Movie subscription service Sinemia has started charging existing customers a $1.8 processing fee when purchasing a pre-paid ticket. Sinemia explains this fee by stating:
Sinemia covers the cost of your movie ticket. Every time you purchase a ticket online using your Sinemia plan there are transaction fees imposed by the payment processors. Sinemia may reflect these processing fees to your payment method on file if such fees are involved. Currently, the processing fee for online purchases is USD/ AUD/ CAD/ GBP 1.80
One of the reasons a lot of people moved from MoviePass to Sinemia was to avoid these types of hidden fees that were added for existing customers. I don’t have an issue with Sinemia changing the pricing or adding fees, but if somebody has purchased a plan in advance then the new fees/charges should not go into place until their existing contract has ended. This is especially annoying for members that are ‘cardless’ as every purchase is considered an advance purchase ticket and there is no way to avoid this fee. Looks like AMC A-Stubs Premier is going to get more popular if Sinemia joins MoviePass in the race to the bottom.
Hat tip to reader Jesse L
Thats a fucking lie… if I use my credit card to buy tickets online theres no processing fee… But if sinemia buys the ticket for me theres a fee all of a sudden? this company is a piece of shit… constantly changing their policy… never again will I subscribe…
It’s a really clunky service to use.
I signed on to the service during the summer of 2018 when and was expecting a physical card to arrive in the mail.
Waited about a month, no card. Online they now suggested to use the virtual card and purchase tickets through the theatre’s website. Clunky. Second time I used the service for two tickets there was a $1.XX service charge for making an online purchase.
Today it was a service charge for each of the two purchased tickets. Clunky AND changing the terms of the service. You can understand the challenges when a new company is getting started but this is just disingenuous.
I certainly won’t be renewing.
Dave
thats bad business move. People now have to pay $1.50 convenience fee plus $1.80 processing fee. Thats now $3.30 just in fees on top of $10 month fee. If you go to 3 movies month that now costing you $20 month. I am now cancelling Sinemia.
Response from Sinemia:
​Thank you for reaching out.
First of all, Sinemia covers the cost of your movie ticket. Every time you purchase a ticket online using your Sinemia plan there are transaction fees imposed by the payment processors. Sinemia may reflect these processing fees to your payment method on file if such fees are involved.
You have been notified via Sinemia app for Processing fee charge during your first advance ticket creation when that change is alive. As it is stated in the Terms & Conditions (#1.2) Sinemia reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to change, modify, add or remove portions of these Terms of Use, at any time, without prior notice. It is your responsibility to check these Terms of Use periodically for changes. The Processing Fee was stated also in the Terms & Conditions like that (#27.17) the advance ticket online convenience fee and/or processing fee are not covered by Sinemia. Sinemia only covers the cost of movie tickets.
In addition, your plan wasn’t changed, you are using the same plan with the same plan price and privileges. There is no any changes to your plan.
Sinemia plans are non-refundable or non-transferable as it is stated in the Terms & Conditions. If you want, you can cancel your subscription in your Sinemia Membership page but a cancelletion doesn’t start the refund progress. However, you can use your movie days and membership privileges until the last day of the plan.
If there is anything else, we’ll be happy to assist.
Best Regards,
Marty
Sinemia Support Team
Triggered.
Class Action Lawsuit
Looks like this firm is looking at starting a class action lawsuit.
It may be worthwhile sign up for it.
https://chimicles.com/sinemia-subscription-class-action-investigation/
Thanks for the link. I am a new Sinemea user and just requested to join the class action.
If they won’t remove the charges, I suppose I will try to get a prorated refund of what remains on my term.
Have enough people complained to Sinemia for them to stop charging this $1.80 fee on every ticket or $3.60 for people who have the 30movie/monthly. Geez, AMC a-list is raising their monthly plan by $3-6 depending on your location especially LA and NY.
I am a US customer on the 30 per month plan. The Processing is now $3.60. That is an extra $100 a month if you see a movie every day.
I just noticed now that I have a “card activation” tab in my account. Does everyone else have one of those? I’m wondering if by some miracle that means they shipped a physical card to me.
I got an email yesterday that said the following among others (I’m in the yearly plan), looks like they are reacting to some feedback: “As an added bonus and to make sure you are all set for Sinemia Cardless, we’ll ensure all our existing physical card users that are affected by this transition will not have to pay any convenience fees & processing fees at least for the next 90 days beginning October 30th or until the end of their current monthly/annual plans.”
Doesn’t change the fact that charge is total BS though….
This really sucks. Their customer support over email/twitter is just non-existent.
Yes, they are outright lying, credit card processing fees average less than 3% so why are they saying they have a 13% fee? This is dishonest, and a violation of their own contract terms, by changing fees mid cycle with no advance notice. I will join any class action lawsuit. If they are losing money on their plans, they should charge more for the plans.
Sign me up for that class action. At least movie pass prorated me out of their contract when they changed terms. Sinemia can at least do this.
Why are they charging $5.40! They wont reply to any of the many requests Ive sent