Assignment 3 - INFO 290 PDF

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Caroline Munoz Christiana Natale INFO 290-07 Assignment 3

For this assignment my partner and I chose to compare and contrast AMC theaters and Regal Cinemas. We chose these two businesses because there is a good amount of

competition when it comes to movie theaters. When searching movie times the consumer is always searching for the theater that is playing the most movies as well as which theater has the biggest screen, most comfortable seats, and the best reputation. A theater’s reputation is largely based off of their website where there can be multiple factors compared and contrasted that make the best experience for the consumer.

Factor 1: Navigation When navigating through both AMC Theatres and Regal Cinema’s websites, both offered me different subtitles such as, food and drinks, location, and extras. However, Regal Cinemas offered more subtitles like, gift cards, recliners, specials and promotions. On the other hand, when you clicked on a movie on AMC website, it provided you with the entire cast, plot, and special unseen footage. As a consumer who is trying to make a decision as to which movie to see, that is very helpful in modern. Regal Cinemas just lists a brief summary of the movie. When is comes to navigating through the websites to purchase tickets, both websites are similar yet they take a different approach. AMC theaters websites has a “get your tickets” button as soon as you get onto the page. Regal Cinemas has a bar at the top where you type in your zip code and it’ll navigate you directly to a list of Regal Cinemas in your area. Then you can chose go ahead from there and pick your movie.

Factor 2: Visual Effect When comparing both AMC and Regal Cinemas visual effect for the two websites, AMC is definitely easier on the eye. When you click onto AMC website, the color scheme is mainly black and red, but there are also many other colors in the pictures of the movie advertisements. What is most appealing about this website is that the font is big and the advertisements for the movies are very large. For example, when clicking on one of the subtitles like, “see a movie”, there are many options but they are spread out and the font is big and easy to read. On the

other hand, Regal Cinemas websites are unappealing to the eye. Everything is white and very plain. The only colors on the site are green, blue, red, and yellow and that is only in the logo of the website. The font is hard to read and it is a lot smaller. The movie advertisements are bunched up onto one page instead of the spacious layout that AMC has.

Factor 3: Security Both AMC and Regal Cinemas have similar security processes. When purchasing tickets through the websites, they both require a type of username and password as well as the standard credit card information. The two websites differ in that Regal Cinemas allows you to sign up for a Fandango rewards system for free. For consumers that do not like to be bothered with typing in a page of information, the website allows the consumer to sign in as a guest, which requires an email and password with no other questions asked. The AMC theater website requires information that is more extensive than just an email and password. This could be inconvenient for a consumer because it is time consuming.

Factor 4: Quality of Product Both companies have very similar quality of their products. Since they are both selling movie tickets and movie tickets only to consumers, there is not much room for contrasting the two products quality. They are both virtual products, which means that the consumer’s tickets are emailed to their phone. When they arrive at the theater an employee will scan the barcode on the email with their ticket. However, the AMC theater allows you to print your ticket as well. This is a good idea because it is targeted towards the older generation that may not know how to use an iPhone that well or people that do not trust technology and would rather have a hard copy to ensure nothing getting deleted on their cell phone.

Factor 5: Delivery Process

The delivery process of an online website is important because it should compare to the ease of purchasing in store. Websites should make the experience as straightforward and easy as possible to accommodate all needs. Regal Cinemas uses fandango for their purchasing platform and offers a simple transaction. When purchasing tickets for Regal Cinemas, there is a section under customer support which allows you to read their delivery options. They have four methods of obtaining your purchased ticket, that is, picking it up at the box office or venue, using a kiosk with the valid credit card used, using a printer at home, or through your mobile device. On the other hand, AMC Theatre makes it difficult to find this information on the methods of their delivery process. Their FAQs section all the way at the bottom of the website does not include any information regarding the ways of obtaining your ticket. To figure out this information, you will most likely have to purchase a ticket first. The other way of finding out would be to call customer service and ask about their process. I do think that AMC Theatres should make this information accessible to consumers because it can create a lot of confusion beforehand. Some people like to know all the information before purchasing anything online and that is a negative factor on AMC Theatres website.

Factor 6: Return Policy The return policy of online websites should be evident to the consumer before making any purchases. Regal Cinemas provides information about their return policy in several sections of their website. They offer a “worry free ticket” policy which states that life happens and they give full refunds not including the convenience fee. They mention that the convenience fee is non-refundable in bold letters on their refund policy. Also, they give an exchange option which allows the consumer to choose a movie time or date of their choice including the convenience fee. I think this option is better considering you wouldn’t have to pay a convenience fee twice. AMC Theatres has a refund policy that can be found under the FAQs section and on the screen before you purchase a ticket. Their policy states no refunds after printed showtime and the

convenience fee cannot be refunded in bold letters as well. No further information is listed other than that, you would need to contact the customer service number which is provided. However, AMC Theatres gives the consumer a chance to join AMC Stubs for free of charge and can waive the convenience fee with that option.

Factor 7: Speed of Website After using the suggested tool “which loads faster” I found that Regal Cinemas loaded 2.1x faster than AMC Theatres. This is useful information because as a consumer you want to make certain that you are using the best website when purchasing anything online. The security and speed of the website needs to be up to date because as a consumer issues like accuracy, performance, and making sure your information is protected are constantly persuading consumers to use an alternative website. The accuracy of the website should make everything stated as clear as possible. Also, providing accurate information regarding the show times, locations, policies, and customer service numbers are vital to a great online experience. Overall, the performance of a website needs to be quick because the primary reason of purchasing tickets online is to avoid time spent on lines at movie theatres. If a website is slow and out of date it contradicts the reason for using it in the first place. Factor 8: Extras Both Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatre have a section where they list and describe the many deals, promotions, and giveaways that they make available for their consumers. Regal Cinemas has an add of their app called Regal Mobile App for iPhones and Androids on their homepage. Their customer service is remarkable because they give you several options of communicating with them at an appropriate wait time. They have a live chat option where you can instant message with a customer service representative, customer service numbers, and emails. I really like the live chat option because it is a quick method of communication which allows for an understanding between the consumer and the representative in a matter of

seconds. On the other hand, AMC Theatres does not offer the live chat option but they list their customer service numbers on many sections of their website. Regal Cinemas presents many giveaways and sweepstakes when purchasing a ticket that qualifies. They even offer discounts but asks that you contact the theatre of your choice to confirm it. Regal Cinemas gives a senior discount above of the age 65 and has a Regal Crown Club option as a reward system. AMC Theatres also has a senior discount but from the age of 60 and above. AMC Theatres has giveaways like collectable posters, trips to premieres, and food deals. Also, I found that they have options to buy out the movie theatre under their corporate sales section. This option is great for anyone who may be organizing an event or trip. Taking everything into account, both Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres provide a userfriendly website. Many factors work in the favor of each but as a consumer I would suggest using Regal Cinemas. AMC Theatres is visually appealing and modern but it lacks on the customer service support. As a consumer you want everything spelled out to make your online experience easier. I found that Regal Cinemas and their fandango platform provide various options to communicate with their customer service representatives. I think this is the most important factor of E-Commerce. Their delivery process is substantial giving you many options to choose from. Regal Cinemas website is faster than AMC Theatres, and although their website is plain it is simple to use. Regal Cinemas gives the consumer an instant transaction with all the support of having a Q&A section, the many ways of communicating with them, and great deals....