Let’s All Go To The Lobby! To Get Ourselves Some Snacks!

Isn’t it awesome that we can pretty much do whatever we want from home? If you have an internet connection that is! There’s nothing you can’t buy online and have delivered directly to your front door. With such convenience some companies are facing the issue of never seeing their consumers in store! Consider the way Coles and Woolworths now offer complete online services, imagine how much easier it is as a parent to not have to worry about kids asking for this and that, and the little tricks they use like placing the bread and milk at the back of the store to encourage impulse purchases won’t work anymore! Another big company that I believe has seen the brunt of it is the Cinema industry.

Now you may have read one of my previous blog “It’s Not Stealing, I’m Taking A Stand!” so you know I’m not a huge fan of Village Cinemas, but I’ve got to say they really have their thinking caps on! Online booking has become a revolutionary method for a lot of companies in their methods of business operations. So much so that my local cinema at Fountain Gate has actually completely gotten rid of the ticket purchase area and simply combined it with their candy bar because Online booking is so well used and they need to try and convince those few that still buy tickets AT the venue to purchase food as well. So with all of these individuals buying their tickets online, cinemas are losing a lot of income from the candy bar. Consumers prefer to pay the extra $2 booking fee to:

1. Avoid lines
2. Ensure they have seats, and the seats they want
3. If they have kids, they avoid the nagging “mum! I want popcorn! Can I have chocolate?”

So! How can Village convince consumers to come to the candy bar?! I know! An offer of a FREE large popcorn when you order online!

Not only did Village get the bonus $2 for everyone booking online, but they had a line out the door for people lining up to redeem their free large popcorn! I must admit, I would have been one of those suckers if my boyfriend hadn’t grabbed my arm and said “there is no way in hell I’m waiting in that line”.

So once that hard part has been achieved (actually getting them to the candy bar) these consumers generally are super easy to sucker in further. When you think about it, it was quite an intelligent move; popcorn is one of the saltiest foods they offer encouraging consumers to then think “I’m going to need a drink to go with that… and I AM saving money on the popcorn, sooooo I may as well buy some lollies… and an ice-cream…”

Village have embraced the shift to online bookings and conducted a very smart yet simple campaign. These large boxes of popcorn probably cost them next to nothing. It’s amazing what consumers will fall for when they think they’re getting something for ‘free’.

Do you know a company that has conducted a smart but simple campaign online? Post a comment telling us what the company did and why you thought it was so awesome! Or if you have any comments on Villages little trick!