Service Charges / Fees On Tickets

Subject: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 16 Oct 14 - 08:51 PM

Compulsory Service Charges / Fees On Tickets

This scam is widespread throughout the entertainment industry certainly in the UK. Not only are there service charges for actually booking tickets, but also for ticket handling (even if the tickets are only electronic), then there are even charges for printing the damn things out at home, etc.

These charges are a fraud. Invariably they are never mentioned in any publicity literature, and are gradually added on as a booking takes place on a ticketing website. Sometimes a delivery charge is added on whilst payment goes through and only appears after a payment transaction has completed.

Concessionary tickets are rarely part of an online deal.

AND if an event is cancelled the tickets might be refunded in full or in part but the booking fees are NEVER refunded.

Recently we were trying to book tickets in London for a folk dance (FGS). It was via a Meetup.com Group. The organisation is actually a 'Not For Profit' charity. However it was necessary to book and pay for tickets online. The service charges amounted to an extra £3 each. These extra charges this time would have gone to the ticketing agency. Normally we would have simply turned up and paid at the door.

So it may be that by selling such tickets through a FOR profit ticketing agency the charity is breaking the terms of its Not for Profit status.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,Clive
Date: 16 Oct 14 - 09:15 PM

Absolutely. I've recently been charged for a £13.50 Chris Wood ticket, booking fee = £1.80, transaction fee = £2.80. Total cost = £18.10 which leaves a pretty unpleasant taste in the mouth. Much as I love Chris' stuff, while he's still playing venues like this, I expect this will be the last time I go to one of his gigs.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 16 Oct 14 - 09:44 PM

In the USA there is No Fee ...if you purchase the tickets (including advance sale) at the theatre "box-office."

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

The USA savings on two tickets will more than cover the cost of gas AND provide a respectable lunch for the effort. However, free comps, or "crew cards" are always the best.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Oct 14 - 09:46 PM

£13.50 Chris Wood ticket, booking fee = £1.80, transaction fee = £2.80.

Google that as is. Many other performers were stuck with the same deal.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 01:20 AM

The usual extra charges on entertainment tickets in the U.S. are about 20 percent. I wanted to attend a Doc Watson concert at a university theater a while back, but the cost of tickets and fees and parking was too expensive. I skipped it, and so I missed my only chance to see him perform. Guess I should have bit the bullet and bought a ticket.
I've been spoiled by house concerts, which are usually $20 or less per ticket, with no fees or taxes - and no seats more than 20 feet from the performer.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Howard Jones
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 08:22 AM

There are two separate issues raised here.

Firstly, a 'not for profit' organisation is not prohibited from making a profit - what it means is that any operational surplus is ploughed back into achieving its objectives rather than distributed to shareholders as dividends. NPOs are't prohibited from dealing with profit-making organisations, and if they were it would be impossible for them to operate - how could they purchase anything from stationery to biscuits or get legal or accounting advice? They are allowed to operate in the real world.

Someone organising an event has the choice between handling ticket sales themselves or contracting it to a third party. Many organisations don't have the resources to have someone on standby to handle ticket sales, and if they can only be sold during someone's spare time they are likely to lose sales. An agency can advertise more widely and and operate in normal working hours, and if they are online provide a 24 hour service. However they are businesses and expect to get paid for the service they provide.

When you buy a ticket direct from the promoter or the venue the handling costs are hidden in the price. The objection to these agencies appears to be that the costs are added on during the booking process so the final cost is more than expected. However the real question is whether the concert is value for money. Would it have made a difference to you if the tickets had been advertised at the final price in the first place?

Not a fraud, but a charge for providing a service. Unfortunately not all ticket sellers follow best practice. All the charges must be stated but if these are hidden away in the T&Cs then they're easy to miss. However these charges are well-known and it shouldn't really come as a surprise that they're added.

