As if paying $8 for a Matinee and $15 for 3D wasn’t bad enough, starting tomorrow Movie ticket prices are going up across the board and by as much as 26% for 3D. So you can find yourself paying $20 next week to see Clash of the Titans in 3DDDDDDD! That’s just crazy talk. Why would anyone pay $20 for a movie – which isn’t a pleasant experience anymore (screaming babies, dirty floors, and lately the projectionist at my local theater can’t even get the focus correct until 20 minutes into the movie!), when you can pay $20 for a Blu-ray Special Edition and watch the movie in a near perfect setting on a large screen? Chains raising prices include Regal, AMC and Cinemark. In their defense I don’t remember the last time there’s been a major price increase, so they’ve held steady for the last few years. On the bright side maybe they’ll eventually price the great unwashed out of the theater and it’ll become a good environment again. Or people will say to themselves “I paid $20 for this freaking film I’m going to be quiet and enjoy it.”
Consumers can ultimately express their dissatisfaction at this move by simply NOT going to the movie theater, especially those very expensive showings. If the seats are empty, they will have no recourse but to lower the prices to previous levels. Raising prices is really an unwise move during such difficult economic times and consumers should not allow themselves to be suckered into it.