge there!
 

The cost of internet ticketing has to be carried by someone, and the instances cited put that burden directly on the consumer (with a small amount paid by advertising), thus becoming self-defeating when the consumer realizes that going to the box office will reduce their ticket price. The only time internet ticketing then becomes truly popular is during times of peak sales, when people want to avoid long lines.

I suppose an argument could be made that internet ticketing reduces the number of cashiers needed at peak times, but it also introduces negatives as well, such as internet customers showing up late and being dissatisfied with seating, no-shows, etc.. We all know that customers are warned that tickets are non-refundable, yada yada, but all this does is egg-on the a--hole contingent.

Another factor Phil doesn't take into account is that most seating in the U.S. is on a general seating basis and not reserved seat. On-line ticketing has merits, but it isn't a good fit for the U.S. market. Any popularity is primarily because of novelty and line-avoidance. Those aren't great reasons to show a banker on a business plan.

 

In addition to these agreements, AMC will soon begin market testing of print-at-home ticketing.

On top of all of this, close to 2% of all tickets purchased this fiscal year at AMC have been obtained via the internet.

If only ordering pizza was this easy...