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$5 Per Month for 1 Movie Ticket Per Month, $7 for 2 Tickets Per Month (Billed Annually) (+ $10 Activation Fee) @ Sinemia

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Looks like they've just launched in Australia but not much info about it yet. Currently supported cinemas are severely lacking in all major cities at the moment, no idea if that's just because they haven't added more yet. Does anyone have any more info?

Edit: I bit the bullet and signed up. I'm hoping that it would be easy to cancel if they don't add more cinemas given that their whole motto is "Any cinema, any time".

Edit 2: There are a lot more participating cinemas in the app compared to those on the site. Almost all the major ones from what I can see, more info in the comments.

Edit 3: Make sure you enter the coupon to see the pricing. The website does not always automatically apply it, sometimes the correct pricing isn't even displayed. Try again later if it's not. If (high) pricing exists for multiple days, mark expired.

22/6 Mod note: See this comment. Warning that users are being told to pay a $4.99 - $9.99 fee to be able to use the service immediately (despite the annual fee having been already paid).

31/7: Activation fee reported to be $10 in all cases.

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    • Swipe right where it says classic 1 movie ticket. The 9.99 is for two with vmax, 3d.

    • +1

      Signed up last week on a similar deal and went to first movie last Saturday with no problems.

  • +37

    PLEASE READ THIS!
    I signed up for this a couple of months ago.

    I tried to redeem my movie pass 6 times, but was unable to, due to them not loading money onto the card they sent me.

    I sent customer support 26 emails, and in the entire time, I only received 2 replies (which were very generic, borderline copy paste). There is no phone number available for support - only email.

    After my month lapsed, I asked for a refund, and I have been unable to receive my money back.

    I too was really enthused by the concept and was ready to sign up long term, but I thought I'd warn everyone that I was basically scammed out of my money. I have read reviews of people in America being successful with it, but this is my experience in Australia. Really unfortunate.

      • +17

        Yes, I created this account because of my bad experience, and wanted to share what happened to me. I don't know if what they did to me was intentional, and it's a grab & run operation, or if they just have extremely bad customer support and a broken/bad system. Someone has commented down here that they managed to see a couple of movies, which is interesting to me.

        Honestly, if their service worked reliably, and I knew I'd be able to get in touch with them about any problems, I'd be all about it.

      • +26

        Lots of non-members lurk on Ozbargain. The fact that snoopydoop felt compelled to sign up in order to be able to post and warn people should be welcomed rather than treated with suspicion.

    • +1

      If they accept Amex, reverse charging them is piece a cake if they don't deliver.

  • +3

    Very poor support, but I successfully signed up last month, received the debit card and saw 2 movies.

    Note VMax is not supported/included.

    • How did you manage to see the movies? I attempted to use their 'Advance Ticket' system - admittedly I did try once with VMAX, but tried with normal movies at Village Cinemas, Hoyts, and Palace.

      • +1

        I used advance ticket without issue at Event and Cineplex

        • +1

          Can you buy and print tickets online using the card or do they need to be bought manually at the cinema before the show.

        • +1

          @El Grande:

          Can buy/print tickets using the card, first you enter the details of the ticket you are purchasing in the advance ticket section of the app. Then you “buy” the ticket from the usual website with payment using the Sinemia MasterCard that was posted to you.

          Then on the day of viewing at the cinema you check in with the app.

        • @JordanM: Why do you need to check in? Don't you already have the ticket from the actual cinema's website that you paid for using the supplied credit card after booking through the advanced ticketing system?

        • @El Grande:

          You do, it’s just under Sinemia’s terms/process that you do so.

        • @El Grande: It's basically to ensure you're actually using the ticket and not wasting their money

        • @JordanM: how fast does it take for the sinema card to load with funds after you confirmed using app?

          Just wondering if its human or auto

        • +1

          @jes: immediately. Used for the first time last Saturday and bought advance ticket online from Palace cinema website 30 seconds after confirming on the Sinemia app.

        • +1

          @petma690: ah so the app doesn’t book a ticket for you?
          Not exactly the process I was expecting, so I assume you’re basically telling them when you’re planning on using the ticket, funds loaded, if you then book online do they add enough funds to cover booking fee?

