Ticket Sale Date

[Ayrshire Chris]

For the last year or so as soon as I enter my bank number, expiry date and three number security and hit the pay button I am directed to another bank security where I have to enter three letters of another verification security code and then asked to confirm my mobile phone number.  Had to do this last Glastonbury ticket sale and caused much sweating and nerves.  Doubled the usual time until that payment accepted message came through.  Worse that I had got through on a small I pad and entering info whilst a bit excited not too easy!  Needless to say will be more prepared this year if my luck is in.  

[Lycra]

7 hours ago, hfuhruhurr said:

Well,  with tickets at £270 (if you can figure out how to buy them without the £5 booking fee, let me know) has put off some of my more hard-up mates. Wonder if others have this? 50th anniversary means nothing to them - they know it's fab, but the cost seems to have broken a few.

Hopefully cost will deter a few. Personally I was hoping the £50 deposit would have been raised to give the same effect. When it was introduced a decade ago the deposit represented ca. 33% of the ticket face value. Now it's less than 19% and the balance to be paid in April is getting significantly high.

Can't help thinking the low deposit encourages large numbers of the non-committed chancers who wait until April in deciding to attend or not. Would large numbers of unpaid ticket balances in April prompt the fest to have a rethink on the low deposit ? Probably wont happen next year due to the significance of the fest but what happens after that?

[thrillhouse188]

As much as lighter interest is wonderful for us to increase chances of securing a ticket, surely increasing the deposit potentially puts people off, yes there's an incredibly high demand that wouldn't suddenly vanish even if they made us pay the while ticket up front, but from a business perspective no need for them to change a winning formula? 

[Garrett_Salas]

Raising the ticket prices is painful enough, increasing the upfront cost would just compound that. Also it always comes back to this question why people think it's in glastonbury's interest to put people off to make it easier for you to get a ticket.

[thrillhouse188]

Out of curiosity does anyone have any of the rough numbers from previous sales? I seem to recall off the top of my head something like 1 million trying last year for 135,000 tickets, but the scientist in me wants some proper numbers to come up with a more accurate chance-of-success model ?

[Crazyfool01]

7 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

Out of curiosity does anyone have any of the rough numbers from previous sales? I seem to recall off the top of my head something like 1 million trying last year for 135,000 tickets, but the scientist in me wants some proper numbers to come up with a more accurate chance-of-success model ?

there is no way to work this out  though ... some will try from 1 ip address .... some 2 ..... some will have an army trying for 2 tickets ..... some for 46 tickets ...  some will try once and give up ........too many variables 

[thrillhouse188]

12 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

there is no way to work this out  though ... some will try from 1 ip address .... some 2 ..... some will have an army trying for 2 tickets ..... some for 46 tickets ...  some will try once and give up ........too many variables 

Of course, alt bought surely even knowing a total number trying to access the page during the sale gives an upper bound? 

I will just say that despite the stress, people like you who (presumably through careful planning and trying in numbers) seem to go most years are filling me with hope!

Edited September 16, 2019 by thrillhouse188

[Crazyfool01]

6 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

Of course, alt bought surely even knowing a total number trying to access the page during the sale gives an upper bound? 

I will just say that despite the stress, people like you who (presumably through careful planning and trying in numbers) seem to go most years are filling me with hope!

the only time ive had decent numbers trying was last year when I was part of 4 groups of 6 trying in syndicates ... apart from that im lucky in terms of the sales ... most years  ive got through myself but that means nothing ... last year not a sniff and I was fortunate to have the help of that syndicate from here ... but ive had them from mini resales and resales in the past and competitions ... so persistence is key and being positive about it seems to make a difference too ( dont ask me why  ) ... but yes I am organised with all the registrations checked and double checked and shortcuts saved on my mac 

[mashedonmud]

1 hour ago, Lycra said:

Hopefully cost will deter a few. Personally I was hoping the £50 deposit would have been raised to give the same effect. When it was introduced a decade ago the deposit represented ca. 33% of the ticket face value. Now it's less than 19% and the balance to be paid in April is getting significantly high.

Can't help thinking the low deposit encourages large numbers of the non-committed chancers who wait until April in deciding to attend or not. Would large numbers of unpaid ticket balances in April prompt the fest to have a rethink on the low deposit ? Probably wont happen next year due to the significance of the fest but what happens after that?

Glastonbury is still value for money but the idea of pricing people out stinks of elitism. Not acceptable IMO. I'm happy to take my chance along with whoever else is trying. As long as we've all got a chance that's good enough. ?

[Avalon_Fields]

59 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

Out of curiosity does anyone have any of the rough numbers from previous sales? I seem to recall off the top of my head something like 1 million trying last year for 135,000 tickets, but the scientist in me wants some proper numbers to come up with a more accurate chance-of-success model ?

The figure of a million plus has been quoted for more than one year. As @crazyfool1 says it's likely to be exaggerated because of different IP addresses used by many people, and many people registered won't try every year,  and if it were really a million it doesn't make sense when the success rate on efestivals is probably more like 50% (Quite likely we try harder and cleverer on average I guess). Makes more sense to me to think in terms of 500,000 to 750,000 people trying, of which say 20% are casual, in smaller groups or disorganised. Total guesswork of course.

 

 

[Lycra]

50 minutes ago, mashedonmud said:

Glastonbury is still value for money but the idea of pricing people out stinks of elitism. Not acceptable IMO. I'm happy to take my chance along with whoever else is trying. As long as we've all got a chance that's good enough. ?

