CONVENIENCE FEES HAHAHAHA
God what a scam that shit is
Question from an European: What is that convenience fee? Which costs does it cover?
Nothing, it’s just an extra charge so that the company can make more money.
Nothing for the customer. It’s just convenient for the theater to charge more for the ticket.
Answer from another: nothing. We also have them in various places, like parking, or highway vignettes - you are not using their facilities, you save them money, so they charge you some extra
In the early days of the internet in the US the convenience fee was what the 3rd part sales software charged for online transactions but I think now with the it mostly being first party sales or integrated to the vendors POS it’s just a way to charge more money without advertising it on the sticker price.
I think the “convenience” is referring to using a credit card. They charge businesses any time their card is used. This is the business passing that cost on to the consumer.
We go to AMC quite a bit and I think it’s actually the fee for buying tickets online or through the app. So probably even worse than passing CC fees on to customers lol. Always buy our tickets in person for that reason (and matinees).
Adding to this for more context, in America, credit card fees on merchants are like 3-5% of the transaction. That’s why some places have started to pass them to consumers, especially in low-margin businesses like restaurants and movie theaters. If your margins are around 5% and Visa is taking 3.95%, that’s not super sustainable. Card network fees tend to be much lower in Europe. I’m not sure about elsewhere.
Thing is…usually the “convenience fee” isn’t there if you pay in person. It’s usually done in online sales. It actually costs less for you to use their online portal because they don’t have to staff more employees in house. But for some reason companies like to charge you extra for buying online and put it as a “convenience fee” instead of going inside to pay. You could theorize that it has something to do with credit cards, but then why don’t they charge you for paying by a credit card in store?
And you have to create an account (with 2FA) to buy the tickets. In specifically inconvenient.
And the fee stacks too which is insane.
See, if you didn’t pay that fee, then buying the tickets would be “inconvenient.”
Jokes aside, it’s really just a way to pad profits. It should be called the “We want more of your money” fee.
I’m paying added convenience fees left and right, but I’m not feeling the added convenience. Please send help.
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… and on top of that you have to watch like ten minutes’ worth of ads at the beginning. Ugh.
I quit going to movies when they started blaring loud obnoxious commercials under the guise of “entertainment” prior to the movies supposed start time. Going to a movie used to be a social thing you did with friends, but now with them blasting that shit at you at a volume that makes talking impossible what the fuck is even the point? The fact that ticket prices are climbing to this level with this kind of jack assery is ludicrous. And don’t get me started on the 20-30 minutes of previews they show after a movies supposed start time. Just fuck this shit.
So you haven’t been to a movie theater in, like, 20 years? Because none of that is new.
First time I remember going to see a movie was about 20 years ago. There might’ve been a movie preview or two; I don’t remember ads. Both “trailers” and ads have gotten progressively worse over the years - almost to the point that you’d think they alone fund the movie and the theatre - but you still pay a ridiculous ticket price.
Adverts have been on at the cinema for as long as I remember although they might have been for products sold at the cinema.
This is the oldest advert that I remember and it’s from 1986. https://youtu.be/rlyrlsf3EfA
Edit: although your point of both previews and ads getting progressively worse is still very correct.
Ads are fairly new, like the car commercial kind of ads. Before you’d show up early to watch the trailers. No one would show up early to watch ads.
i don’t mind true previews, but seeing standard TV ad garbage in a theatre that loud legitimately pissed me off last few times I went. swear they got louder. i also age incrementally, unceasingly, which doesn’t help
That’s the thing that bugs me so much. Most movies have around 10 minutes of ads. That is ample time to promote some of the lesser known movies that company has made but instead we get ads for insurance companies pretending that they are green, banks gaslighting you into thinking they care about you, McDonalds trying to trick you into their food I synonymous with a happy family and Matt Damon pushing cryto currency on you. I would rather watch an ad for a good movie.
lol what? you go to the movies to watch the movie… if you want to talk you can do it afterwards. also, it’s not like the ads take time off the actual movie
You’re paying $20 to watch a series of giant, unmutable, unskippable and loud ads. It’s like going to a restaurant and the waiter reminds you to stop by the car dealership on the way home to experience the thrill of the new Chevy Equinox. Get ready for a journey that combines style, performance, and endless possibilities.
it’s not that serious, get there a couple minutes late and that’s it
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Would be good if it was only 10 minutes. Where I’m from it’s 15 minute ads (with horrible sound usually too), followed by 15 minutes of trailers.
