Have you ever walked out on a movie and asked for a refund?

[Hugh Mughnus]

 

Maybe in Australia that is common practice delet.

 

But in other countries we don't sample everything and expect it to be to our taste before returning it because it's not.

 

Consumer responsibility, is what it's called.

 

WTF? Corporate responsibility also exists. It is fairly common practice for consumable goods and services to be refunded. Movies are no exception.

 

For example:

http://www.landmarkcinemas.com/edson/about-us (scroll to their refund policy)

http://www.cineplex.com/Global/FeedbackZone (scroll to refund policy)

 

For other events such as concerts, sporting events etc. let's look at ticketmaster:

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/h/returns.html

 

Personally, I've never walked out on a movie, though I have gotten more selective in what I'm going to watch in the theater as tickets are not cheap anymore (anyone else remember $2.50 Tuesdays?). I certainly don't begrudge anyone the option to return things within a reasonable period, as long as there are no hygiene issues (used underwear - no returns!).

 

 

Yep, you're right. Of course you're right.

 

lol

 

I never said it wasn't common practice for companies to refund ticket prices. I was referring to his tendency to sample shit and then ask for a refund, indicated by the bolded sentence. You'd even read in a different post where I said yes it is common practice for companies to do that. lol

[chenGOD]

hey guys I'm going to be returning CAT023 later when it doesn't meet my expectations.

 

I mean I know it's aphex but what if it's not the aphex I like?

 

I should definitely be able to return it.

 

Have you never returned a CD? Wow, what kind of amazing world do you live in where every purchase you make exactly meets your utility?

[Hugh Mughnus]

 

hey guys I'm going to be returning CAT023 later when it doesn't meet my expectations.

 

I mean I know it's aphex but what if it's not the aphex I like?

 

I should definitely be able to return it.

 

Have you never returned a CD? Wow, what kind of amazing world do you live in where every purchase you make exactly meets your utility?

 

 

I have never returned a CD. Or am I using the word CD wrong?

 

Edit: unless you count ones that were damaged.

[chenGOD]

StephenG, on 10 Jun 2014 - 5:11 PM, said:

 

 

chenGOD, on 10 Jun 2014 - 5:09 PM, said:

 

 

StephenG, on 10 Jun 2014 - 2:30 PM, said:

 

hey guys I'm going to be returning CAT023 later when it doesn't meet my expectations.

 

I mean I know it's aphex but what if it's not the aphex I like?

 

I should definitely be able to return it.

Have you never returned a CD? Wow, what kind of amazing world do you live in where every purchase you make exactly meets your utility?

I have never returned a CD. Or am I using the word CD wrong?

It depends, are you referring to a Compact Disc, or a Certificate of Deposit?

 

For real though, have you never returned a product that you weren't satisfied with in your life?

[Hugh Mughnus]

 

 

 

hey guys I'm going to be returning CAT023 later when it doesn't meet my expectations.

 

I mean I know it's aphex but what if it's not the aphex I like?

 

I should definitely be able to return it.

 

Have you never returned a CD? Wow, what kind of amazing world do you live in where every purchase you make exactly meets your utility?

 

 

I have never returned a CD. Or am I using the word CD wrong?

 

It depends, are you referring to a Compact Disc, or a Certificate of Deposit?

 

For real though, have you never returned a product in your life?

 

 

I probably have man, but that's not the point I'm trying to make. I'm not saying returning stuff as a consumer is always bad.

 

When you buy a product, you enter into a contractual agreement for the seller to provide you with something specific, has specific parameters etc. It makes sense to return this good if it is not as described.

 

When you go to a movie, live show, concert, etc... It's subjective. To just say "that wasn't to my tastes/expectations" and ask for money back seems odd.... It's like going to a restaurant and having nothing wrong with the food. You go to an Italian restaurant, decide you don't like Italian food, and ask for your money back... lol

[Hugh Mughnus]

I fully support corporate responsibility, but theaters are selling a form of art so it's a little different than buying say, a Honda.

[chenGOD]

 

 

 

 

hey guys I'm going to be returning CAT023 later when it doesn't meet my expectations.

 

I mean I know it's aphex but what if it's not the aphex I like?

 

I should definitely be able to return it.

 

Have you never returned a CD? Wow, what kind of amazing world do you live in where every purchase you make exactly meets your utility?

 

 

I have never returned a CD. Or am I using the word CD wrong?

 

It depends, are you referring to a Compact Disc, or a Certificate of Deposit?

