According to the data, the box office of Chinese Spring Festival films totaled 6.035 billion yuan in 2022, ranking second in film history in the same period. However, there are many Tucao noises in the hot market: the price of single movie tickets is frequently over 100, make complaints about “refund” and “change” basically.
Regardless of the ticket price, the “difficulty in returning and changing” movie tickets is actually an old problem and is controversial because of its illegality. The purchase of movie tickets by consumers is equivalent to signing a movie viewing contract. Of course, consumers have the right to request changes under certain conditions before the theater performs its contract. The unilateral rule of “no return or exchange once sold” in some cinemas is quite suspected of “overlord clause”. In fact, as early as September 2018, China Film Co.Ltd(600977) (11.450,0.01,0.09%) distribution and projection Association issued special regulations on “return and change of signature”, requiring simplification of procedures, optimization of process and clear publicity. But now a few years later, the status quo is still skinny. As of last year, among the 267 cinemas in Beijing, only 78 supported ticket refund, accounting for only 30%.
In modern society, the pace of life is fast and there are many variables. Reservation and withdrawal correction have become a basic business service. Moreover, there is a “time difference” in the film’s reputation. If a film has a poor response after it goes online, the audience who bought the pre-sale ticket will inevitably have the idea of refunding the ticket or watching other films. However, air tickets and train tickets support “refunding and changing tickets”. Taking a picture and making an appointment can be rescheduled. It is very difficult to withdraw a movie ticket. A theater staff said that this is mainly worried about the malicious refund, which will affect the cinema film arrangement and secondary sales. Such reasons seem to have a certain practical pertinence. After all, the behavior of some fanatical fans who wantonly swipe tickets to occupy seats and maliciously refund tickets in support of idols is really disgusting. However, in order to safeguard their own interests and avoid business risks, cinemas can simply “cut across the board” by formulating more detailed rules and using more advanced technology. Although they don’t lose a word, they really damage the interests of users.
From a technical point of view, the “refund and change” of film tickets is not impossible, but it is not true. The key lies in whether the relevant aspects, especially the cinemas, can face up to the rights and interests of consumers, correct misconceptions and improve specific rules. In this regard, there are a lot of reference experiences inside and outside the industry. In May 2019, Shenzhen launched China’s first industry self-discipline standard of “refunding and changing tickets” for film tickets, and implemented a “step-by-step” refund according to the specific time. The maximum handling fee is no more than 30% of the ticket price, and the handling fee is exempted for more than 24 hours. This detailed rule reflects the principle of risk sharing, which not only protects consumers, but also takes into account the interests of cinemas, and strives for a win-win situation between user experience and market development.
The long-term development of any industry depends on respect for users and high-quality service. Clean up the “overlord clause”, popularize the “refund and change” service of film tickets, unify relevant standards, and give the audience the right to “vote with their feet”. The journey of light and film will be easier and the development of the film market will be healthier.
