In a shake-up of the traditional system, cinema chain Cineworld will become the first UK chain to offer discount prices for online bookings, as well as abolishing booking fees.
From today, a pilot scheme will be tested in Scottish cinemas, which, if successful, could be rolled out across the UK.
The move comes after research showed that customers were put off advanced booking because of the increased costs, and would be more likely to book with the motivation of reduced ticket prices.
You will need to register (for free) with MyCineworld to take advantage of the reduced prices though.
In a statement, Cineworld's Marketing VP Justin Skinner said: "This is a game-changer for the entertainment industry; booking fees are disliked by customers and the notion of a discount for booking online is synonymous with the web.
"Cineworld is now leading way by providing what our customers have been asking for; no booking fee and discounts online. We’re really excited by the trial in Scotland and will be watching the results closely."
It'll be interesting to see if it does actually result in less box-office ticket purchases. It has long seemed pretty unfair that you have to pay extra when you sort out tickets for yourself online.
