Pretty much anyone you ask would agree that booking and paying for things online saves both the business and the customers time and money. Greater Union doesn't seem to think so.
Greater Union seems to think it's a great idea to charge customers who book online a "booking fee". Yep -- they charge you more, for the privilege of not using up a real person's time.
In exchange for them not having to employ a cashier at the counter and for making the lines at the counter shorter, they charge you an extra $1/ticket. Not to mention the fact that you are paying for the ticket well in advance of the film; giving them essentially, guaranteed occupancy. I bet they slap you in the face with a "credit card surcharge too". Way to go, Greater Union.
Comments
Hoyts does this as well. And you can't event use promotional tickets (eg: Hoyts' own pre-purchased tickets).
The thing is they are counting on people's time being worth more than the booking fee. For example your a busy professional and don't want to have to wait in line for 15 minutes to see a movie on a Friday / Saturday night so you will just put up with the fee. Whereas your high school students will wait in line to get the cheaper ticket regardless of how long it takes or how busy it is. So they're really just doing smart business :-)