        • @itsfree:
          how do you check in? because when I buy tickets online normally I never have to physically collect the tickets from the counter anymore.
          I just show them the e-ticket on my phone…

        • @jwsc: You do what you normally do with your tickets. Other than that you have to check-in on the sinemia app to let them know you actually went to watch the movie.

        • @JordanM: hi can you choose your seat from the usual cinema?
          i appreciate if anyone can answer.

        • @jes: You checkout as normal from the cinema's website. You have to tell the Sinemia app which movie you are going for, which show, on what date and where. It will load the cost of the show on your supplied credit card that you use to pay the cinema. It includes booking fees and even the 3d glasses at the cinema once you check in the app to let them know you are there.

        • Hi, when you purchased the Palace tickets. Were they standard or platinum? I'm about to purchase some and i'm on the premium sinemia membership and unsure whether they'd work for palace platinum…I suppose they're same level as gold class/luxx?

    • watched it in VMax George Street 3 times and IMAX 3D Entertainment Quater

      • The site doesn't show the EQ as being included… Nice to know as that's my local.

    • Can confirm VMax is supported now and shows as an option both checking in and when using the card for advanced sessions.

  • I can only pick from 2 premium packages, 34.99 or 24.99. What am I doing wrong?

    • +2

      Make sure the sale promo code ("WatchCinema") is entered: https://cl.ly/rPYu

      • How long until the promo expires

        • Not sure – I do know it only recently started though

  • Notice that it's billed annually, so you really do need to go consistently to get your money.

    Anyone done a full run down on the terms and conditions.
    Is it one movie per calendar month or every 28 days? Etc

    $6.99 for 2 movie tickets per month, presumably only $83.88 to get you and your partner to 1 movie a month, pretty decent figure.
    Even if you miss, what - 2 months or 3 months, you're still probably doing ok.

    • Nope, you are looking at the single package that means the two tickets MUST be on separate days. You can get Sinemia for two but that is double the price….

      • -1

        Makes sense, I think you're right, I found it for $9.99 - that's still not too bad overall - but I'm curious if all the cinemas honor it?

        Wonder if you can just walk in, without notification and just kinda get in easily, or there's a crappy process to book?

  • Check out their facebook page, looks like a scam to me.

    • +4

      Why? There are over half a million people who have liked the page….

  • +1

    None on the Gold Coast

  • Can someone with the app check if this works at Hoyts Chadstone, Victoria 3148?

    • +2

      Yup, it's in the app (second on the list here)

      • +1

        Thank You. Did you get the $6.99 or the $9.99 one? I never go to IMAX but would like to start going if the tickets were the same price.

        • I signed up to the Elite tier - it was a couple days ago, so the card hasn’t arrived yet, but from what I’ve read, it seems like a great deal

  • Is it worth the elite price?

    • If you want to see IMAX or 4DX movies, it definitely is

  • when will receive our card?

    • And is it coming from US?

      • +1

        Comes from WeWork c/o Sinemia Inc, 100 Harris Street, Sydney NSW 2009.

        • That's interesting, WeWork is an office sharing space for startups etc.

  • I know it's not much of a difference.
    But has anyone noticed, that it's actually 1c cheaper to get two solo passes` than to get a sinemia for two passes?
    Why would anyone get a pass for two when there are more restrictions than just having 2 individual passes?

    • +1

      Because 2 individual passes must be the same 2 people, with sinemia for 2 the second person can be any guest

      • yeah but realistically speaking, a lot of the time you'd be watching with the same person.
        also will they really check who uses it?

        • +3

          Why risk it for one cent difference?

        • -1

          @ihavecentsnotsense:
          Lol, I know, like it said it's not much of a difference.
          Just seems like a bad pricing strategy is all.

  • If they are still in business in 12 months in Australia I'll give them a try. It seems too risky ATM.

    • +1

      Use amex card, can chargeback in no time if trouble strikes.

      • +3

        Cant we chargeback with any card ? Even mastercard debit .

