AMC tried a new tactic to fill front-row seating in theaters by offering discounted prices compared to more preferable spots. Theaters were split up into three seating tiers, each with its own ticket price for the same movie. After a few months of testing, the audiences were mostly indifferent.
The Sightline at AMC pilot test program offered discounts for front-row seats and charged a bit more for preferred seating in the middle section of theaters. AMC Stub members could pick out their seats and see the difference in prices while buying tickets through the AMC app or box office.
AMC ran the trial in select locations but has since decided not to move forward with a wider launch due to a lack of interest, as reported by TechCrunch.
AMC Stubs members were not enticed to change their seat preferences. Over 75% of AMC Stub members selected the same seat option despite the increased price. Only 10% selected a cheaper seat outside the Preferred Sightline section and hardly anyone opted for a discounted front-row seat.
Competing theaters didn’t find the approach appealing either, and none have implemented their own section-based pricing options. AMC has decided to close the curtains on this trial “to ensure its ticket prices stay competitive” and has since moved on to other ideas to fill theaters.
In an announcement posted earlier today, AMC announced theaters will soon offer a more spacious and enjoyable front row.
The new seats will offer more room to recline in lounge chair-style seats. You’ll be able to lie all the way back, providing a better angle of the big screen. AMC has scheduled a test launch towards the end of this year.
AMC will shut down the tiered seat pricing trial in the upcoming weeks, though the company has not announced an end date as of yet.