Fandango.

[Ichinisan]

So...? What happened...?

Over 57 mins when I finally reached a person. She said they're going to refund it. She did not offer anything else to make it right.

Total call duration: 1hr 2min.

They could not assure me that Fandango will take appropriate steps to correct the root cause, so I will go out of my way and deliberately avoid using Fandango in the forseeable future.

 

[CZroe]

You could have watched another feature-length movie in the time you spent to make both calls and the forum post. A lot more with the time wasted waiting for the later showing.

Regarding theaters without box offices: The Newnan Carmike theater often closes the box office and forces you to the lobby snack bar line to buy tickets from the same clerk selling popcorn. Less staff to pay and greater chance of a snack purchase, I guess.

 

[noobsrevenge]

QQ much?

 

[phucheneh]

Fandango: the solution to a problem that never existed.

Anyone who gets screwed by that service deserves it, for supporting their 'Ticketmasterizing' of movies. Like they weren't already ridiculously-priced.

 

[CZroe]

Fandango: the solution to a problem that never existed.

Anyone who gets screwed by that service deserves it, for supporting their 'Ticketmasterizing' of movies. Like they weren't already ridiculously-priced.

Shows selling out if you buy ticket on arrival just before showtime is not "a problem that never existed."

I criticized him plenty for being willing to spend that well before he made this thread, but it was opening night for what is shaping up to be a blockbuster movie. I wasn't cluelessly suggesting that the problem didn't exist, I was saying that it's obviously worth waiting for or going another night or buying tickets for the planned showing when in the area earlier in the day.

 

[phucheneh]

Shows selling out if you buy ticket on arrival just before showtime is not "a problem that never existed."

I criticized him plenty for being willing to spend that well before he made this thread, but it was opening night for what is shaping up to be a blockbuster movie. I wasn't cluelessly suggesting that the problem didn't exist, I was saying that it's obviously worth waiting for or going another night or buying tickets for the planned showing when in the area earlier in the day.

You're a self-important little fucker, there, aren't you? Did I address you in some capacity?

Sorry that you need to buy movie tickets from a middleman. I don't. Most people don't.

Yep, I gotta get me some advance tickets for the newest movie so that I can arrive at showtime and be good to...wait in line to get into the theater. And then be forced to sit on the first row like a jackass.

 

[sportage]

Buying fandando is like sending in dirty Sally to buy your big mac meal at McDonalds, and for $2 fee to boot.
I mean, is THAT really our only option???

 

[mnewsham]

Fandango: the solution to a problem that never existed.

you could say that about anything you don't particularly find important.

Wikipedia: the solution to a problem the never existed

Encyclopaedia Britannica is already an established player in the game, there is no need to use Wikipedia, we can just get it the regular way.



tl;dr
you're an idiot.

 

[Ichinisan]

QQ much?

Certainly. I don't think anyone would have gone through this without some serious bitching. Fandango happily took my money and gave me nothing. They would not have refunded my money if I had not spent an unreasonable amount of time on the phone to reach a person. My time was worth far more than the $23 refund, so it feels like extortion. They wanted me to give up and let them keep it.

The rep gave me the expected excuse that call volume is "abnormally high" due to a major movie release...but it's actually pretty fucking normal for big movies to be released around this time. Opening weekend is something they should plan for and staff appropriately. Their phone system didn't have to be misleading; only hinting wait times were "exceeding 5 minutes" and repeatedly telling me that I would reach someone "momentarily."

I'm putting my experience out there to shame Fandango because they deserve it.

 

[CPA]

wait 4 months, pay $5.99 on Directv. Watch in the comfort of home. Problem solved.

 

[Ichinisan]

wait 4 months, pay $5.99 on Directv. Watch in the comfort of home. Problem solved.

That particular movie is the kind you should experience in a theater.

 

[CZroe]

You're a self-important little fucker, there, aren't you? Did I address you in some capacity?

Sorry that you need to buy movie tickets from a middleman. I don't. Most people don't.

Yep, I gotta get me some advance tickets for the newest movie so that I can arrive at showtime and be good to...wait in line to get into the theater. And then be forced to sit on the first row like a jackass.

I can barely contain my laughter. You addressed everyone while pretending sellouts are "never" a problem but one person having the nerve to correct you, even while saying that he agrees that the OP is dumb for using it, sets you off.

Grow up.

 

[CZroe]

you could say that about anything you don't particularly find important.

Wikipedia: the solution to a problem the never existed

Encyclopaedia Britannica is already an established player in the game, there is no need to use Wikipedia, we can just get it the regular way.



tl;dr
you're an idiot.

Except in his case he's denying the actual problem the service addresses. Sold-out movies is "a problem that never existed?" Really?!

 

[mnewsham]

Except in his case he's denying the actual problem the service addresses. Sold-out movies is "a problem that never existed?" Really?!

you could argue he didn't actually say that sold-out movies weren't a problem that existed, just the fandango service in general, purchasing movie tickets online, is not something that we needed. The buying of tickets online to assure it isn't sold out is more of a bonus, than the actual purpose of fandango.


