Just when you thought cinemas had run out of ways to make an extra few quid out of patrons, up pops this idea from AMC in the US.
AMC has announced that its cinema chains in the US are to adopt a ‘sightline’ pricing strategy, meaning that some tickets with ‘better’ views will now cost more than others. US film fans who don’t mind sitting near the front for a full-on sensory assault are in luck because it looks like their ticket prices might be coming down slightly. Patrons who sit near the back should find themselves paying the same but those who enjoy the middle will find themselves paying more for the privilege of what AMC is branding as a ‘preferred sightline’.
Apparently, this is a measure that AMC has already introduced in some foreign markets but is now bringing to the entirety of its US cinemas. Whether other multiplex chains pick up the trend and we see it happen in the UK remains to be seen.
At a point where cinemas are struggling to attract people still, it seems like a bit of a leap. But what do we know.
The company released a statement full of marketing-speak like ‘experience-based pricing’ and ‘aligning pricing approaches with other entertainment venues’ which reading between the lines, boils down to the fact that the company is betting that it can spin a few more dollars out of cinema-goers and sell the ‘experience’ to them as ‘better value’.
Is this what some believe to be the kind of ‘necessary evil’ needed to keep cinemas afloat, much like overpriced popcorn and half an hour of pre-film guff? Or is it a step too far? We’re interested to hear your thoughts below regarding AMC’s announcement…