        • +1

          possibily, but have used Amex chargebacks before and it's a breeze. You just lodge a dispute online and they do the rest.

        • There is a time limit though with visa and mastercard chargebacks. I think it's either 120 or 180 days. It's not long enough to give full protection for the year.

  • +2

    Just be careful. I signed up, received my new Sinemia card approximately 8 days later. Logged in to activate my card, and received the following message:

    The system has detected a malfunction on your card, a new card will be manufactured and sent to your address. (Please note that this period of time will not be deducted from the span of your membership.)

    Can't confirm the legitimacy as yet for Australian users, however the pricing does present relatively good value for those that do go to the movies often.
    On a positive note, they did send me a membership card (which is a plus, even though it doesn't work. No sure if any dodgy places would even bother doing this). Let's hope I didn't spend a chunk of cash on fake plastic, otherwise I'll have to be the poster boy for Ozdumbdumb.

  • Bought 2tickets/m rather than ticket for two. Can't find a way to change it to ticket for two. Seems have to pay $9.9*12 rather than the difference

  • Got the 2 tickets a month for two.

    Lets hope this lasts long enough to use them all.

  • +1

    Joined to try it out, despite the mixed reviews. I’m a regular movie goer (at least once a week), so this will be a huge saving if it works!

  • Does anybody know how they make profit?

    • +2

      They sell your data analytics.

      • Not sure if that was meant as a flippant comment but you're pretty much correct. It's the new age of making money. Uber has never turned a profit because their focus is on data gathering to sell later.

        • I thought Uber's focus was to hang on long enough until their entire fleet is self-driving and then kiss these poor drivers goodbye

        • @lint: Facebook, Airbnb, Uber ​all have something in common: They don't sell anything and don't have any main assets. They do however collate tons and tons of big data for manipulation and sale.

          An Uber autonomous fleet is nothing more than continued data collection devices for a wider cause of selling our data.

      • +1

        "We run ads, senator"

    • +3

      I read an article about it about a month ago.

      They make their money from the Cinema's directly with long term plans to do marketing / meal deals / anything they can leverage through their 'community' to make cash.

      Cinema's get more money as it encourages more people to go, meaning more candy bar sales with the ability to leverage the extra traffic in any way they see fit.

      • Not sure I buy this because cinemas can offer their own unlimited subscriptions without having to go through a third party like many do around the world.

        https://www.cineworld.co.uk/unlimited

    • +1

      "While Sinemia pays full price to movie theaters for every ticket purchased through its platform, Sinemia makes up for that via advertising deals with studios and restaurants. For example, when you open up the Sinemia app, the three movies you see featured at the top are paid for by studios wanting to promote their movies. As of right now, 85 percent of the company’s revenue comes from subscriptions with just 15 percent coming from advertising."

      • MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe touted the company’s access to user data earlier this year, bragging and quickly retracting that the app watches “how you drive from home to the movies” and “where you go afterwards.” Ultimately, however, selling that user information represents one of the biggest opportunities for MoviePass to increase its cash flow.

        Similar applies to Sinemia when they have a big enough user base. Whether or not it's sustainable to be profitable is another matter to be seen.

  • -2

    HANG ON A MINUTE. Am I reading this right?? For the $6.99/9.99 for 2 tickets it says you can see 2x movies on 2 SEPARATE days!! Does this mean I can't just get 2x tix (i.e me + wife) for the same session?? It's a deal killer if I'm reading it right

    edit: yeah just read earlier comments - As I had suspected it's not as good a deal as it seemed at first. Still ok but looked much better at face value. Glad I didn't sign up. Still may be good for others

    • +2

      Well, yeah — if you want to watch with someone else, you need the Sinemia for Two option. It'd be too much of a loss for them otherwise…

      • But here another member can help you. I can book a ticket for you and you book a ticket for me, problem solved.

  • I just signed up for this, I have high hopes…

    Maybe a silly question but what do we have to put for an SSN (Social security number)? Given we are not in the US, we don't have one…

    • People have reported just using any random 4 digits and noting them down later (presumably it's a sort of "memorable accounot PIN").

      • Fantastic, thanks!!

