Cinema tickets prices

Forums › Off topic › Cinema tickets prices

sir1963

3428 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3756

Subscriber

#220404 9-Aug-2017 13:09

Palmerston North currently only has one Cinema complex, so we get charged $17 for an adult seat.

I see some cinemas are doing it for $8 in Auckland, and I presume they are not doing it at a loss.

And certainly now that I know that it can be done for $8 that is my benchmark, I am unwilling to pay more.

Does anyone know what the film studio gets , is it flat fee, a percentage, a combination ???

We have stopped going to the movies, for only a few bucks more than 2 adult tickets we can buy the DVD, or if we are willing to wait for a sale

buy the DVD for less than the price of 2 tickets.

I frequent cash converters and buy movies there for as low as $2.

Yes I accept the big screen is better for many movies (Twister of example), but then again I can set the volume of my own TV , pause when I want

watch as often as I want, sit in a seats thats actually comfortable for me, don't have kids talking in seats behind me, or have the rustle of chippies packets

or be overwhelmed by the stench of popcorn.

And see how expensive it is to take 2 grandkids with you, by the time they want (grossly over priced) junk food there is sod all change out of $60-$70

1 | 2

13730 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6202

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1841936 9-Aug-2017 16:09

there are not many sessions at $8 here in auckland, most are $18-20.

take your own food too.

evnafets

567 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 269

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1841942 9-Aug-2017 16:16

The $8.50 cinemas are based around West Auckland.

One cinema in New Lynn started the trend with $10 tickets. The West City cinema followed suit with $850 (presumably they were losing big to New Lynn). Westgate has recently joined in.

However the remaining cinemas have yet to lower their prices to match.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11899739

KrazyKid

1247 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 616

#1841943 9-Aug-2017 16:17

Reading in Dunedin manages to do tickets for $10 ($15 for gold class).

I suspect the rent for the building is cheaper in Dunedin, and staff levels are low (showing a ticket is often not required).

So that makes a family of 4 $40 for a movie. Still cheaper to buy the Blu-ray, but I think the big screen suits some movies.

Loismustdye

942 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 256

Trusted

#1841947 9-Aug-2017 16:19

It's owned by event cinemas now as well, so I would guess these prices aren't going to change. There's no real option except to vote with your wallet.
However I remember 6 or so years ago when downtown was doing $10 tickets for all movies and everyone else was paying 14-15 per ticket.

Those prices are why we would go to the movies 4-5 times a year and take in our own food. We do tend to take the kids a couple times during the year during the school holidays where for some movies it is $10.
I'm happy for the most part to wait for the bluray release and buy the movie then.
A colleague I work with "rents" movies online via Apple or similar as the $30 cost is heaps cheaper than the movies.

Behodar

11095 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6071

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1841949 9-Aug-2017 16:22

The one in Whakatane is $14 in the evening but only $11 in the afternoon; I can see the logic of making it cheaper during the "quiet hours".

But since building a home theatre I'm usually content to get the Blu-ray... I just wish that we didn't have to wait months for them!

networkn

Networkn
32862 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15453

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1841954 9-Aug-2017 16:38

My suggestion is to write to your local cinema and let your views be known. Do so constructively and keep emotion out of it. Feedback is a pretty essential part of most organisations now, and if enough people say they are adverse to the current pricing structure, and that it will prevent them from visiting the cinemas at all or as regularly, then they might listen.

Certainly voicing your opinion here, as cathartic as it may be, isn't going to change anything.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

sxz

761 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 194

#1841956 9-Aug-2017 16:39

I worked at a cinema for a few years, about 15 years ago.

The producers / distributors negotiate their cut on each film with the theater owners. On a successful film they might take (say) 80% of revenue for the first 2 weeks, then stagger it down. It will be a different arrangement for each theater / group.

For this reason, I would expect an $8 theater wouldn't be able to show all films, because they couldn't negotiate a big enough cut to keep the 'blockbuster' producers happy. Perhaps they offer more independent films?

Hoyts metro in Hamilton offer a deal where $55 gets you 5 tickets, to use within 12 months. So I'll usually get a group of friends and try to use them all at once. A bit of admin, but I'm very comfortable with that price.