 

For real though, have you never returned a product in your life?

 

 

I probably have man, but that's not the point I'm trying to make. I'm not saying returning stuff as a consumer is always bad.

 

When you buy a product, you enter into a contractual agreement for the seller to provide you with something specific, has specific parameters etc. It makes sense to return this good if it is not as described.

 

When you go to a movie, live show, concert, etc... It's subjective. To just say "that wasn't to my tastes/expectations" and ask for money back seems odd.... It's like going to a restaurant and having nothing wrong with the food. You go to an Italian restaurant, decide you don't like Italian food, and ask for your money back... lol

 

 

I've asked for refunds at restaurants before cause the food was terrible, or walked out if the service is too slow, even after I've ordered.

 

As I pointed out in the post with links to movie theatre chains, their contracts also contain reasonable options for the consumer to request a refund. So clearly this is not an unexpected societal/financial interaction.

 

Imagine if you had some work done on your 'vette and it wasn't up to your standards, but the mechanic insists he or she did everything by the book. Would you just accept it?

[usagi]

I've never returned a CD. if I don't like it, I just acknowledge that it was a leap of faith and it didn't work out. how is the music shop responsible for the vicissitudes of listeners' personal tastes?

 

I think there's a difference between "art" and actual products here. art is not meant to be a product ultimately, it just has to be treated as one because of the way the market/our society functions. asking for your money back after you didn't enjoy a piece of art is not the same as asking for your money back after a vacuum cleaner failed on you or if you bought a bedspread that was a size too big. the latter is expected, the former just comes off as a bit knobby (legality of the action aside).

 

if I bought a ticket to an exhibit at an art gallery and thought the art was complete wank and a waste of time, I still wouldn't ask for my money back. rather I'd question what made me think it was a good idea to go. nawmean.

[Hugh Mughnus]

 

 

 

 

 

hey guys I'm going to be returning CAT023 later when it doesn't meet my expectations.

 

I mean I know it's aphex but what if it's not the aphex I like?

 

I should definitely be able to return it.

 

Have you never returned a CD? Wow, what kind of amazing world do you live in where every purchase you make exactly meets your utility?

 

 

I have never returned a CD. Or am I using the word CD wrong?

 

It depends, are you referring to a Compact Disc, or a Certificate of Deposit?

 

For real though, have you never returned a product in your life?

 

 

I probably have man, but that's not the point I'm trying to make. I'm not saying returning stuff as a consumer is always bad.

 

When you buy a product, you enter into a contractual agreement for the seller to provide you with something specific, has specific parameters etc. It makes sense to return this good if it is not as described.

 

When you go to a movie, live show, concert, etc... It's subjective. To just say "that wasn't to my tastes/expectations" and ask for money back seems odd.... It's like going to a restaurant and having nothing wrong with the food. You go to an Italian restaurant, decide you don't like Italian food, and ask for your money back... lol

 

 

I've asked for refunds at restaurants before cause the food was terrible, or walked out if the service is too slow, even after I've ordered.

 

As I pointed out in the post with links to movie theatre chains, their contracts also contain reasonable options for the consumer to request a refund. So clearly this is not an unexpected societal/financial interaction.

 

Imagine if you had some work done on your 'vette and it wasn't up to your standards, but the mechanic insists he or she did everything by the book. Would you just accept it?

 

Of course I wouldn't just accept it, but again products and art are two different goods. There are two ways of putting parts on cars: right way and wrong way. Serviceman would be contractually obligated to put the products on the right way.

 

Now, if we're talking about a paint job... As the consumer I would be tasked with fully researching the persons skills, maybe see his work, etc (kind of like a tattoo right?). Then, I assume the risk (to a reasonable degree) in that transaction.

 

If he paints giant piles of dog shit on my vehicle... that's not just subjective. haha the courts would hold him accountable for that.

[chenGOD]

Wow, I've got some art to sell you guys.

 

 

masturbates on StephenG's corvette and sells resulting photos to usagi

 

[Hugh Mughnus]

That would only be art if you could bust a nut into cool patterns or something lol

 

Also my car is black so that would definitely show =(

[chenGOD]

I wouldn't actually do that to a Corvette - depending on the year.

[usagi]

Wow, I've got some art to sell you guys.

 

 

masturbates on StephenG's corvette and sells resulting photos to usagi

 

 

*pesters chen for money back because cum is a shade too yellow*

[Candiru]

I thought none of us were entitled to criticize art...