  • For Elite Plan it says: "Every feature in Classic Plan, including 3D and an experience in IMAX-4DX and more."

    What does that mean? only one (i.e. "..an..") IMAX ticket/experience per annual Elite Plan?

    • +1

      It's a confusing T&C (https://www.sinemia.com/terms):

      27.2.1 A valid Sinemia Elite subscription entitles you to: (1) see one 2D or 3D film per calendar day through Sinemia, according to your selected package; (2) see a 2D or 3D film title three times through Sinemia; and (3) a single seat, depending on availability, for a 2D or 3D film showing open to the general public. This excludes premium showings such as: IMAX, 4D, XD and specialty theaters. Sinemia access is available every day of the week, subject to the theater being open, inventory, and usage.

      27.16.With Sinemia Classic your tickets can be used for 2D movies and with Sinemia Elite, your tickets can be used for a 2D or 3D movie and one of your tickets can be used for either of the following technologies of your choice once every 30 days : IMAX 2D, IMAX 3D, XD, Dolby Atmos, ScreenX, Dbox, or 4DX.

  • +34

    A bit late to the party, but I've just spent a while researching these guys and I'm not going to go for this. Reasons:

    -They seem to be a 2-bit startup, coasting on (not very much) venture capital. Have just expanded massively and are undertaking a bit of a publicity blitz.
    -Terrible customer service stories (likely outsourced).
    -Seems to be maybe one or two guys running this from a coworking office in LA, after relocating from Turkey. Might even just be the "CEO". The main engineer seems to have left last year, so development is likely outsourced as well.
    -Repeatedly claim absolutely no refunds.
    -Currently being sued by Moviepass for what look like some pretty clear app patent theft.
    -Weird pattern of apparent bots in the replies to the CEOs retweets (young women with <6 month old accounts, padded out with a bunch of similar memes and RTs).
    -Because of the above, there's no way I'm trusting their ~500k likes on Facebook. Likely bought. This is supported by very little actual interaction from their followers on any of their posts.

    This seems to be a case of the CEO, Rifat Oguz, ripping off and undercutting Moviepass, trying to pump this up with a fluffed-up social media profile to generate interest from venture capital firms.

    Just seems like a really shaky business with too many red flags, and I don't fancy my chances of getting my year's worth of money back if they go under.

    Good luck if you go for it though, I'd love for something like this to take off.

    • +1

      FWIW MoviePass's "unlimited model" has given them troubles of their own

    • Great research Fungo. I'm going to have to skip this one as well.

    • How did you research this if I may ask?

    • +2

      Imo Ozbargain comments need to be sorted by upvotes/downvotes. This is the type of post that needs to be smack bang right under the original deal so people don't miss it and sign-up for what could be a scam.

    • Sorry but this is a very emotional response. Almost every line has very strong adjectives that are trying to prove your point. If you take them out :

      -They seem to be a startup, on venture capital. Have just expanded and are undertaking a bit of a publicity.
      -Customer service likely outsourced.
      -Seems to be maybe a team running this from an office in LA, after relocating from Turkey. The main engineer seems to have left last year.
      -Repeatedly claim absolutely no refunds.
      -Currently being sued by Moviepass for what look likeapp patent theft.
      -Pattern of bots in the replies to the CEOs retweets (young women with <6 month old accounts).

      HOWEVER, if you look at people who have actually used it :


      Conclusion
      Sinemia is a very valuable option for your movie going pleasure if you are able to maximize it and see 2 or 3 movies a month (depending on the plan). And it is also important to go to 3D or 4D movies when using it to get the best return on your investment.

      The app seems unnecessarily clunky and hopefully they get that fixed in the future. It seems like there is a lot of room for improvement.

      It sets itself apart from MoviePass by allowing people to book tickets in advance and pick their seats in advance. This guarantees you can sit where you like and with whom you like. It also allows 3D and 4D movies where MoviePass only allows 2D movies.

      If you live in an area where picking seats or purchasing tickets before the show is not an issue; or if you prefer 2D movies then MoviePass is probably the better option even with their recent changes.


