Ticket Touts

[tommyds]

Before I start devil's advocating, let me say that I hate touting, touts are scum, one of my mates was touting Reading tickets one year and we threw him out of our campsite and told him to go and camp with the other c**ts.

That being said, it's extremely hard to ban from a legal standpoint, the only way they've managed it with football tickets is that you're barely allowed to stand still outside a football stadium before the police move you on, let alone try and sell tickets outside one. Gig tickets are a different kettle of fish. As several people have pointed out, a lot of legitimate ticket outlets also supply the secondary market at a premium. Glastonbury doesn't want touting so they themselves have put in the measures to stop it. Other events could go the same route but they choose not to.

It's abhorrent from a moral perspective but no more illegal than, say, buying a limited edition art print or bottle of whiskey with the intention of waiting for it to appreciate in value. We only perceive it as worse because we're emotionally invested in music.

[Riggins]

They're alright.

Got some before for over face value and under. Gives you a way to get a ticket to something if you really want to go where's if they didn't exist tickets would be gone and that'd be it.

People that want them banned are usually the ones that suck at getting tickets all the time.

[russycarps]

They're alright.

Got some before for over face value and under. Gives you a way to get a ticket to something if you really want to go where's if they didn't exist tickets would be gone and that'd be it.

People that want them banned are usually the ones that suck at getting tickets all the time.

[Riggins]

Not sure if trolling or cretin

[russycarps]

didn't you call some a thick twat on the other page?

and I'm the cretin

[Riggins]

Yes, a cretin and a thick, horrible twat.

No doubt you do a little bit of touting on the side. Just providing a service right? As you say, without people like you, the tickets wouldnt exist.

Oh wait, you're talking absolute shite, my mistake.

[russycarps]

I've sold over and under before and sold face value for events I easily could've made a bomb on. Usually when I sell over it's because I'm desperate for the money.

As I say, I've payed over the odds before and I'm happy too. If I didn't I wouldn't go. Everyone has a price they're willing to pay for a ticket, if it's sold at too much then don't pay it. If you're happy to pay it, then there's no problem.

People like you are way worse than any ticket tout that exists, horrible, horrible person. I don't know what you get out of bullying people over the internet.

[Riggins]

Tout scum

[russycarps]

Get a life. This internet bravado seems funny to you but it isn't to anybody else.

[tommyds]

Get a life. This internet bravado seems funny to you but it isn't to anybody else.

[Riggins]

If you are a tout, people will hate you. You've made your choice, and bragged about it. Deal with the consequences.

[russycarps]

Usually when I sell over it's because I'm desperate for the money.

[Riggins]

You're unlikely to find a lot of support in this forum. Some people won't mind if you've got an extra ticket because someone couldn't go, but buying tickets with the expressed intention of making a profit on them is tantamount to genocide in this house

[DougalMcGuire]

I've sold over and under before and sold face value for events I easily could've made a bomb on. Usually when I sell over it's because I'm desperate for the money.

As I say, I've payed over the odds before and I'm happy too. If I didn't I wouldn't go. Everyone has a price they're willing to pay for a ticket, if it's sold at too much then don't pay it. If you're happy to pay it, then there's no problem.

[Riggins]

Hmmm trolling quite possibly. But I'll bite anyway

So you only sell over when you're desperate for the money, under what circumstances do you 'sell under' then, when things are ok for you financially you decide to 'give something back' and buy tickets someone else wanted to public spiritedly sell to them at a discount out of your own pocket?

The statement 'Usually when I sell over it's because I'm desperate for the money' reminds me somehow of something a mugger might offer in defence in court.

A few parties touts such as yourself affect during your practices:

A genuine fan who want to see an artist they love cannot get a ticket when released because they get bought up for your personal gain

A fan who buys off you 'when you're desperate for the money' has a reduced amount to spend at the venue, so their revenue on drinks etc is down - venues have to close due to your personal gain

A fan who buys off you 'when you're desperate for the money' has a reduced amount to spend at the venue so doesn't buy a t-shirt, so the artist has reduced revenues due to your personal gain.

