Hoyts Candy Bar Pricing Scheme

Ljarrod63 on 11/09/2015 - 23:10
Last edited 12/09/2015 - 09:24 by 1 other user

I went out to hoyts cinema, first time in about 10 years as ive always been going to village cinema's. As usual i treat myself and partner to a combo from the candy bar. Assuming it would be similar price to village ($22).

Once the lady had made everything i was shocked by how much she asked me to pay. $35.70. I questioned this amount as they had advertisments up for combos but those advertisements had no price displayed.

I did consider telling her to not worry about it but i ended up paying as i felt it was wrong to say i didnt want it at that stage.

After coming out of the movies i looked at the individual candy bar pricing and the so called combo is nothing more than the price of each individual item. So hoyts are advertising combos but charging on a per item price.

I am debating complaining to hoyts but thought id get feedback from others on ozbargain first. Surely its against consumer law to mislead people into thinking they are buying a combo which usually means a discounted price but really its just each individual item added together. And whats more is how can they display combos without any pricing.

Food & Grocery

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Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 12/09/2015 - 00:47
    +31

    but thought id get feedback from others on ozbargain first…
    …Surely its against consumer law

    Surely it's against OzBargain law to buy food at a cinema candy bar? O_O

    • scrimshaw on 12/09/2015 - 01:10
      +15

      It's a capital offence. Punishable by pitchforking.

      Also, I have pitchforks for sale — starting at $60 each, or you can buy a combo of three pitchhforks for $180! It's a saving!

      As for the prices of food at the cinema, the prices are actually displayed on the counter screens — and you can easily see how much of a rip-off they are

      https://media.systemsaviour.com/mgoblin_media/media_entries/…

      There is no law stating that a bundle of items sold together as a 'combination' should have a discounted price. Moreso, they can weasel their way out of it by stating a combination is really just a serving suggestion consisting of multiple items and not actually a value bundle (like a set meal at a fast food restaurant)

      • Forfiet on 12/09/2015 - 10:46

        Scrimshaw are you opening ozbargain's branch of the pitchfork emporium??

  • KaTst3R on 12/09/2015 - 00:56

    If I remember correctly, MOS burger in Gold Coast also just add all the items together and charge you one price for the set meal. I have some recollection of seating by the beach with my burger, chips and drink, trying to make sense of my "combo meal" price.

  • Davo1111 on 12/09/2015 - 04:26
    +1

    It's not misleading really. Just not great business practice.

    Purchasing stuff at the candy bar was your first mistake.

  • PJC on 12/09/2015 - 07:49
    +10

    Don't you two have pockets/handbag? Pre-buy at a supermarket.

    • donga100 on 12/09/2015 - 10:23
      +5

      Do you really need to hide it? I always just walk in with my supermarket plastic bag and nobody at the cinema ever challenges it.

  • grasstown on 12/09/2015 - 08:27
    +1

    That's dodgy. Agree with you

  • juventino on 12/09/2015 - 13:59
    +2

    moral of the story : fool and his money

  • [Deactivated] on 12/09/2015 - 14:28

    It definitely might seen immoral, but there is nothing from a legal perspective which dictates that a 'combo' or similar type of collective buying proposal should be lower in price, compared to the sum of the individual items included in that pack.

    Again, immoral by Hoyts but certainly not illegal.

  • nubzy on 12/09/2015 - 17:47

    Mate, I would have walked away at that price as that is absolute robbery. I wouldn't have expected to pay any more than $10 for a popcorn and drink and even at that price the profit margins are high. Bring your own food and drink from the supermarket like most smart people.

  • grasstown on 12/09/2015 - 17:53
    -1

    Maybe the combo is meant to be cheaper but the one who served you rang them up individually?. I'd call up and ask how much the combo is, then if you paid more, take your receipt in and ask for difference. It would also show the flaw in their model that you can't see whether you are overcharged for the combo as they don't display the combo price.

  • timthetoolman on 12/09/2015 - 23:06

    It just doesn't make sense to me how they can charge THAT much when they are usually always so close to a supermarket which is a half or 3/4 of the price?

    • scrimshaw on 12/09/2015 - 23:46
      +1

      There are a number of theories. Ranging from supply vs demand, lack of competition, or maybe movie theatres just plain suck at economics and decided that overpriced food was the way to maximise profit. But that's unlikely.

      Because once you're inside, you're a captive audience. Theaters are a monopoly at that point. The supermarket is still a fair ways away and you might not feel like taking a walk to a supermarket to sneak food inside. Maybe you're trying to impress a girl or keep the kids happy (dad, i want popcorn NOW!!), or maybe want a bit of 'face' in front of your peers, so you cave in to peer pressure and buy the expensive drinks and popcorn like everyone else does. Sucka!

      There are also foods that you can't get in a supermarket. Freshly popped corn. Choc tops. Hot dogs. Ice cold post-mix. Slushees. and so on.

  • Matt P on 18/09/2015 - 00:23

    so 2 combos cost $35? Cinemas continue to disgust me

  • mattelinc on 06/10/2015 - 01:27

    Source: http://www.hoyts.com.au/guest_service/candy_bar.aspx

    CANDY BAR

    What are the prices at the candy bar?

    As our prices regularly change to make way for new promotional combos, we rely on our crew members to readily share this information with our guests when requested. With many candy bar promotions available at any one time, we’ve found that discussing candy bar choices with our crew members can benefit our guests as the items requested may be of greater value when applied to a promotional combo.

    This is bullshit. I have to ASK how much things are? Bye.

  • [Deactivated] on 25/10/2015 - 07:36

    My local Hoyts doesn't have the price of many items actually displayed right in front of the items themselves. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure they have the full prices up aside from popcorn/drinks/combos.

    If just before I the film starts I decide I want a snack and don't have time to go to the supermarket, I have to play a game of The Price Is Right and hope I don't lose too badly.

  • R1ngSt1nger on 27/10/2015 - 13:10

    This is why we avoid Hoyts and just go to Village. For starters, you get $11 tickets through Telstra, than you can get a large popcorn/coke combo for $13.

    Similar thing happened when we thought to try Hoyts for the first time about a year ago, the food pricing was absurd.

    • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2015 - 10:53

      If you want cheap Hoyts tickets, you can get $10 ones from Optus.

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