43% surcharge on ticket @ ticketfly.com?!? What the...????

Sugartastic wrote:
I agree - single ticket price would be better, if only a mind game.

I don't even worry about service fees any longer for this exact reason.  It's really just a mind game.  It makes no difference about the service charges vs. convenience fees vs. box-office fees vs. delivery fees vs. will-call fees, etc.  The cost of a show isn't the face value of the ticket - it's the amount of money that comes out of my wallet.  There are currently 2 prices:  the tickets.com final price and the box office final price.  That's it.  Those are your choices.  Each has their advantages and disadvantages.    Worrying about the breakdown of those costs is an exercise in frustration and irrelevant in the long run.

Bombay wrote:
The cost of a show isn't the face value of the ticket - it's the amount of money that comes out of my wallet.   There are currently 2 prices:  the tickets.com final price and the box office final price.  That's it.  Those are your choices.  Each has their advantages and disadvantages.    Worrying about the breakdown of those costs is an exercise in frustration and irrelevant in the long run.

chutney for president.

district2020 wrote:


(Ticket was $20, surcharges were almost $9, FYI)

so if the ticket ends up being $29, then that's what it costs…you should decide to go based on that number

how it gets split up between nightclub/promoter/ticket co/band…that just doesn't matter…the end result to you is that it's $29…worrying about who gets what on our end just isn't going to help you

I agree with the people that say vote with your wallet

One quick point though.  Shouldn't the price that listed on websites and in ads include all of these fees?  It doesn't seem right to me that consumers only know the real cost of a ticket until they reach the checkout point.

Yes, I would agree with you that to have it sprung on you at the end kinda sucks…except that everybody here knows that's coming so who are we really fooling with that argument

The issue that this thread was addressing, I think, was how much the ticket ends up costing, not the surprise of it

plus you can always bail at checkout….it's not like you order something and THEN the extra charges are added without your approval

again…vote with your wallets…if you think the total ticket is too much, don't go

Thanks, I completely agree with that, but think ticket sellers could curb some of the vocal outrage if they just made the system a bit more transparent and up-front.  Personally, I buy as many tickets as I can from the box office and often miss shows if they are too expensive. I think it's easy to foget how many shows you actually don't go to because of the price. When you see costs that appear to be "extra" tacked on to tickets that you can afford, it becomes just an easy target for grumbling.

Seth wrote:

district2020 wrote:


(Ticket was $20, surcharges were almost $9, FYI)

so if the ticket ends up being $29, then that's what it costs…you should decide to go based on that number

how it gets split up between nightclub/promoter/ticket co/band…that just doesn't matter…the end result to you is that it's $29…worrying about who gets what on our end just isn't going to help you

I agree with the people that say vote with your wallet

Okay, okay, good points, I agree. I do think this way at times, and will continue. Worrying about who gets what isn't at the top of my complaints. Sure, it sucks to see TM and LN charge high fees, when it seems to be they get most of the cut. But, I can't know for sure.
What's at the top of my list is the final high cost - no matter what charges go in to make the total.

Tickets.com has been better than TM/LN, so thank you, Seth. I know you are working hard to find a better tool for the club and us.  Plenty of people will continue to buy and afford tickets and fill the club, I get it. Telling us not to go is simple, but please look at it from the other side. I want to see live music - a hobby, general interest/entertainment, and social outlet. It's not one show a year.
 
It is a bit of a bummer when you get really excited for that one show you've been waiting for, see the face value, figure you can manage that, plug in your info, hit "purchase" and fees are over the top.

i like how seth capitalizes some sentences and words but not others.  it's . . . kitten cute.

i want to roll around naked in a big ole pile of money, and see how many surcharges i can create.

This same logic applies to everything.  I wanted a beer last night at a show, but I only had four bucks on me.  My options where 1) no beer or 2) drink a PBR.  I opted for number one.  Just cuz you want something doesn't mean life's handing it out.  Good lord.

Plus, based on the amount of shows some of you guys go to, ticket surcharges are obviously not a concern.  You're only fired up enough to gripe about it on a message board, which isn't doing shit.  Either put up or shut up. 

I think service fees are lame too, but guess what?  They're providing me a service so I don't have to drive to get tickets.  Seems fair to me.

which sentence did I capitalize?

nkotb wrote:
Plus, based on the amount of shows some of you guys go to, ticket surcharges are obviously not a concern.  You're only fired up enough to gripe about it on a message board.

nkotb wrote:
I think service fees are lame too, but guess what?  They're providing me a service so I don't have to drive to get tickets.  Seems fair to me.

nkotb, voice of reason!!… What the hell? What year is it? How long have I been asleep?

Seth wrote:

district2020 wrote:


(Ticket was $20, surcharges were almost $9, FYI)

so if the ticket ends up being $29, then that's what it costs…you should decide to go based on that number

how it gets split up between nightclub/promoter/ticket co/band…that just doesn't matter…the end result to you is that it's $29…worrying about who gets what on our end just isn't going to help you

I agree with the people that say vote with your wallet

I agree Seth but why not then charge 29$ all in? You say we shouldn't worry about the extra $9 but its you guys that bring it up! Just charge us the all in price and then you divide up the charges amongst yourselves..  I mean you say not to think about it and we wouldn't except you bring it up by having one price and then adding the charges and telling us what they are….. no?

It's just nuts…we're talking about a modern convenience here.  It's not like a food or water surcharge…it's a fucking concert.

Somebody had to man up and set the record straight  ;)

Julian, wrote:
nkotb, voice of reason!!… What the hell? What year is it? How long have I been asleep?

one could always buy tickets from a broker, just consider it a different but still pesky convenience fee.

This sure leaves a good opportunity for the Fillmore to undercut, if it ever opens.

Seth wrote:

district2020 wrote:

how it gets split up between nightclub/promoter/ticket co/band…that just doesn't matter…the end result to you is that it's $29…worrying about who gets what on our end just isn't going to help you

This statement is ridiculous.  Of course we care were our money is going.   ::)  On a slightly unrelated note, that's the reason I tried so hard to get my $5 refund from the Virgin Festival when Ticketmaster  tried to swindle it away from me.  I don't support that company.  I would rather my $5 go to the charity… not ticketmaster.

Driveway wrote:
This sure leaves a good opportunity for the Fillmore to undercut, if it ever opens.

Right…Live Nation will be all over that

you haven't seen LN's charges lately, have you? They're downright hilarious.

Driveway wrote:
This sure leaves a good opportunity for the Fillmore to undercut, if it ever opens.

Seth wrote:

Driveway wrote:
This sure leaves a good opportunity for the Fillmore to undercut, if it ever opens.

Right…Live Nation will be all over that

I laughed at that too. Live Nation is always there with one hand deep in your pocket and the other with a knife in it behind your back.

While Driveway did bring up a good ethical point that a lot of consumers do think of before making purchases, he forgot who he was talking about on this one. Which, ultimately, unless it's a show I must see (and that list is small), I fully intend to boycott that place. It has 'screw you' to the average consumer, citizen and artist written all over it! Just wish everyone else would do the same… though we all know how many will think nothing of storming right in there. Just look how many of them shop at Slave-Mart.

By no means do I support The Fillmore or Live Nation.  I think they and Clear Channel are pretty darned evil.  I'm just saying that ticketfly's seemingly high service charges would make it easy for them to undercut, if they chose to do so.

I'd like to see a flat fee for service charges instead of a percentage.  A $55 dollar ticket doesn't cost more to print and mail than a $10 ticket.  This would also remove the 'surprise' element at check out.  I know this is a pipe dream though and will likely never happen.