Helsinki City Theatre is testing dynamic pricing
Helsinki City Theatre, together with Lippupiste, piloted the dynamic pricing of theatre performances in autumn 2019. The piloting will be carried out in the performances of the comedy Threesome , which will premiere at Studio Pasila in September.
Dynamic ticket pricing is familiar in the fields of travel and sports, for example, and the Helsinki City Theatre’s experiment is now investigating how theatre audiences accept the opportunity to choose their ticket price according to the time of purchase.
“The ticket price is determined by the occupancy rate of the performance and the time of purchase. The aim is to provide everyone interested in theatre with an affordable way to enjoy culture, and on the other hand, to reward those who buy theatre tickets early with a discount. Studio Pasila was selected for the piloting because the auditorium is quite small and there are no separately priced auditorium sections,” says Marketing Manager Olli Eljaala.
It is hoped that the experiment will also have a positive effect on the occupancy rates of the stands. Dynamic pricing allows for a moderate increase in box office revenue for hugely popular shows.
“If interest in a single show becomes high, the price will rise. If, on the other hand, the occupancy rate does not change as the performance day approaches, the ticket price will decrease,” Eljaala explains.
There are no traditional discounts in dynamic pricing, for example. pensioners and students, but all buyers have an equal opportunity to take advantage of the benefits offered by pricing.
When tickets for the threesome performance go on sale on 18 March, the starting price of the tickets will be clearly lower than the normal ticket price for Studio Pasila (35 €). The algorithm then determines the ticket price for each performance between €10 and €50 according to demand.
If they wish, those who book group tickets can still use the theatre’s sales service using the traditional fixed pricing.
Threesome will premiere at Studio Pasila on 12 September. The comedy, written by French director Clément Michel , is directed by Liisa Mustonen and stars a stunning, young trio of actors Elina Hietala, Jarkko Niemi and Olli Rahkonen.
For more information on dynamic pricing, please contact: Marketing Manager Olli Eljaala, olli.elaala@hkt.fi, 050 379 9648
Helsinki City Theatre ticket office, First Line 2, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Eläintarhantie 5 Sat 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and one hour before the performance and Lippupiste Mon-Sat 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge)
www.hkt.fi
Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom.
Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests: Helsinki City Theatre, Communications Officer Kaisa Pelkonen, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki