Ticketmaster.su.cks

[RougeUnderoos]

I want to go to a Strokes* concert.

Tickets -- $32.75. Convenience fee -- $8.75. Processing charge -- $3.50.

It all comes out to a nice round number of $45. An advertised $33 item in reality costs $45. Tack on GST and it's more than 48 bucks.

Now I don't want to sound like Eddie Vedder here, but this is the biggest effing scam in the history of western civilization.

So I figured I'd skip the "convenience" of giving them 12 dollars and I'd go to the box office and buy the ticket from a real live person. In fact, I was advised by the Ticketmaster lackey on the phone to do just that. Unfortunately, doing just that is not possible. I phoned the Corral box office and they told me to phone Ticketmaster for tickets to that particular event. I can't conveniently avoid the convenience charges at all. I must pay for convenience, even if it's inconvenient, and I don't want it.

I'm something of a Cheap Charlie so this really bothers me. Does it bother anyone else? The funny thing is had the Ticketmaster lackey just said "that'll be 45 dollars" I wouldn't have blinked, but she kept interrupting me and tacking on more charges.

Me: How much?
Her: 32.75
Me: okay, Visa number is...
Her: Plus 8.75 convenience charge
Me: Convenience charge?
Her: Plus 3.50 processing charge
Me: Processing charge?
Her: Plus GST
Me: Hey now just hold on a minute here
Her: Total comes to...

I suppose this isn't news**, and years ago I banned Ticketmaster shows for this very reason, but I had some vague idea in my head that things had changed because of a lot of media attention, public outrage and even government involvement. I guess not.

*if you don't like the Strokes and you have something clever to say, make it good or keep yer trap shut
**it's not news, but it is therapeutic public ranting and it's a little less crazy to do it here than on the street corner

[ken0042]

I've also noticed that when buying online it often tells me I have input the secret word wrong; when I know I haven't.

Plus if you want to go pick up your ticket- you know so you actually have something that looks like tickets to pass out and not something that looks like you di yourself in Photoshop and decided to pass out; there's only about 2 ticketmasters in town that are open past 5:00. What is the convenience fee for again?

Also online, you can't say "I'd like section 203" you have to tell them "best" or one price range only. Then if you are willing to spend up to $65 for Flames tickets, you can't search $65 and under.

[Hakan]

Convenience fee, yep that sure is convenient for Ticketmaster.

What's the history of ticketmaster, how did they get to control the ticket racket so thoroughly?

[albertGQ]

Ticket master does suck. check out this link

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/artist/805907?calendar_view=1&calendar_year=2006&calendar _month=4&start=1&rpp=4

So according to ticketmaster, Flames play 4 games in 4 nights

[@theCBE]

I wish I could boycott ticketmaster, but they basically have a monopoly and if you want to see your band/team/whatever they are a necessary evil

Edit.. I also wish I could spell

[AaronSJ]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Convenience fee, yep that sure is convenient for Ticketmaster.

What's the history of ticketmaster, how did they get to control the ticket racket so thoroughly?

Let's face it -- it's convenient for promoters (including sports teams), not for the public.

Don't know the history, but they've become successful because they've understood that their customer isn't the general public (they are merely an agent), but rather the promoter/venue. They have a infrastructure that's second-to-none in terms of distributing a large amount of tickets worldwide in a short period of time. From a promoter's perspective (think concert or Flames playoff game), this is ideal as there is absolutely no effort required to process and distribute thousands and thousands of tickets, something which allows them to save signifcant amounts of labour and infrastructure costs (no need for an e-commerce enabled website, for example).

They aren't the only one either -- I recented paid $30 in fees for TWO tickets to the LOTR musical, including a $3 mailing fee (vs. a $3 pick-up at the box office fee or a $3 print at home fee). At least I'll cost them a stamp...

[toonmaster]

thank you megatunes

the majority of the shows i see have tickets available there without convenience fees and I will only buy from them

but for pretty much anything else ticketmaster it is, and it is outragous

[toonmaster]

Jem?

[habernac]

for a few years, I boycotted as well. Last year I eased up and went to a bunch of shows. No sense in punishing myself by not seeing any live music. The convenience fee stuff is bull**** for sure.

[Engine09]

Before buying tickets to any show I always check if Megatunes of Sloth are selling. I despise Ticketbasterd like no one else.

Seriously though, what can we do besides throwing complaints at management?

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by fotze

Nope, only Jem was truly outrageous. Jem Jem, truely outrageous.

It's showtime, Synergy!

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Jem?

[Sparks]

Something tells me Fotze and I Hate Hulse had matching Jem lunchboxes

I love how Ticketmaster charges you to print out your own tickets. Never figured out how that makes sense.

[Igottago]

thanks for the thread, I had no idea they were coming to town. Just got a couple tix. Yeah, all the extra fees really suck.

[sec304]

SCALPING IS ILLEGAL! But covenience raping charges are not!

[flamingchina]

This is why I only have pants parties

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by sec304

SCALPING IS ILLEGAL! But covenience raping charges are not!

Actually Scalping ins't illegal. In Alberta you are legally allowed to sell a ticket for twice the face value. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely HATE scalpers, but it isn't illegal.

[troutman]

I'll check my sources, but I think it is illegal in Alberta to sell a ticket for more than face value.

At least Rouge got to speak to a real live person at Ticketmaster. When I call them I only get the automized voicemail Tickettorture.

[sec304]

^^tell that to the mods in the buy and sell forum

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by fotze

I believe that whenever you are using interac and the system is down that they should give you $1.50 as an inconvenience fee. You wait on hold that's a fee. Credit card number stolen, they pay you.

Fotze those are brilliant ideas. I also think there should be an incompetence surcharge. If the bank/utility/Sears are icompetent you should be able to charge them by the minute. Perhaps 5$ a minute. Under this system if I have to spend 20 minutes explaining to a person that the washing machine they sold me actually exists and is sitting in front of me even though they "don't carry that model, according to the book", they would pay me $100.