Maximising Value of Cineplex’s CineClub
Our previous post entitled: “Is the Cineplex’s CineClub Worth it?” has been quite popular as of late. So we thought we would dive a little deeper into the value of the program.
A little background first. Scotiabank has entered into a joint venture with Cineplex to own and operate a rewards program called Scene+, which has gone through a major revamp the past couple of years. Previously, Scene+ was solely controlled by Cineplex. More on Scene+ later in the post.
As for Cineplex, they also offer a paid membership program called CineClub. Last time, we focused on the highlights of the program. The comment section of that post was very active with regards to the value of the features. So today, we will break down the benefits into more detail to whether it is worth the membership fee.
CineClub highlights
Let’s start with recapping the key features and benefits of CineClub.
- Two choices of membership options:
- Monthly: $9.99 fee per month (plus applicable taxes)
- Annual: $119.88 fee per year (plus applicable taxes) + earn 1,000 Scene+ bonus points for choosing the annual membership
- Receive 1 free monthly movie ticket for any regular admission movie + pay $9.99 for each extra ticket to go with the free ticket (up to 2 per show)
- No online booking fees when purchasing a movie ticket
- Receive 20% off the following:
- Concessions purchases, food from Outtakes, gaming at The Rec Room and Playdium, as well as VIP lounge purchases
- Receive 10% off all purchases and rentals on the Cineplex Store
Annual versus monthly fee
What is the difference in value between a monthly and annual membership?
If you multiply the $9.99 monthly fee times 12 months, that equals exactly $119.88. That is exactly the price of the annual membership fee. So the only benefit of paying the annual fee up front is the 1,000 bonus Scene+ points. Those points are worth $10 in value. If you factor in taxes, let’s say the member lives in Ontario, the $119.88 plus 13% HST equals $135.46. So the 1,000 points is like netting a 7.4% return on spending ($10 / $135.46). However, this return does not factor in cost-opportunity for only paying $9.99 per month and not having to pay the entire amount up front.
So is the 1,000 points is worth it or not? I would say that is a personal preference based on the calculations and cost opportunity relative to the return.
Free monthly movie ticket
Members receive one free monthly movie ticket for any regular admission price movie. The voucher is credited upon the subscription date (i.e. upon receipt of the monthly payment). So it is not based on the first of every month.
The good news is that the free ticket does not expire and can be carried forward indefinitely even if the membership is cancelled. This is actually a pretty good deal, because this means that the $9.99 monthly fee is already offset by the free movie ticket. Even if members do not take advantage of any other features and benefits of the program, this perk helps break even.
There is also a feature where members can bring two additional guests into the theatres for $9.99 admission price each. The $9.99 admission price would only be beneficial if they two additional guest has to pay more than $9.99 in the first place.
What else?
Since the free movie ticket is a write off, the real advantage of the membership fee are the discounts and savings. The waived online booking fee is nice to have as a member. But the booking fee itself seems a bit ridiculous to begin with. Basically, if you buy your tickets in person, there is no extra fee. The extra fee is charged when you buy your tickets online.
That being said, the more one spends (at the placed mentioned in the highlights), the more cumulative savings there will be, which can really add up for big spenders. I would not spend for the sake of the savings, but if you plan to spend anyway, mine as well take advantage of the savings option.
Who should sign up for a membership?
Personally, I still do not plan to pay for this membership at the moment as I do not go to the theatre often enough. When I do go to the theatres, I like to splurge my Air Miles, by redeeming them for movie passes (usually 455 Dream Miles for the “Cineplex Entertainment – Great Escape Certificate” that includes 2 regular admissions tickets, 2 drinks and a popcorn). I know it may not be the best use of my Air Miles, but that’s why I said splurge. I like this package because then I can watch the movie any time without worrying about the price markup during popular times.
That being said, if someone does frequently spend on the Cineplex brands that offer discounts, I can see how the membership fee is easily worth it. It does not take long to save $9.99 if you frequently spend at those places anyway. So the question to ask is, how much do you normally spend on concessions purchases, food from Outtakes, gaming at The Rec Room and Playdium, as well as VIP lounge purchases? That calculation is what will determine whether the membership fee is worth it.
Do you already have the CineClub membership? If so, please let us know your experience in the comment section below!