      Then from the CEO :

      "Our vision and goal has been to create a movie ticket subscription service that adds value for both for moviegoers and the movie industry," Oguz said in a statement. "We believe the only way to accomplish this is through a sustainable movie subscription model. Since 2014, we've been fine-tuning our model and are now the leading movie subscription service in the Canada, UK, Turkey, and Australia."


      So while there are no guarantees with this, if you get the cheapest and see two movies you have made your year subscription back. In my view, its worth it for a punt….But sure, not for all….

  • People saying the 2 tickets it says you can see 2x movies on 2 SEPARATE days, is deal killer but as a community, we can help each other. Another member can book 1 ticket for you and you book for them and problem solved buy this you can see 1 movie per month for only $10 instead ($40)

    • +1

      I don't want to regularly have to rely on some random on the Internet. This place isn't a community more like mostly a bunch of ppl with the common goal of saving money who get excited over dominos deals and SSDs and getting on a soap box. In any event it may not even work due to checkin and location tracking requirement as per their terms.

      • there is the solution for everything,

  • Hi is this available for any of the movie session? I don't get how it works with the vmax sessions especially when it's usually additional.

    Also isnt chargeback have limited time?

  • If I go with elite plan,
    Can I get vmax or xtremescreen at hoyts?
    Thanks

    • +1

      I got the elite plan and I can see Xtremescreen and Lux showtimes. I can't test it because I don't have the card. Can someone with normal membership verify if they can also see those showtimes?

      • I can see every showtimes available including the xtremescreen showtimes even before I sign up for the plan.
        Its in the mobile app.

        • I think it might be safer to get premium as it includes 3D, 4DX and IMAX so they might let you book Xtremescreen. Lux is a little unbelievable but let's see. Some of the showtimes on the app don't match the ones on the Hoyts Website. This is a bit of a gamble. I am surprised no reps showed up. Don't forget to use the referral link from ozbargain for $5 credit towards your renewal if they last a year.

        • +1

          @El Grande: watched it in VMax, IMAX 3D Entertainment Quarter. however couldn't purchase hoyts lux or with reclining chair

        • @OmegaDemonChaos: I watched some reviews on youtube and it appears only 1 Premium movie per month is allowed which is LUX/Gold Class/Imax and rest in normal 2D or 3D for elite plans (not sure where xtream screen fits. It's a bit misleading.

          Did you try Hoyts Lux before or after Imax? If it was after then it could be this restriction blocking it.

  • I really wish I’d paid more attention to the above post by Fungo Bungaloid and that this article had come out a few hours prior and I’d held off til tomorrow before subscribing, not directly relating to Sinemia but to its biggest competitor in terms of concept for the US MoviePass.

    MoviePass last financial year had a $150.8million US loss, while it’s not uncommon for upstarts to make significant losses their long term prospects rely on finding profitability or continued venture to continue. As pointed out in this latest article by Deadline (Hollywood news) MoviePass has $43.4m remaining in reserves which with the peak moviegoing season approaching is just over 2.5months remaining.

    With MoviePass being the biggest stakeholder in the category they will be the benchmark as well as precedent if they go under being watched by competitors and venture capitalists alike.

    The concern with above is what happens when the money dries up? We’re out a years worth of subscription while the service is either scaled back or shut down.
    The service could well go on for a month, or continue for years but my main concern is that we’re just going to be drying up the funds of a Ponzi scheme where the latest subscribers are only benefiting while new subscribers are forking out upfront.

    http://deadline.com/2018/05/moviepass-parents-stock-hammered…

    • That being said does anyone know what the charge back period for credit cards or debit Visa cards are?

    • +2

      To be fair, the MoviePass model had unlimited (daily) tickets. How anybody thought that would be sustainable is beyond me.

      It's like the old gift card scam where businesses rely on a bunch of customers being too lazy to redeem before the expiry date, or the unlimited data with telcos where they expect a significant portion of their base having it just for conveniences' sake and hardly using any.

      Then again, movies schedules do go through dry patches where nothing interesting gets released (like Feb or Oct, when Events do their best deals to try and drive revenue through quiet periods), which is probably where companies like this hope to claw back margin.

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