Moral dilemma - ebay purchase cinema tickets

sophie131

Hiya,

I was looking on ebay for some vouchers to make the cinema a bit cheaper. I came across someone selling 'tickets' - you tell them what film you want to see and where and they book it for you and send you the confirmation code.

Now, everyone seems to get their tickets from the feedback but something just doesn't ring right with me. How are they booking these tickets for a quarter of the cost? Are they doing something they shouldn't be?

What would you do? Go ahead and get a great deal with the risk of the person you are buying through doing something dodgy or would you leave it and move on?

jenniewb

sophie131 wrote: »

Hiya,

I was looking on ebay for some vouchers to make the cinema a bit cheaper. I came across someone selling 'tickets' - you tell them what film you want to see and where and they book it for you and send you the confirmation code.

Now, everyone seems to get their tickets from the feedback but something just doesn't ring right with me. How are they booking these tickets for a quarter of the cost? Are they doing something they shouldn't be?

What would you do? Go ahead and get a great deal with the risk of the person you are buying through doing something dodgy or would you leave it and move on?

I can see your line of thinking and wouldn't blame you for fearing the worst. But I don't think that there is only one conclusion for that sort of set up.


It could be that the cinema manager has realised that certain films or times may not fully sell out or that the cinema has never been booked out and they are trying to keep open by getting in the numbers even if it means selling at cost price or slightly above. It could be legit but just like brands like other brands who sell through ebay, they need some sort of an income and trade to keep afloat- there are many ways to save money in ways that aren't obvious to the general shopper unless you look harder. Deal sites such as Wowcher for example where you can either (and I'm not sure if it was wowcher or another site that I did this with) get a magazine subscription for £10 for 12 issues...or you can go to the mag's own site and get 6 issues for £24...it depends on how hard you research and what deals you can find and on many other things.


I'm not saying what I've suggested is what is happening but it could be another thing to consider- there may even be other reasons for it. It may not be a case of morally considering things.

esuhl

If I thought I was going to get the tickets, and that they'd be accepted by the cinema, then I wouldn't worry about where they came from. It's not my job to police eBay - I'd leave that to the professionals. (Although I would probably report anything obviously illegal.)

rach_k

Why not ask them? It might not be something they want to put in the item description (because then anybody could do it) but they may be happy to tell you enough to help you decide.

Queenriderbrekke

They may well have cinema codes that have been bought with Tesco Club card points.

Nada666

Not a dilemma.

wdah

Are all the tickets for one cinema chain?