DaveB

1139 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 456
Inactive user

#1841960 9-Aug-2017 16:58

sir1963:

And see how expensive it is to take 2 grandkids with you, by the time they want (grossly over priced) junk food there is sod all change out of $60-$70

But I bet they love their time with grandfather. Let's be brutally honest here - the money you spend at the movies could never replace their loss at not doing that with them.

Look on the bright side and enjoy it for what it is. After all, they could be unlucky enough not to have a grandfather to take them to the movies and the memories that entails ....... Worse still, you might possibly not be in a physical position to take them. Go once a year rather than twice ...... but enjoy it and have fun. They will remember, with fondness.

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 39

#1842961 9-Aug-2017 17:14

I feel your pain. Where I live in Lower Hutt a standard adult price is $18, discounted sometimes on Tuesday to $13.

Where my mother in law lives in Brisbane, they have a newish cineplex that has standard pricing of $6.50 during the day, everyday and $8 and night, and that doesn't include pensioner deals unbelievably! Snacks and drinks are really cheap too. Its a nice theatre with good seats and good sound. Needless to say its busy all the time, sounds like a pretty good business model to me. (Its the Victoria Point Cineplex if anyone is interested).

I know people are going to come out and defend NZ's high prices as being a numbers game, but I can't help but think the movie chains are being a little too greedy here. If you want bums on seats then lower your prices, isn't this what the airline industry has done in the last decade?

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

Azzura

609 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 224

ID Verified

#1843000 9-Aug-2017 19:08

Movie theatres would most likely go out of business if they relied on ticket revenue.

They make their money at the Candy Bar...particularly popcorn (wonder if it has changed much?).

When I was managing a couple of theatres back in the late 89 to 97. A 50lb bag of seed was about 25$ Cnd and the theatre was making about $11 to $13 a pound.

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#1843005 9-Aug-2017 19:27

"Downtown Cinema 8" used to be great back in the days of "cheaper tuesdays" but that must have been 10+ years ago now. Since they ditched that the prices did seem to sky rocket. I would have thought that the change to Event might have meant a bit of a change in pricing but obviously not. Been in Wellington for a year a bit now but I really can't remember the last time I watched a movie at Downtown. I don't think the whole thing of "vote with your wallet" can apply to a small town with a single (mainstream) cinema - people are going regardless of how much they dislike the pricing/

I do find it rather laughable they are charging $17 for a ticket when you can go to gold lounge at Courtenay for $15 - admittedly we end up spending maybe $40-50 on drinks and food in gold lounge, so maybe the ticket is a loss leader.

AliExpress

Shop now on AliExpress (affiliate link).

Sam91

620 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 183

#1843027 9-Aug-2017 20:13

Hoyts - $8 (minimum of 2)

Event Cinemas - $8 + $1.20 booking fee (minimum of 2) - ends midnight tonight

DaveB

1139 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 456
Inactive user

#1843035 9-Aug-2017 20:34

bluedisk:

I feel your pain. Where I live in Lower Hutt a standard adult price is $18, discounted sometimes on Tuesday to $13.

............ If you want bums on seats then lower your prices, isn't this what the airline industry has done in the last decade?

I didn't think we had any cinemas left in Lower Hutt after last years Kaikora earthquake?

I'm not convinced that lower prices equate to more bums on seats. A lower price usually equates to a lower level of service and higher level of unemployment, which in turn equates to less disposable income, which in turn equates to less bums on seats at the end of the day.

Dingbatt

6804 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3694

Lifetime subscriber

#1843055 9-Aug-2017 20:56

Event cinema at Westgate (West Auckland) has set it's tickets at $10, but they do not allow people to bring their own food or drink. The business model obviously being to make money on the extras.
Works fine for me as I don't eat or drink while watching anyway.
They open with the same Blockbusters as everywhere else, on the same day.

I do understand your frustration at the entertainment cost of treating your grandkids when there is only one theatre. Using their position as a monopoly will bite them eventually because people will find alternative entertainment.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1843062 9-Aug-2017 21:11

Whangaparaoa was the cheapest in Auckland (that I knew of), then when the new one out west opened, Whangaparaoa put up their prices!! I was like "WTF", bigger draw card being able to claim lowest prices.... but obviously Hoyts thought differently.

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

1 | 2