early ticket sales with no box office; a terrible policy

[Shadrach]

Okay how do I handle this without coming accross as being less than understanding?
 
 First, I feel your frustration in not being able to get tickets to the shows you wanted to. I myself was locked out of the Foo Fighters sale a couple months ago. The fact remains though that as fast as some shows sell out there would be very little chance that more than the first person in line would get tickets if we opened our box office at the same time as tickets went on sale. There are just too many people sitting in front of their computers ready to hit enter at 10 AM. A person sitting in the box office or even taking phone orders just wouldn't be able to compete with the speed at which these seats get locked.
 
 We only have a limited number of tickets for sale for each show and the demand can often times be much higher than what we have available. This is why you see people offering their tickets for hundreds of dollars on e-bay.
 
 Here are some tips other people have used:
 
 1. Subscribe to the 9:30 e-mail blast. You'll get the 411 on shows and when they go on sale often times before they are advertised. To join simply send an e-mail to list_serve@930.com
 
 2. Use a computer with a high speed connection.
 
 3. Have your CC info copied and ready to paste so you can get processed faster.
 
 4. Have a friend or coworker trying to get tickets at the same time to increase your chances.
 
 The fact is that even if you do these things there will still be times when others are faster and you'll get shut out, but that's the nature of rock shows. Again I'm sorry and better luck next time.

[Relaxer]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  You must have a very fast watch, or be an impatient person.??
 

I don't wear a watch. And waiting patiently is not a problem for me, but often I buy tickets when I'm there to see music, which has already begun. I could arrive at the Black Cat earlier, but I enjoy putting my kid to bed before I go out.
 
 And if you've only had to wait 5 or 6 minutes, how come you think they're slow? You must have a very slow watch or be an impatient person. Besides, in order to make a snarky point, I think you're lying about buying tickets at the Black Cat and never waiting more than 5-6 minutes.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Well I can see it being a pain in the ass if you're waiting to see a band. Why not come down and buy them between bands?
 
 And I haven't really timed it, though I do wear a watch. It just seems longer, because you have to stand around a bunch of hipster dorks. The kind who think that the girls who hang out at the Red Room are hotter than Angelina Jolie.
 
 

Originally posted by Relaxer:
   

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  You must have a very fast watch, or be an impatient person.??
 

I don't wear a watch. And waiting patiently is not a problem for me, but often I buy tickets when I'm there to see music, which has already begun. I could arrive at the Black Cat earlier, but I enjoy putting my kid to bed before I go out.
 
 And if you've only had to wait 5 or 6 minutes, how come you think they're slow? You must have a very slow watch or be an impatient person. Besides, in order to make a snarky point, I think you're lying about buying tickets at the Black Cat and never waiting more than 5-6 minutes. [/b]

[Seth Hurwitz]

did a little research...
 
 we used to bring people in early to open the box office for onsales and apparently 2 things happened:
 
 1. very few, if any, people showed up to buy
 2. the people that did, if it was a hot show, got beat out by the people online anyway
 
 so, we could pull tix off early to sell to people in line, but now we're talking about giving them an advantage, and paying people to come in early and work
 
 the question is...for what?
 
 so they can save the ticket charges? we should really go thru all of this trouble & expense so that a few people can pride themselves on getting out of paying ticket fees?
 
 I think not
 
 if tickets go on sale online first, and they ultimately cost $XX including ticket fees, then that's the deal. if they don't sell out immediately, then they will be available at the box office when we open at noon, and thereafter.
 
 We have changed a lot of policies and procedures to accomodate our regular patrons, but this one is too much for too little people.

[TheREALHunter]

If it's that big of a deal to spend an extra $5 perhaps you should stay home and save even more money.

[markie]

Originally posted by Seth Hurwitz:
  did a little research...
 
 

I much prefer this system to the barrage of pre-pre-pre-sales. At least this way, if you know about the show and get online as the tickets are released you have a good chance of getting tickets.
 
