Recently, many netizens have reported that when purchasing movie tickets through third-party platforms, the system restricts their purchase of single tickets in the core viewing area on the grounds of "do not leave spaces next to the seats." Related topics have also been trending on Weibo. .
In response, some theater staff responded that the theater’s seating arrangement is designed to optimize seat utilization and improve economic efficiency. Such rhetoric is obviously untenable.
First, is it necessary? Friends who often watch movies know that except for holidays or prime time, most theaters allow all types of audiences to choose seats. Isn't it funny that "a single person cannot choose seat C when buying a ticket"? Moreover, according to some theater staff, there are no restrictions on seat selection for on-site ticket purchasing, so why can’t the ticket purchasing platform implement it simultaneously? Doesn’t this seem contradictory?
Second, does it make sense? The "Consumer Rights and Interests Protection Law" gives consumers the right to make independent choices, clarifying that 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. How is consumers' right to choose autonomously reflected? Audiences who watch a movie alone and those who travel with a group of people pay the same unit price. Groups of people can choose their seats freely, but individual seats are subject to regional restrictions. Does this comply with the principle of fair trade? "First come, first served" is the most basic consumption order. Should the demand of multiple moviegoers who want to sit together be sacrificed by consumers who watch movies alone? Isn't this just a case of theaters pursuing profits while ignoring the basic rights and interests of consumers?
Furthermore, viewers who choose to watch movies alone are likely to be people with fixed movie-watching habits. In fact, they should become a stable customer source that theaters focus on. Calculating such small accounts is probably a stupid move where the gain outweighs the gain.
The irony is that when the media interviewed many theaters, the relevant staff responded with "normal industry practices." In other words, "restrictions on seat selection for single ticket purchases" have been common for a long time. How come it has become an unspoken and unspoken rule?
In addition to making the c-seat a single-person restricted area, in recent years, various unspoken rules such as banning outside drinks and non-refundable tickets in some theaters have also been criticized frequently. Behind the scenes, there is a "gangster logic" that ignores the rights of consumers, which is tantamount to lifting a gun. Shooting oneself in the foot will ultimately block more viewers.
Author: Yang Jinxing
Editor: Yang Yang
Reviewer: Wang Mei