A promoter has to balance the risk that the charges will put some people off against the hope that a ticket seller will provide a more effective service and will achieve more sales than doing it themselves.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 09:00 AM

Someone organising an event has the choice between handling ticket sales themselves or contracting it to a third party. Many organisations don't have the resources to have someone on standby to handle ticket sales, and if they can only be sold during someone's spare time they are likely to lose sales. An agency can advertise more widely and and operate in normal working hours, and if they are online provide a 24 hour service. However they are businesses and expect to get paid for the service they provide.
There again, there's always EBay. Set the price at what you think the tickets are worth, and all transaction charges etc. are dealt with via EBay/PayPal. Buyers see the price they'll pay upfront, and this includes all charges, which will reduce the net price paid to the promoter.
Not ideal, but a possible alternative.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 09:30 AM

Perhaps the ticket agency detailing a transaction charge is a more up front and honest way of dealing with things.

at the end of the day, the ticket agency is a commercial operation, set up to make a profit, and therefore has to make charges. Event organisers will use ticket agencies for their events because it is a simple and effective way to provide an online box office facility.

Many theatres will build their box office costs into the ticket price, so the promotor, knowing that will add that cost into the quoted price, so the end consumer is still effectively paying for that service.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 09:36 AM

Reading Arts (UK)charge the service charge even if you pay cash at the box office. I order mine online so they have to pay the postage out of the service charge as there is no difference, also saves me queueing on the night, especially if my train's late. It is usually better to go direct to venue box office online rather than third party websites in the UK. Theatres have started adding extras for "heritage restoraton costs", giftaid etc. We've found if you turn up at a theatre box office with proof of age (ie over 60) and want matinee tickets you can sometimes get great discounts. We saw popular Porgy & Bess for £20 each when cheapest advertised seats were £60 each.
One of my pet gripes with local venues that advertise membership with money off entry to find a)door staff have never seen membership card before and haven't been trained to offer discount and b) discount never seems to apply for some reason.

RtS

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,I Don't Know
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 11:05 AM

Just ordered tickets for a gig, got reduced rate for consession then had to pay that amount in service charge. The lady said the ticket price is going to the artist & the service charge goes towards upkeep of the venue. Think this is fair if true. (The artist on a full house will get about £1500 the venue £200.) The artist may be worth this but I can not believe this adds up as solo folk artists no matter how good I am sure would not receive this sort of money (yes it has sold out). for one night, maybe in London.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 11:40 AM

Simple... I just decided to stop going to concerts.

No matter how much I might enjoy an artist, none of them are worth the extortionate expenditure
of tickets, rail fares, Travel lodge, meals, drinks etc...

Or the discomfort of being crammed in inadequate venues
next to loudmouthed cretins who spoil every song by talking, whistling and singing along badly out of tune.

The last straw for me was when Springsteen played Cardiff around 2006 or 08
and the wife insisted we go no matter what it cost..

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 12:46 PM

@CJB

Meet up groups normally negotiate a block booking discount so you probably ended up paying no more than the walk up price anyway.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 12:56 PM

Last time I recently estimated the expenditure for me & the mrs to attend a big city concert for a big name performer,
the total cost was equivalent to buying a brand new good quality budget priced guitar or amp,
or a new smart phone or tablet....

sod that...

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 01:00 PM

"the ticket agency is a commercial operation, set up to make a profit, and therefore has to make charges."

It has to make charges even if its only to pay its own bills and pay someone to do the work that promoter isn't having to do.

If the only option for buying a ticket in advance is through the agency why not just advertise a price that includes the charge ?

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: GUEST,DTM
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 01:35 PM

(Oops above)

Don't care who the artiste is or how important a football game it is, I will NEVER give the likes of Ticketmaster one penny of my money.
If everybody did the same these parasitical companies would soon go out of business and things could get back to normal.
Rant over.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 04:08 PM

Fuck the touts and toutalikes. Prices should be prices. Welcome to ripoff Britain, bought to you by cuntservatives, from Thatcher to date.

Subject: RE: Service Charges / Fees On Tickets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 17 Oct 14 - 04:39 PM

The latest government action on ticket touting:
* The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006
* The Ticket Touting (Designation of Football Matches) Order 2007
Prevent ticket touting for football (soccer) matches. Perhaps these should have been given a wider remit.
The alert among you will note (from the dates) that these were brought to you by Messrs. Blair & Brown, of the Labour party.

But we shouldn't allow the facts to interfere with a good rant!