 With a lot of the pre-sales it felt like there were so few tickets that the chance of getting a ticket was slim. Then there would be another pre-sale....... It was just a big waste of time.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Try $8 when you throw in the fact that you're being charged a fee to pick them up will call.
 
 

Originally posted by TheREALHunter:
  If it's that big of a deal to spend an extra $5 perhaps you should stay home and save even more money.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Fair enough.
 
 

Originally posted by Seth Hurwitz:
  did a little research...
 
 we used to bring people in early to open the box office for onsales and apparently 2 things happened:
 
 1. very few, if any, people showed up to buy
 2. the people that did, if it was a hot show, got beat out by the people online anyway
 
 so, we could pull tix off early to sell to people in line, but now we're talking about giving them an advantage, and paying people to come in early and work
 
 the question is...for what?
 
 so they can save the ticket charges? we should really go thru all of this trouble & expense so that a few people can pride themselves on getting out of paying ticket fees?
 
 I think not
 
 if tickets go on sale online first, and they ultimately cost $XX including ticket fees, then that's the deal. if they don't sell out immediately, then they will be available at the box office when we open at noon, and thereafter.
 
 We have changed a lot of policies and procedures to accomodate our regular patrons, but this one is too much for too little people.

[Bombay Chutney]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  throw in the fact that you're being charged a fee to pick them up will call.
 

That's really my only complaint about the current setup.  
 
 I'm starting to think of service charges as an insurance policy.  I can pay the extra fees and be guaranteed a ticket right now, or I can waive the fees and hope there are tickets available later.  Sometimes it's worth the risk.  Sometimes it isn't.  It depends on how much I want to see the band and how likely I think it's going to sellout.
 If I'm not willing to pay the extra $8 to be guaranteed a ticket, I probably didn't want to go that bad in the first place.  I won't be too upset if it sells out.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Pretty soon, they'll think up a way to charge you extra on your Metro ride. An insurance policy, if you will. And maybe restaurants can charge "insurance" on their meals, ensuring that you don't get sick!
 
 

Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
   

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  throw in the fact that you're being charged a fee to pick them up will call.
 

That's really my only complaint about the current setup.  
 
 I'm starting to think of service charges as an insurance policy.  I can pay the extra fees and be guaranteed a ticket right now, or I can waive the fees and hope there are tickets available later.  Sometimes it's worth the risk.  Sometimes it isn't.  It depends on how much I want to see the band and how likely I think it's going to sellout.
 If I'm not willing to pay the extra $8 to be guaranteed a ticket, I probably didn't want to go that bad in the first place.  I won't be too upset if it sells out. [/b]

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  Pretty soon, they'll think up a way to charge you extra on your Metro ride. An insurance policy, if you will. And maybe restaurants can charge "insurance" on their meals, ensuring that you don't get sick!
 

I think all of us regulars would pay an $8 insurance policy for the board to assure you shut the hell up for once and stop with your tired drivel.

[kosmo vinyl]

thats a good way of looking at it... exactly how i'm approaching the colin meloy show at the birchmere if all the fees it's almost $25 per ticket would rather just wait and try to buy at the boxoffice or go see robert pollard instead.  i have always found the fees more resonable at the black cat.
 
  and while it's not probably recommed for use during hotly contest tickets sales, there is a shopping cart feature for 9:30 shows where you can get multiple shows for the same shipping fee.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

If you can raise $1000 and give it to me, I will! That's only 125 $8 contributions.
 
 

Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:
   

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  Pretty soon, they'll think up a way to charge you extra on your Metro ride. An insurance policy, if you will. And maybe restaurants can charge "insurance" on their meals, ensuring that you don't get sick!
 

I think all of us regulars would pay an $8 insurance policy for the board to assure you shut the hell up for once and stop with your tired drivel. [/b]

[nkotb]

Speaking of which, does anyone want to pick me up a copy of the tour EP?  I'll be out of town and will miss him again.
 
 

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
  exactly how i'm approaching the colin meloy show at the birchmere

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  If you can raise $1000 and give it to me, I will! That's only 125 $8 contributions.
 

Someone start the Rhett Miller pledge drive. I'm in for $50.