 

But yeah asking for a refund is just plain stupid. Like it's the cinema employees' fault YOU chose to see a movie that sucked. How do you expect them to react to that? I'd give you a pat on the head and a motivational speech to go fuck yourself.

 

But when I saw Where The Wild Things Are... Jesus Christ! I was having some kind of allergic reaction to the obnoxiously high pretension levels being emitted from the screen that I literally could not leave my seat. I saw other couples leaving and envied them. I was bitterly jealous that they were physically able to stand up and exclude that film from their field of vision. Years later and I still want to get a running start and swiftly kick Spike Jonze in the balls for subjecting people to that twee, maudlin meandering repugnantly convinced waste basket of crusty cinematic tissues.

[Guest glasse]

Every store I've bought CDs, video games or DVDs from has policies that you could only return them if they were defective in exchange for the same one. I've never been able to take it back and say I didn't like it and get my money back, or usually even exchange it for a different one because of the possibility of ripping it. Like at Gamestop you can only trade a game in as used, you can't get the full price back. At Best Buy you can return them unopened, like if someone got you something you already had, but if it is opened you can't take it back.

[delet...]

What's being forgotten here and is very important for everyone (besides stephen because he's intractably ideological about this matter) is that the whole film hasn't been watched. The OP walked out not far into the film, when batman started speaking. This i agreed he was perfectly entitled to do. It's a basic consumer protection, not as stephen would absurdly have it being something to do with 'the customer is always right', but instead in the vein of being able to get a refund for something that you haven't really used *did not finish the film*. Further to this point it leaves the customer with a sense of good will towards the business for their fair dealing over the matter, which has been shown in the long run to be more profitable than pissing off the disaffected party over such a trifling matter. Also important is that this interface between the consumer and the vendor sends the important message that the product is lacking. 'we had an unprecedented 2% walkout refunds on movie x, which means the following week we should play it on less screens because that probably means that 50% of those that stayed to watch it won't recommend it to their friends.'

 

This has nothing to do with the cinema employee, they give refunds, they sell popcorn and softdrinks, they put up next months coming soon posters, it's just a thing they do, it's only an emotional big deal in your head. As long as you are within the time frame that it is reasonable and justifiable (to management) for them to do so you get a refund. I know for some this won't lift you over the mental threshold to realisation that dissipates your mental block over this matter, but i hope it does, cause it's really freaking me out that some of you are so holier than thou over such a non event thing.

 

jeezus ppl.

[delet...]

Every store I've bought CDs, video games or DVDs from has policies that you could only return them if they were defective in exchange for the same one. I've never been able to take it back and say I didn't like it and get my money back, or usually even exchange it for a different one because of the possibility of ripping it. Like at Gamestop you can only trade a game in as used, you can't get the full price back. At Best Buy you can return them unopened, like if someone got you something you already had, but if it is opened you can't take it back.

 

The example i gave earlier was that since you had only watched a part of the film then decided that it sucked, it's like you were listening to the the cd in the store and then were told because you had heard part of it you were now by stephen's logic, on the hook for purchase of the whole cd. Is this right? Of course it isn't.

[Guest glasse]

 

Every store I've bought CDs, video games or DVDs from has policies that you could only return them if they were defective in exchange for the same one. I've never been able to take it back and say I didn't like it and get my money back, or usually even exchange it for a different one because of the possibility of ripping it. Like at Gamestop you can only trade a game in as used, you can't get the full price back. At Best Buy you can return them unopened, like if someone got you something you already had, but if it is opened you can't take it back.

 

The example i gave earlier was that since you had only watched a part of the film then decided that it sucked, it's like you were listening to the the cd in the store and then were told because you had heard part of it you were now by stephen's logic, on the hook for purchase of the whole cd. Is this right? Of course it isn't.

 

That analogy doesn't exactly carry because when you listen to a CD in the store it is understood by both you and the merchant that you are pre-sampling the CD. That is not the understanding at the movie theater, there is no sign that says the first 15 minutes are a sample period and you can walk out for a full refund. A better analogy might be renting a 2-day rental from the video store and taking it back after an hour, saying you didn't like it but you want to get a different movie for the rest of your rental period. The video store probably doesn't have a policy that allows this, but they MIGHT do it for you based on giving good customer service because they want you to come back again. Or they might just say, yea it doesn't work that way each rental is $4 or whatever whether you bring it back after an hour or just before close on the second day.

