In a pioneering move to enhance audience experience, a cinema in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has introduced a "viewing experience guarantee service," granting moviegoers the right to a refund if they are dissatisfied with a film shortly after it begins.
A cinema in Hangzhou launched the two-month trial program on Sunday. According to Zhou Minghui, the cinema's operations deputy manager, the refund process is straightforward. If viewers feel within the first 20 minutes of a screening that the film does not meet their expectations or provides a poor experience, they can simply bring their valid ticket to the front desk for a 40 percent refund on the amount paid, no questions asked.
The 40 percent refund rate, rather than a full reimbursement, is due to the revenue-sharing model of the film industry. Cinemas must remit approximately 60 percent of box office earnings to film distributors and theater chains to cover production, distribution, and operational costs, leaving the cinema with limited control over the remaining share. The cinema also noted that refund applications must be completed on-site before leaving the theater.
This move revives a long-standing discussion in China's film industry about post-screening refunds. A 2018 notice from the China Film Distribution and Exhibition Association primarily addressed ticket changes and refunds before a screening. The debate over post-viewing refunds has been contentious. Supporters argue films, as a commodity, should have a return mechanism, while opponents point to the subjective nature of "quality" and the complexity of box office divisions as significant hurdles.