The supply and demand arguments given do not apply to this scenario, the supermarket/food essential points mentioned previously are spot on. If you're going to support touting then at least admit that a tout is capitalizing on a situation for their own personal profit without giving a sh*t who loses out in the process, both financially and morally. Any genuine fan of music should be against the concept entirely.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Riggins

[Guest]

They're alright.

Got some before for over face value and under. Gives you a way to get a ticket to something if you really want to go where's if they didn't exist tickets would be gone and that'd be it.

People that want them banned are usually the ones that suck at getting tickets all the time.

[eFestivals]

some people can't get that there's a big difference between a commodity where another can be easily made - where the laws of supply and demand work properly - and things were there is a finite supply so the laws of supply and demand do not work in the same way.

One is a value based decision of fair and free exchange of labour.

The other is pure speculation on the basis of scarcity.

Land is the best example of the laws of scarcity, because new land cannot be made. But it's much the same thing with anything where there is a finite supply and an over-subscribed demand.

For all those who think that touting is fine, how 'fine' would you feel about it if your Glastonbury ticket price was based on the scarcity of supply and not (like currently) Michael's Eavis's sense of proportion? Your ticket would cost you in excess of £500 - £300+ more - only because of a limited thinking towards what can be done within any trade of goods and services.

If we go with pure free trade, the only winners are the ultra greedy - but not just greedy, those who are greedy AND have already accumulated great wealth. You are condemning your life to no ability to any improvement of it, because improvement gets to be sold just like any other commodity and in a system like that there is only ever cash for sustaining your place in society and not improving it (because the better opportunities are already bought by those with greater wealth than you).

Capitalism is not about fairness, it's about robbery.

[ThomThomDrum]

It could also be said that the bands, record companies, venues, promoters and crew also lose out, as it increases the amount spent by people going to the gig without increasing the amount those parties make.

Edited October 14, 2013 by ThomThomDrum

[jonny2mad]

One of the main reasons for glastonburys current popularity is ticket touting, people buying tickets and selling them on eBay for twice face value a few years ago and the superfence increased the festivals perceived value.

Somethings got to be good if people are willing to pay twice face value and go to crazy lengths to try to get into it, its how to create a hype

Its like the tracy island toy for thunderbirds years ago that my nephew wanted for christmas as a child, storys about scarcity made the thing more wanted .

[Guest]

One of the main reasons for glastonburys current popularity is ticket touting, people buying tickets and selling them on eBay for twice face value a few years ago and the superfence increased the festivals perceived value.

Somethings got to be good if people are willing to pay twice face value and go to crazy lengths to try to get into it, its how to create a hype

Its like the tracy island toy for thunderbirds years ago that my nephew wanted for christmas as a child, storys about scarcity made the thing more wanted .

[jonny2mad]

No you cant anymore but when you had the first mad scramble for tickets you could

[Klyde]

I once sold MGMT tickets for way over face value on ebay. Made about £120 or something on 2 tickets for some gig at the Barrowlands years ago.

I didnt buy to sell, but was informed how much they were selling for from a mate so couldnt justify going considering how much I could get for them.

Many tickets must be sold likle this. Cant say it bothers me.

Have used touts on few occasions. Most recently Jack White at the Usher hall. Paid about double face value but thats the way it goes. My fault for not being savvy enough to get tickets in the first place.

[waynewdk]

I sold Michael Jackson Tickets for £400, the tw@t died i had to refund

[Jie Bie]

Sites like GetMeIn drive me crazy. I mean at least the old-style touts had to go to the venues and sell the tickets, meaning there weren't that many of them. Plus they had to sell them to you face to face, so they weren't going to rip the piss too much generally.

But these days anyone can make a living touting tickets from the comfort of their own home. I just took a look at GetMeIn there and I could see tickets for next months Arctic Monkeys gig in Glasgow on sale for anything from £90 to £220. £220 for a single gig!!!! Yeah, I know that the seller in question will probably have to reduce the price before they get rid of it, but the face value of said ticket is £35 FFS!

Really grinds my gears so it does...

[Guest]

I once sold MGMT tickets for way over face value on ebay. Made about £120 or something on 2 tickets for some gig at the Barrowlands years ago.

I didnt buy to sell, but was informed how much they were selling for from a mate so couldnt justify going considering how much I could get for them.

Many tickets must be sold likle this. Cant say it bothers me.