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

[MonkeyPants]

Also I think it's important to keep this in perspective. Of course if you buy one ticket the fees will seem larger and be a bigger percentage, but for example if you were to buy 4 tickets to Gogol Bordello your cost of the tickets would be $120.00 and your total charges associated would come to $30.00, which is only 25% in service charges rather than the 43% mentioned.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ONLY 25%

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

How much would it cost you at your hourly work rate to get to 930 Club and buy the tickets yourself?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[eltee]

You have a problem with ticket charges? Buy at box.. too bad if you don't live close by..do not feed the monster.. go to more shows that try to limit this crap.. write Seth a letter...DO SOMETHING.. consumers have all taken it lying down for years and they will just continue to hike charges infinitum..We need to move to a single all in ticket price.

I try to get tickets when I'm at another show, but c'mon, going to more shows? I'm trying to save money for the next pricey show! I can only afford so much. If I don't go to shows to make a point, I'm the one that loses. When we say something here, or to Seth, to make a change, it's seen as complaining.
I agree - single ticket price would be better, if only a mind game.

[yohansen5b]

I was purchasing a ticket this morning to an upcoming 9:30 show on ticketfly.   All was well until I got to the payment screen.  Did a doubletake @ the fees.  Service fee + order processing fee = additional 43% of the ticket price.

you were quoted in yesterday's washingtonpost.com's 'got plans' online chat: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/10/29/DI2009102903588.html

[James Ford]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

How much would it cost you at your hourly work rate to get to 930 Club and buy the tickets yourself?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Depends on whether she works at McDonalds or Burger King. And which location.

[Bombay Chutney]

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.

[sweetcell]

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.

[Seth Hurwitz]

(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

[conorh98]

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.

[Seth Hurwitz]

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

[conorh98]

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.

[eltee]

(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.

[walkonby]

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.

[nkotb]

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.

[Seth Hurwitz]

which sentence did I capitalize?