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Author Topic: The Credit Card/ Check slowdown Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 10-03-2000 02:54 PM                     I would like to know what everybody's policies are on credit cards and personal checks. A lot of the new theaters take 'em. But the one I work for doesn't. Personally, I see cash as the best solution. It only takes about 15 seconds to complete a box office transaction (on a good night) and about 45 seconds for concessions. With the cards, you've got to wait for authorization, print the receipt, have the customer sign it, and compare the signature. The checks are no better, they've got to write it out, sign it, get ID, it's a pain!! A woman called me old-fashioned last night because we only take cash, she probably would have asked if we had gourmet coffee and scones if I hadn't taken the time to explain my view of the issue for her. What are your policies on payment? ------------------  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 10-03-2000 02:58 PM                        Same here - cash only. However, Cinemark is upgrading to a credit card thing in big markets, eventually everywhere. It involves a dedicated line, though, so you eliminate the time involved simply to dial in and connect to the merchant card service (which is 3/4 of the auth. time).  |  IP: Logged Ky Boyd Hey I'm #23 Posts: 314 From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-03-2000 04:40 PM                       At our theatre we take cash for tickets but we will accept a check for a gift certificate purchase or the purchase of our passport (ie. discount) card, which is 5 admissions for $27. We've not had a check bounce. Personally, I don't think asking for ID helps any in making sure checks don't bounce, but some of my staff feel differently about it and ask for ID when they take a check. I don't do credit cards or debit cards because of the cost, transaction time and equipment requirements. Since I'm already paying a % to the film companies why would I want to give a % to a bank. I don't want to slow down the line (when we have one) and I certainly don't need any extra equipment to clutter up the box office. - though I have toyed with the idea of installing an ATM on the premises.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 10-03-2000 05:14 PM                        At my theatre we only use credit cards to retrieve tickets purchased through MoviePhone and MoviePhone.Com it takes not much longer than cash if any if the pads are working right that is...  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-03-2000 05:26 PM                        We take checks. But we're in a small town so we don't have very long lines (usually) and we don't have much problem with bouncers...I know everyone! We do not take credit cards, tried it for a couple months once, but usage wasn't high enough to make the monthly fees worth it.  |  IP: Logged Ethan Harper E-dawggg!!! Posts: 325 From: Plano, TX, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-03-2000 07:38 PM                     At a couple of Cinemarks down here, They are begginning to do the "Print your own tickets at home thing" The ticket has a barcode on it that an usher will be able to scan. Really smart. "Oh and if you couldn't tell I was being sarcastic!"--Homer J. Simpson ------------------ --"That's my story and i'm sticking to it!"--  |  IP: Logged Greg Pauley Expert Film Handler Posts: 173 From: Huntington, WV, USA Registered: Jun 2000 posted 10-03-2000 11:09 PM                        We accept cash only at this point. We are looking into accepting credit cards for purchasing gift certificates which can be used to purchase tickets and concessions. The angle we are looking at is to try and suggestive sell the credit card paying customers concession coupons at the same time and help pay for the cost of doing business with credit. I wouldn't consider accepting personal checks and spending all of my time at the court house trying to collect money. It use to be said that our industry was lucky because on monday morning all of your sales for the weekend were in cash and in the bank unlike other businesses. Today I think you have to look at all the new options to draw every penny you can from your customer base. I have been following this print your ticket at home concept and think it has alot of promise. Once the big boys spend the money to work out the bugs and make sure it's secure, I'd like to give it a try.  |  IP: Logged Ethan Harper E-dawggg!!! Posts: 325 From: Plano, TX, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-04-2000 12:24 AM                     Not to knock your thoughts, but all you would have to do is print one and make copies of the other with the same paper that you used to print with, in which you could then dispurse to your friends.  |  IP: Logged Greg Pauley Expert Film Handler Posts: 173 From: Huntington, WV, USA Registered: Jun 2000 posted 10-04-2000 06:00 AM                        The print at home technology is the same system being used to sell postage stamps on line for the last couple of years. This technology uses barcode (serial numbers). You could make a thousand copies and hand them out to your friends, but only the first ticket scanned will be accepted. I don't worry about photo copies as much as someone learning how to fake the number or crack the site where they originate. I think its a good sign the US postal service hasn't had a problem that I'm aware of over the last couple of years.  |  IP: Logged Tom Ferreira Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Conway, NH, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-04-2000 06:08 AM                     Didn't we cover this topic in this forum just recently?  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-04-2000 06:20 AM                        We took credit cards at a single-screen where I used to work. With only one ticket-seller it was painfully slow and generally a bad idea. I don't recommend it unless you have a lot of cashiers and customers who feel compelled to charge small purchases rather than just paying cash. I don't know that anyone ever tried to pay for movie tickets by check. It seems a bit silly to me that anyone would want to do this, but I can understand it for gift certificates, etc.  |  IP: Logged Glenda Cockrum Film Handler Posts: 58 From: Monaca, PA, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 10-04-2000 08:24 AM                     I take checks for special events, birthday parties and "blocks" of tickets, or other parties, and gift certificates. I won't even touch credit cards, too much trouble for very little return. By the way the birthday parties work great here, anyone else using this idea?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-04-2000 03:02 PM                     I think the best solution is to get an ATM machine in the lobby and let the plastic payers just convert it to cash. Since there is typically a minimum withdrawal of $20, I think people are more apt to spend the leftover cash from the box office at the concession stand too.  |  IP: Logged Paul Konen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 981 From: Frisco, TX. (North of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-05-2000 09:40 AM                     1. Yes, the Cinemark Print @ Home was covered in this forum, although briefly, in regards to trying to scam the system. Note: The scanner will only let the first holder of the ticket in, after that everyone else is denied. The usher has to place his initials next to each barcode to signify that they have been admitted. 2. Cinemark has been doing credit cards in all aspects of the operation. Box, Concession, Studio Eats. Box and Concession generate a receipt but does NOT require a signature. 3. They also have KIOSK's to allow people to purchase tickets in the lobby using credit card and bypass the box lines (I am not trying to market the products) Paul  |  IP: Logged Carl King Expert Film Handler Posts: 199 From: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Registered: Mar 2000 posted 10-05-2000 10:13 AM                     At our boxoffice it is cash or debit cards.  |  IP: Logged

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