[Hugh Mughnus]

What's being forgotten here and is very important for everyone (besides stephen because he's intractably ideological about this matter) is that the whole film hasn't been watched. The OP walked out not far into the film, when batman started speaking. This i agreed he was perfectly entitled to do. It's a basic consumer protection, not as stephen would absurdly have it being something to do with 'the customer is always right', but instead in the vein of being able to get a refund for something that you haven't really used *did not finish the film*. Further to this point it leaves the customer with a sense of good will towards the business for their fair dealing over the matter, which has been shown in the long run to be more profitable than pissing off the disaffected party over such a trifling matter. Also important is that this interface between the consumer and the vendor sends the important message that the product is lacking. 'we had an unprecedented 2% walkout refunds on movie x, which means the following week we should play it on less screens because that probably means that 50% of those that stayed to watch it won't recommend it to their friends.'

 

This has nothing to do with the cinema employee, they give refunds, they sell popcorn and softdrinks, they put up next months coming soon posters, it's just a thing they do, it's only an emotional big deal in your head. As long as you are within the time frame that it is reasonable and justifiable (to management) for them to do so you get a refund. I know for some this won't lift you over the mental threshold to realisation that dissipates your mental block over this matter, but i hope it does, cause it's really freaking me out that some of you are so holier than thou over such a non event thing.

 

jeezus ppl.

 

Keep in mind the legality of the issue. The theater isn't actually selling you the movie, they're selling you admission to the movie in the form of the ticket which (is a product, not a service... because legal rights to the service entitled by the ticket can be physically transferred to another user, IE by giving someone else the ticket [also note the 5 factors that differentiate a product from service]), as soon as the stub is taken off you've actually legally consumed.

 

I did a very long paper with original research (which is not a dissertation Chen, I won't use that word! lol) on ticketmaster and price fixing for a contractual law course that involved this exact issue. And the issue isn't whether the whole movie has been watched, so much as "has admission to a film been given". Specific performance, discharging a contract, blah blah blah.

[Hugh Mughnus]

I thought you said the law was on your side delet?

 

Is Australian law different than Canadian in this matter?

[chenGOD]

Jesus, did you guys actually read the links I provided to the theaters own refund policies?

[Hugh Mughnus]

Jesus, did you guys actually read the links I provided to the theaters own refund policies?

 

lol which part?

 

this one??? (ticketmaster)

 

The standard policy for other venues and many artists, teams, etc. is No Refunds or Exchanges.

 

 

But no, really... was there a part that jumped out at you? Company practice and "the law" are two different things. Like Delet pointed out, it is best practice to simply give customers a refund, it will encourage them to come back to the theater sometime in the future.....

[Hugh Mughnus]

I'm heading to bed, I work in a few hours. No hard feelings I hope.

 

Please don't cum on my corvette too hard while I'm sleeping please Chen... It's a 2005 z51 btw...

 

http://www.vipimports.com/Car-Corvette-10/001.jpg

[chenGOD]

 

Jesus, did you guys actually read the links I provided to the theaters own refund policies?

 

lol which part?

 

this one??? (ticketmaster)

 

The standard policy for other venues and many artists, teams, etc. is No Refunds or Exchanges.

 

 

But no, really... was there a part that jumped out at you? Company practice and "the law" are two different things. Like Delet pointed out, it is best practice to simply give customers a refund, it will encourage them to come back to the theater sometime in the future.....

 

 

From Landmark theaters:

 

What is your refund/exchange policy?

• Refunds or exchanges can be made within the first 30 minutes of a performance with the exception of online purchases. All refunds must be done via the initial purchase method (i.e. if purchased with debit, ticket must be refunded through debit).
• Online Ticketing purchases are a final sale. Tickets purchased online are not eligible for refunds or exchanges. Please make sure to double-check and verify the title, time and theatre for the movie you choose to see.

From Cineplex Odeon:

 

Refund Policy

What is the Cineplex Entertainment refund policy?

Tickets purchased online or at the theatre, must be refunded at the theatre's box office within 30 minutes of the performance showtime. You must bring your tickets and have access to the method of payment purchase (i.e. debit or credit card). If the ticket was purchased using a debit or credit card, you must also show a copy of the transaction receipt. Photo ID, may be required to prove ownership of Credit Card.

 

 

 

 

Yes I was wrong about ticketmaster, but they're a bunch of crooks anyways (see pearl jam).

I'd be interested to read your paper Stephen.

[Alcofribas]

well i once asked for a refund before I even paid for the ticket. then I walked out. then I walked back in and saw the film.