A recent survey conducted by Saturn Visual Solutions reveals that creating fun foyers in cinemas can attract more customers and increase spending. The study found that two-thirds of UK cinema-goers are likely to spend more on concessions in entertaining cinemas, with a third willing to visit such venues multiple times a year. This research suggests that enhancing the fun factor in cinema environments can lead to increased profitability and customer loyalty, providing valuable insights for cinema operators facing economic challenges and competition from streaming services.
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New research from Saturn Visual Solutions has revealed that nearly two thirds of people in the UK (66%) are likely to spend more money on food, drink and merchandise in cinemas that offer a sense of fun. The study also found that nearly a third (31%) of cinema-goers would return to a specific cinema three or four times a year if they thought it was a fun place to be. Younger consumers, those aged 18-24-years-old are particularly lured by the fun factor, with nearly two thirds (65%) saying they would revisit a cinema they thought was fun at least monthly. The research could offer inspiration to UK cinema operators who continue to face a raft of economic challenges and increased competition from streaming services. The survey was commissioned by Saturn Visual Solution – a digital signage consultancy that works with cinema operators to help them improve their customer experience and increase profitability. It was carried out by OnePoll with 2,000 UK-based, adult full-time and part-time workers. Respondents were asked if they would be likely to spend more time and money than they’d originally planned if they were having a fun time at a cinema, and if so, how much more. The findings indicate that taking a ‘fun first’ approach to enhancing customer experience as soon as people step into the foyer, can not only encourage people to return to the cinema, but can maximise the average spend per customer. Over half (52%) of the respondents said they would spend more than £10 extra than planned on food, drinks and merchandise in a cinema venue if they were having fun. Nearly one in five (18%) said they would spend more than £20 extra. Men are more likely to spend more than planned, and to spend a greater amount than women, with 58 per cent saying they would spend more than £10 extra. Less than half of women (47%) said the same. People over the age of 65 were likely to spend the most, with a quarter of respondents in this category saying they would spend over £30 more than they’d originally planned if having fun. Young adults are likely to spend the least, with more than half (53%) of 18-24 year olds saying they would spend less than £15 extra. Return visits were also shown to be fuelled by fun. Nearly a third (31%) of the respondents said they would return to a specific cinema three or four times a year if they thought it was a fun place to be. Sixty-two per cent of people aged over 65 said they would return to a fun cinema at least once a month. The only group that scored higher was 18-24 year-olds where nearly two thirds (65%) said they would revisit at least monthly. Male and female respondents said they were equally likely to return to a fun cinema at least three times a year (85%). The amount of time people wanted to spend in a cinema environment was also impacted by how fun it was perceived to be. In all, 41 per cent of people involved in the research said they would be likely to spend between 30 minutes and two hours+ extra than originally planned in a leisure venue where they were having fun. Paul Murphy, director and co-owner of Saturn Visual Solutions said: “Our research clearly shows that people are more likely to spend more time and money in cinema venues that feel like a fun place to hang out. There’s an opportunity for the taking here – many cinemas aren’t maximising the potential to increase sales through customer experience. “Our survey respondents have told us that in cinema venues, ‘fun’ is represented through a range of factors, including visual interest, positive emotional impact, and playfulness. “The secret lies in ensuring that the ‘show’ starts at the door. Cinema foyers have an incredibly important part to play. Their primary role is to sell concessions and tickets, but just as importantly, they should create a sense of occasion and excitement. They should also contribute to the distinct division between watching films at home and the ‘big screen experience’. “There is an obvious financial imperative to create a sense of fun in cinemas, to encourage customers to linger, spend more and return frequently. “ Saturn has used its research to produce a white paper called ‘The financial rewards of creating the fun factor in cinemas’ which can be found here.
Source: Press Release