Ticket Touts

[formed a band]

How much is glasto parking this time?

[pjadnoo]

Investment? How did investing become part of the equation?

it was just an example anyway. Refunding tickets could never work.

A show is sold out, then loads of possible punters can't get tickets. Then, for whatever reason, there's a late rush of refunds and the place is half empty...?

It simply couldn't work.

[frostypaw]

Investment? How did investing become part of the equation?

it was just an example anyway. Refunding tickets could never work.

A show is sold out, then loads of possible punters can't get tickets. Then, for whatever reason, there's a late rush of refunds and the place is half empty...?

It simply couldn't work.

Edited October 18, 2013 by frostypaw

[pjadnoo]

Who do you think should take the responsibility for their business decisions? How about if I started up a handmade chocolate teapot making company and come summer they started melting - should people still be forced to buy them? No it's bloody ridiculous to suggest. That's no crazy-leftie shit that's exactly what a blue-blooded capitalist bank manager would say to someone whose business was going under because they kept booking shite acts who pulled out at the last minute and turned up wasted (bablyshambles?) - Tough Bleeding Luck - shoulda been more prepared.

[frostypaw]

Given your jab about analogies the one you've given is shockingly poor, and has some very very key differences from the tickets refunding thing

[mrtourette]

Who do you think should take the responsibility for their business decisions? How about if I started up a handmade chocolate teapot making company and come summer they started melting - should people still be forced to buy them? No it's bloody ridiculous to suggest. That's no crazy-leftie shit that's exactly what a blue-blooded capitalist bank manager would say to someone whose business was going under because they kept booking shite acts who pulled out at the last minute and turned up wasted (bablyshambles?) - Tough Bleeding Luck - shoulda been more prepared.

[pjadnoo]

putting a smiley on a message doesn't automatically make it nice. i'm still making casual chat not a legal case - as something that people did want then realised they didn't want that did the trick.

rather than being a 'smiling' critic why not give a better one, and hopefully explain why the business deserves to do whatever the hell it wants in the process.....

[pjadnoo]

However, I'm happy to explain the key problem with your analogy.

If you buy a ticket for a gig and find out, the day before the concert that you don't want to go because of the reviews (e.g. the set lists aren't what you wanted, or the band aren't quite as tight as they were last time around), then this is hugely different from "acts who pull out at the last minute or turn up wasted". Why? Because in the first instance they've given you what you paid for, and in the second they haven't. No one in their right mind would argue that it's unfair for people to demand their money back if the band they've paid good money to see - the one on the ticket - didn't bother to turn up. However, if you simply thought they weren't as good as last time, then this is far less simple.

Now, let's go back to the chocolate teapot. If you were sold these as something that would melt over time (from your comment it sounds like you've gone to school, so I'm guessing you'd know that it would melt), then you've been given exactly what you've paid for, and so why should you get a refund. If, conversely, you were told it wouldn't melt and it did, then this is nothing like 'I've changed my mind about going', this is essentially 'the venue has missold you your tickets'.

[frostypaw]

it's about refunding them. If you had sold some of your lovely chocolate teapots to somebody in the Autumn and then they brought them back to you and demanded a refund next year just as Summer came and you had no time to sell them again, is that reasonable? Is it tough bleeding luck on you?

Edited October 18, 2013 by frostypaw

[pjadnoo]

Thanks so much but this is reduction ad absurdum - I think you're aware of that. Obviously the extreme situation you're positing is extreme.

[mrtourette]

Yes. That's called fucking up your product. I should have made my teapots out of something that didn't melt, or only sold them in a place without a hot summer.

[frostypaw]

All this aside, I've mentioned my thoughts on touting and refunds elsewhere in this thread. Basically;

- touting is shit, and needs to be stopped.

- this shouldn't be done by govt, but instead by the music industry (photo-ID tickets, like Glasto)

- given increasing ticket prices and (importantly) tickets going on sale earlier and earlier, there needs to be some means for people to get their money back.

- this is already done in other areas (see Royal Opera House or National Theatre) and should be implemented with music. The key thing in those examples is that tickets are refunded only if they are able to sell on your ticket.

[mrtourette]

To use the ticket, or ensure it's returned so another can purchase it.

[Guest]

It's called an analogy, you'll cover it in a few years time in english class.

[Yesiamaduck]

I think some people confusing ticket touts to people trying to sell tickets to gigs they can no longer attend.

[frostypaw]

And if it's too late? If the demand for the ticket is no longer there because a bunch of people decided to essentially 'reserve' their ticket and then not bother going at no cost to themsleves becuase the weather's bad or they've made other plans do you really expect the demand to still be the same as it was when the tickets first went on sale?

[chrislfc]

if you have a gig ticket and cant go, stick it on gumtree and sell it for face value. If it's not selling, drop the price a bit. That's all there is to it.

"Touts provide a service to us"

Probably the biggest load of bullshit I've ever read on here (and I've read the metallica thread).

You're either a tout, a tit or a thicko.

Which is it?

[jeffie]

Bored with this now.

[chrislfc]

Bored with this now.

[jeffie]

Nah,I despise touting..

[jimmyk83]

Bored with this now.

[jeffie]

Great contribution, you've really added to the debate. I had corned beef hash for dinner.

[eFestivals]

No business is important enough that it deserves a gold plated pass to eternal profitability.

.... unless it's a nuclear power station.

[Guest]

Many a time i've turned up on the night to try and get a ticket outside the venue for a sold out gig and paid face value or maybe a tenner over the odds because a tout has given someone else less than face value for a spare.

Edited October 21, 2013 by tonyblair

[Sofa]

I fucking love touts.