Ticket Touts...

[Pheebs]

.... Need to have their bits chopped off.

I try to look out for decent shows in the up and coming year and it just seems nigh on impossible to buy tickets for any of the shows I want to see unless I buy them for quadruple the price.

So VERY angry.

Trying to get me Ma and Pa tickets to see Derren Brown in Bournemouth. Prices used to be £20 - £30 a ticket... now £80, if not more. I should have booked last year but I just haven't thought that far ahead with presents (with Christmas and all).

So SO So SUPER annoyed.



If I can't get my hands on some tickets (calling up the BIC this morning to see if there's any cancellations or anything going) I just... don't have a clue what to get my dear old Ma ma.

It should be made blooming illegal to sell tickets at a profit. It really should.

[FrostedNipple]

Originally Posted by Pheebs

It should be made blooming illegal to sell tickets at a profit. It really should.

Your ideas are worse than Alistair Darlings.

[Desmo]

As are your manners

Do you have anything constructive to add?


I think the problem is that it's a market you can't control. Once a ticket is sold, that person can sell it on at a higher price if they so wish and the market as a whole sets what that acceptable price is. The problem seems to stem from the fact that one person can lay their hands on so many tickets. If that couldn't be done then would they be able to influence the price as a whole?

[Wryel]

Originally Posted by Desmo

As are your manners

Do you have anything constructive to add?


I think the problem is that it's a market you can't control. Once a ticket is sold, that person can sell it on at a higher price if they so wish and the market as a whole sets what that acceptable price is. The problem seems to stem from the fact that one person can lay their hands on so many tickets. If that couldn't be done then would they be able to influence the price as a whole?

Then maybe it should be controlled. Any tickets you buy you specify who they are for, that person has to provide ID to get in. If you can't go you should be able to return the ticket so that it can be re-sold at the original price. Perhaps those ridiculous 'booking fees' could be justified if they offered such a service.

[Rich_L]

Originally Posted by Kitten

When I was working in advertising, it was illegal to advertise tickets being sold at above face value.

Yup, ticket £40, 'admin cost' £360. Job done

Then maybe it should be controlled. Any tickets you buy you specify who they are for, that person has to provide ID to get in. If you can't go you should be able to return the ticket so that it can be re-sold at the original price. Perhaps those ridiculous 'booking fees' could be justified if they offered such a service.

It's difficult though, you bought the ticket so why shouldn't you be able to sell it on to someone else! If they are desperate enough or willing to pay that much, and you can make a bit of money, then why should anyone else get involved really - it's a private enterprise and there is no 'right' to be able to afford to go to shows, if it's too expensive then it's too expensive. It's really no different to say, holiday companies bumping prices up in summer because that's when everyone goes on holiday - demand dictates the price after all.

I do have an issue with enterprises like Ticketmaster sewing up the tickets and essentially exercising a monopoly - but whilst it's certainly 'immoral', if people cared enough about it they wouldn't buy tickets at the inflated prices and so prices would come down - the prices indicate that it appears people are quite content.

[Del Lardo]

Originally Posted by Rich_L

It's difficult though, you bought the ticket so why shouldn't you be able to sell it on to someone else!

If you book a flight/holiday and decide at the last minute that you can't/don't want to go then you can't sell the ticket on so not implement that system for concert tickets?

You have to put a name on the ticket when you book and have valid ID that matches that name in order to get in. If you can't go then you can return the ticket for a full refund up to 24 hours before hand so they can be resold. Within 24 hours then tough titties.

[Rich_L]

Originally Posted by Del Lardo

If you book a flight/holiday and decide at the last minute that you can't/don't want to go then you can't sell the ticket on so not implement that system for concert tickets?

You have to put a name on the ticket when you book and have valid ID that matches that name in order to get in. If you can't go then you can return the ticket for a full refund up to 24 hours before hand so they can be resold. Within 24 hours then tough titties.

Yep, works fine for me, that's what I mean though, if the original vendors really wanted to stop ticket touting, they'd do this and it would stop in an instant - the fact most apparently don't seems to indicate that they don't consider ticket touting to be a big deal, probably because for them it's extra cost when all they care about is covering their sales in the first instance and filling the place

[Pumpkinstew]

If you can wait until nearer the event there's usually someone who'll panic sell you tickets at close to face value. I've even scooped a few at under face value before now.

[FrostedNipple]

Originally Posted by Pumpkinstew

If you can wait until nearer the event there's usually someone who'll panic sell you tickets at close to face value. I've even scooped a few at under face value before now.

where do you go to find these people?

[Knipples]

I ended up paying £100 for two tickets to go and see The Script. They were only sold for 15 originally, and I was only able to go thanks to a donation of £70 from my Dad because he knew how desperate I was to see them. Otherwise I wouldnt have been able to afford forking out for them. Tickets on ebay were the only place left selling them, even at that hugely inflated price.

Stinks dont it, and I know I just played into their hands, but I wanted to go and see them sadly.