Today, a piece of news triggered a heated discussion among netizens
"Singles cannot choose position C when buying votes"?
"Only 2 tickets were sold when I was selecting seats for the movie I wanted to buy, but I was not allowed to buy a single ticket in the middle of the core viewing area." Recently, a consumer reported that he was in the CGV Cinema (Shanghai Bao) Yang Baolong Store) When purchasing a single movie ticket, you cannot select the core viewing area.
Consumers believe that CGV Cinemaās ticket purchase and seat selection regulations are very unreasonable. Reporters from
discovered through actual operation that there are 4 seats in a row in front of the screen in the 4dx hall of CGV Cinema (Shanghai Baoyang Baolong Store). When purchasing a single ticket with , it is true that you cannot choose the two middle positions, but can only choose the two edges. .
cgv Cinema (Shanghai Baoyang Baolong Store) responded:
aims to optimize seat utilization and improve economic benefits
There is no restriction on seat selection for on-site ticket purchasing
but the ticket price is relatively high ā
In this regard, on July 8, the reporter called CGV Cinema (Shanghai Baoyang Baolong Store). Relevant staff responded that the seating arrangement of the theater is designed to optimize seat utilization and improve economic efficiency. Audiences can adjust their seats according to the actual situation after arriving at the venue.
The staff member also reminded that there is no restriction on seat selection for on-site ticket purchase, but the ticket price is relatively high.
In addition to cgv cinema (Shanghai Baoyang Baolong store)
reporters found on social platforms
that many consumers have encountered
"single ticket purchase and seat selection are restricted"
āā
reporters included Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, The ticket purchasing and seat selection situation of multiple theaters in Guangzhou and other cities was measured. It was found that Wanda Cinemas, Emperor Cinemas, Jinyi Cinemas, CGV Cinemas and many other brand cinemas have restrictions on the seat selection of single audiences during the ticket purchase process.
It is worth noting that, , although theaters implement such regulations in actual operations, no theater has yet clearly announced such restrictions on the ticket purchase interface.
Reporters called multiple theaters as consumers. The staff of cgv Cinema (Shanghai Songjiang Impression City Store) said that the middle seat in the online system is reserved for multiple audiences. Single people can only choose the seat next to them when buying tickets, but there is no such restriction for offline purchases.
Regarding the restriction on single-person ticket purchase and seat selection, relevant personnel of Wanda Cinema said that the current seat selection restrictions in the theater are "to prevent unnecessary empty seats, malicious seat occupation and scalpers to drive up ticket prices", and This regulation is called "a general rule for theaters and the industry. Other ticket purchase channels and cinemas also adopt the same seat selection rules."
Lawyer said:
deprives consumers of their right to make independent choices. ā
In this regard, Zhao Liangshan, senior partner of Shaanxi Hengda Law Firm and a well-known public interest lawyer, believes that the "Consumer Rights and Interests Protection Law" gives consumers the right to make independent choices. Article 9 of the law clearly stipulates that consumers have the right to independently choose goods or services. Consumers have the right to independently choose operators who provide goods or services, independently select product varieties or service methods, and decide independently to buy or not to buy any kind of goods, and to accept or not to accept any kind of service. Consumers have the right to compare, identify and select when choosing goods or services independently. Platforms and theaters implement "separate pairs but not singles" for single-person ticket purchases, or cannot purchase central seats, which undoubtedly deprives consumers of their right to make independent choices.
Zhao Liangshan believes that this approach of platforms and theaters may be to optimize seat utilization and improve economic benefits, but platforms and theaters cannot just pursue commercial interests at the expense of harming the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. āIt is necessary for platforms and theaters to change this One business model, donāt be too harsh on individual ticket purchases.ā
Comparison, many netizens are also very angry:
From now on, no one will go to the cinema alone
Some netizens think that there is nothing wrong with
not being able to separate one (empty seat),
This operation is so that
most people can choose a good seat.
Some people also said:
If the price at other locations is half the price,
can also be considered.
Some netizens complained:
When buying multiple tickets at one time,
must sit together and there can be no intervals.
In addition, many cinemas Take the seats in the best viewing area in the middle The chair was replaced with a massage chair, which also caused controversy. The topic "Can the massage chair leave the movie theater?" was once a hot search topic.
Netizens collectively complained that the existence of the massage chair ruined the atmosphere: "When I got to the particularly touching part of "All or Nothing", tears came out of my eyes, and suddenly something pinched my neck... A good emotional foil turned into a ghost movie ".
Regarding the issue that "singles cannot choose seat C" when buying tickets, Zhao Liangshan, senior partner of Shaanxi Hengda Law Firm and a well-known public interest lawyer, believes that platforms and theaters may be doing this to optimize seat utilization and improve economic benefits, but platforms , Cinemas cannot just pursue commercial interests without harming the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. "It is necessary for platforms and cinemas to change this business model and not be too harsh on individual ticket purchases."
According to Blue Whale Finance, China's film industry has seen strong recovery momentum over the past year, but theater operations are still under pressure to varying degrees. The average occupancy rate of mainland theaters in 2023 is only 9.5%, less than half of 2015. Data provided by Zhi Feina, a professor at the China Academy of Arts, at the Shanghai International Film Festival Forum showed that of the 129 million movie screenings nationwide last year, 16.59%, or about 17.54 million, were zero box office screenings, leaving a large amount of theater space idle and wasted.
[Morning Commentary]
Donāt let commercial interests erode consumer rights!
Text | Circle
Recently, a consumer complained to the platform that when he purchased a single movie ticket at CGV Cinema (Shanghai Baoyang Baolong Store), he was unable to select the core viewing area. Consumers believe that CGV Cinemaās rules for ticket purchase and seat selection are very unreasonable. Relevant staff responded that the seating arrangement of the theater is designed to optimize seat utilization and improve economic efficiency. Audiences can adjust their seats according to the actual situation after arriving at the venue. The staff member also reminded that there is no restriction on seat selection when purchasing tickets on site, but the ticket price is relatively high.
In order to relieve the pressure in work and life, many consumers will choose to go to the cinema to watch a movie. Unexpectedly, when purchasing a single ticket, they cannot choose the core viewing area, making what was originally a relaxing thing turn into a hassle. This way of purchasing tickets and selecting seats is obviously unreasonable. The reason given by the theater is to optimize seat utilization and improve economic benefits, which is even more unconvincing.
The law gives consumers the right to make independent choices. According to the Consumer Rights Protection Law, when purchasing goods or receiving services, consumers have the right to obtain fair transaction conditions such as quality assurance, reasonable prices, and correct measurement, and have the right to refuse forced transactions by operators. The restrictive regulations in theaters are undoubtedly sending a wrong message: single consumers do not deserve the same movie-watching experience as others. Since you have paid the same fare, whether you are a single person or a group of people, you should have the right to choose the seat you like, including seat C. This is the basic right of consumers. You should not suffer unfair treatment just because you are watching a movie alone. This is disguised discrimination against consumers.
It is understandable that movie theaters pursue economic benefits, but the first priority should be to focus on consumersā movie-watching experience. For movie theaters, if they use harm to consumer rights as a means of generating revenue, they will suffer backlash. Even if zoning sales are implemented, theaters should publicly announce zoning prices and provide consumers with sufficient freedom of choice.
Have you ever encountered similar problems when buying movie tickets?
?
Source | Morning News Li Hongli combines Beijing Business Daily, The Paper, CCTV, Blue Whale Finance, etc.
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