Though we don’t have this bullshit with “convenience fees”.
Yeah, might be this long already. Last time I went to see a movie was before the pandemic and even then it was something I’d do once or twice a year tops.
More like 20 to 30 minutes 🙄
I timed it once a couple years ago. Was no shit 30 minutes of ads. That’s why I don’t stress about getting there on time very much anymore.
Soo true, waste of time and money indeed. Luckily where I live it is not yet that expensive
Why are you being downvoted? What you say is absolutely true where I live.
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20$ is a joke.
I remember when Tickets were 5-10$ at most not even that long ago, wtf happened
They still are. I have no idea what this price is from, tickets where I live at normal theaters are still under $10 at most
It’s most likely a 3D or IMAX movie. Could not see why else it is so expensive.
Just looked up a standard viewing of Indiana jones in NYC and it was $20.50
yeah, oppenheimer was like $20 for me just for a single adult. thought it was annoying but worth it
I need to see the movie soon.
Go to matinee
$18 in Canada. Seems normal.
I’d pay more to see IMAX, but I think it’s a lot more/too much.
I saw Indiana Jones today it had 25 minutes of trailers, an admonishment to not ruin the movie, Nicole Kidman telling me how great going to the movies is, and a commercial for the projector. So a movie listed to start at 11 started at 11:28. it’s fucking ridiculous.
What the heck is a convenience fee?
A convenient way to charge you for more
But you can avoid our unreasonable fee by signing up for a monthly subscription!
$15/year is pretty reasonable for the perks for AMC. Most theater chains are trying to charge monthly for membership which is outrageous
Are there perks aside from just avoiding their extra fees? I remember last time I was at AMC they added a charge on at the snacks when I said I wasn’t a member
They don’t add extra charges for not being a member for snacks. You get free upgrades and get a special line for concessions. So worth it if you get concessions normally ever, not if you don’t. I think they also have another tier up that gives you 3 movies/month but I have no idea what that costs.
Maybe I’m confused. The cashier asked me, and then he put on a “delivery fee” or something
A convenient way to give the customer the finger.
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The hell is a “convenience fee”?
For real. With just a short wait, I can spend less, own the movie permanently, and watch it without wearing pants. Wins all around.
Once the lights are out, no one can see you aren’t wearing pants 😏
Yes we can. Please stop doing that in the theater.
Well, on the plus side, if I keep doing it at least no one will sit near me.
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I haven’t been to the theater in years and just watch everything on my home theater. I bet I’ve saved even more than you. LOL
I own neither a home nor a theater, and the only thing I watch is life passing me by, so I think I’ve saved more than any of y’all
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Congrats, but he’s spending $20/month and watching movies in a nicer setup for what likely amounts to a nominal fee.
I haven’t seen a movie since 2019 (Frozen 2) but that’s just because the experience isn’t worth it to me anymore and that’s kinda sad. I miss midnight showings and horror movies with large groups of people.
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What the fuck? A convenience fee??? They’re just making shit up at this point
Find a new theater, you’re being robbed.
This is why you should support any surviving local theaters that aren’t chains. Monopolies aren’t created solely by the companies but with the help of the consumers too
I work at a pretty high end movie theater. All seats are recliners with tables, there’s a full wet bar and restaurant quality food, and we do events and shit too. Tickets typically run $10-$15. This is ridiculous.