Either way I think he is an idiot because purchasing tickets online is the obvious evolution from box offices.

 

[CZroe]

you could argue he didn't actually say that sold-out movies weren't a problem that existed, just the fandango service in general, purchasing movie tickets online, is not something that we needed. The buying of tickets online to assure it isn't sold out is more of a bonus, than the actual purpose of fandango.


Either way I think he is an idiot because purchasing tickets online is the obvious evolution from box offices.

Fandango takes phone orders for advance tickets too, just like Moviefone, but that's not why I think reservation is the actual purpose. The benefit of purchasing online does not save you a trip to the theater unless you were going to make a trip to secure your tickets in advance, which is the actual service they provide. Indeed, in large metro areas it can be almost impossible to get tickets on opening day without using a service like Fandango or buying at the box office several hours (days?) before showtime.

I'm still not going to spend the money when I can help it, so it's not a service for me, but I don't turn a blind eye to reality like phucheneh View Post did. I do recall needing to drive an hour away for a midnight opening of Prometheus in IMAX 3D and would not have done so without a guarantee that it wasn't sold out. Ichinisan had already bought our tickets and he might have used Fandango for all I know. Does Fandango take the Prometheus Movie Cash that really only deducted about half the cost?

Damn. That movie was a disappointment.

 

[mnewsham]

That may be it's purpose for you, but no, that is not the primary point of fandango, the primary point of fandango is to look up movie times and to purchase tickets online without having to wait in lines. Expanding on that primary point will certainly cover what you are saying is the primary point, but no you are wrong if you think everyone is using it that way, or that is the reason it was created.

 

[waggy]

wait 4 months, pay $5.99 on Directv. Watch in the comfort of home. Problem solved.

/this


I used Fandango and paypall once. it fucked it my though not as bad as the OP. i figured fuck it not worth the trouble.

though i want to go see Iron man 3 and neither of my kids want to go =(

 

[Ichinisan]

i want to go see Iron man 3 and neither of my kids want to go =(

Tell them they're going to watch it with you or you'll take them to an orphanage to swap for some new kids.

 

[Svnla]

Go to the first show in the morning on Saturday or Sunday. Cheaper and not as crowd.

 

[KeithTalent]

Go to the first show in the morning on Saturday or Sunday. Cheaper and not as crowd.

This is pretty much the only time I go to the theatres. Experience is way better.

Also we are lucky, I guess, that all the major theatres around here are part of Cineplex and you can just buy tickets without any service charge through their mobile app. Very quick and easy.

KT

 

[lupi]

I have never bought a ticket other than at the theater from someone in a booth. sounds like good fortune for me.

 

[CZroe]

That may be it's purpose for you, but no, that is not the primary point of fandango, the primary point of fandango is to look up movie times and to purchase tickets online without having to wait in lines. Expanding on that primary point will certainly cover what you are saying is the primary point, but no you are wrong if you think everyone is using it that way, or that is the reason it was created.

The purpose is not the purchase method, it's the utility provided by that method. What utility is afforded by buying tickets online for a place you will be traveling to anyway? Answer: You don't have to wait in lines and you don't have to make a second trip to secure tickets. What is the utility of buying from Amazon? Potentially cheaper prices and it gets delivered to your door with no need to drive to the store, drive from store to store, or wait in lines.

Those are the two problems solved by it that he failed to see or acknowledge. No one wants to buy online for no reason even if they didn't have to pay more. Even if the primary purpose was purely to provide an online purchase option with no reservation or line skipping option (still had to pickup at the box office; 1st come, 1st serve), well, then he was still off base because it would certainly solve that strange "problem."

He was just oblivious to the problems it solves and stubbornly doesn't want to admit it.

Anyway, there is still the phoneline ordering option the OP mentioned. If the only purpose were to provide online sales and showtimes, it wouldn't exist. Google and Mr. Moviefone did that just fine already.

Google "showtimes" followed by your zip code.

 

[rockyct]

I used Fandango to get tickets to Iron Man 3 at the first showing on Thurs. We had a group of friends going so it was worth the $1.25 to not go to the theater a couple days ahead of time. The showing did sell out early Thurs afternoon so I'm glad I did it. Although Paypal is easier to check out with, I would never trust it with Fandango. I just pay with a credit card then slide the card at the terminal to get the tickets. I've only used Fandango a few times in the past couple of years, and it's always basically to reserve a ticket for showings that I think are going to sell out.

 

[Sonikku]

Fuck Fandango. Just go in to see your movies for free and bring in your own candy. If it's not prime time, they're likely too cheap to pay a ticket taker to check.

 

[CZroe]

Fuck Fandango. Just go in to see your movies for free and bring in your own candy. If it's not prime time, they're likely too cheap to pay a ticket taker to check.

I've seen this at a local theater once or twice.