I'm not advocating pricing people out but the way the present system is going with yearly ticket price rises but "low' £50 deposit it could do just that. The balance has become a very significant ever increasin sum to which postage, car parking voucher, travel costs etc need to be added. When first introduced the April balance represented 66% of a much lower ticket price. Now it's 81% of £270 (inc handling fee)

[parsonjack]

3 minutes ago, Lycra said:

I'm not advocating pricing people out but the way the present system is going with yearly ticket price rises but "low' £50 deposit it could do just that. The balance has become a very significant ever increasin sum to which postage, car parking voucher, travel costs etc need to be added. When first introduced the April balance represented 66% of a much lower ticket price. Now it's 81% of £270 (inc handling fee)

Yup...GF does seem to behind the curve with imaginative payment structures, early-bird and instalment plans etc that a number of other festivals have successfully embraced. 

[Lycra]

26 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

The figure of a million plus has been quoted for more than one year. As @crazyfool1 says it's likely to be exaggerated because of different IP addresses used by many people, and many people registered won't try every year,  and if it were really a million it doesn't make sense when the success rate on efestivals is probably more like 50% (Quite likely we try harder and cleverer on average I guess). Makes more sense to me to think in terms of 500,000 to 750,000 people trying, of which say 20% are casual, in smaller groups or disorganised. Total guesswork of course.

 

 

I'd put the numbers trying in smaller groups higher, maybe 50% or greater. A great many I chat to book as 2s, 3s or 4s

[stuie]

3 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

Yup...GF does seem to behind the curve with imaginative payment structures, early-bird and instalment plans etc that a number of other festivals have successfully embraced. 

Other festivals have early bird tickets and instalment plans to encourage people to buy tickets (earlier).  Something that Glastonbury is lucky enough not to have to worry about.

 

[parsonjack]

Just now, stuie said:

Other festivals have early bird tickets and instalment plans to encourage people to buy tickets (earlier).  Something that Glastonbury is lucky enough not to have to worry about.

 

Very true.  But the absence of similar payment plans is likely now beginning to price some previous GF regulars out of the market.  

[Lycra]

5 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

Yup...GF does seem to behind the curve with imaginative payment structures, early-bird and instalment plans etc that a number of other festivals have successfully embraced. 

GF sells out ever year now in minutes hence there as been no need to introduce early bird or pay in instalment to attract punters and bring in early operating revenue. The deposit system does the latter very effectively for GF.

[parsonjack]

Just now, Lycra said:

GF sells out ever year now in minutes hence there as been no need to introduce early bird or pay in instalment to attract punters and bring in early operating revenue. The deposit system does the latter very effectively for GF.

As above....this isn't about attracting punters, it's about ensuring as many people as possible can afford to attend. 

[Lycra]

3 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

Very true.  But the absence of similar payment plans is likely now beginning to price some previous GF regulars out of the market.  

Like it or not GF has become more middle class over the years despite an aim stated about 9 years ago to attract a younger audience.

[MEGABOWL]

2 minutes ago, Lycra said:

Like it or not GF has become more middle class over the years despite an aim stated about 9 years ago to attract a younger audience.

I’m not sure I agree but if that’s the case shouldn’t they do something to reverse that?

[Lycra]

3 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

As above....this isn't about attracting punters, it's about ensuring as many people as possible can afford to attend. 

Ergo...back to my original point about the balance becoming a very significant sum. Lets not forget the deposit/balance system was introduced after a few years of sluggish ticket sales.

[parsonjack]

1 minute ago, Lycra said:

Like it or not GF has become more middle class over the years despite an aim stated about 9 years ago to attract a younger audience.

True....and I don't like it...and it's well within GF's capability to change that.  At the end of the day GF will sell all the tickets at (almost) whatever they charge, but they need to make more effort to ensure the less fortunate can still attend by being a little more creative with how they collect the payments. 

[Pinhead]

I suspect the deposit system has more to do with generating an early fund that can then go into investing in the event set up before April and pay and secure contractors contracts early.

[Ayrshire Chris]

12 minutes ago, Lycra said:

Like it or not GF has become more middle class over the years despite an aim stated about 9 years ago to attract a younger audience.

Have to agree with that and I am guilty, if that’s the correct word, of being one of the older festival goers who just can’t let go of the Glastonbury vibe that I have loved for years and years, though I ain’t by any stretch of the imagination middle class!  Don’t know if there is any way to accommodate everyone unless they held two festivals a year appealing to different tastes and ages!! Not being too serious there, that would just totally alter the ethos of the event. 

[parsonjack]

6 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

I suspect the deposit system has more to do with generating an early fund that can then go into investing in the event set up before April and pay and secure contractors contracts early.

I think that is quite correct, and when first introduced it benefitted everyone.  But year on year maintaining the £50 deposit is becoming less effective for both ticket buyers and the festival with rising costs needing covered up front.  I have no magic solution but a staggered payment approach could both make things easier for ticket buyers and maintain a flow of revenue for festival costs ahead of the event itself. 

[Lycra]

29 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

True....and I don't like it...and it's well within GF's capability to change that.  At the end of the day GF will sell all the tickets at (almost) whatever they charge, but they need to make more effort to ensure the less fortunate can still attend by being a little more creative with how they collect the payments. 

 

26 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

I suspect the deposit system has more to do with generating an early fund that can then go into investing in the event set up before April and pay and secure contractors contracts early.

Yes the deposit provides early working capitol.....Raising the deposit would be the simplest way of reducing the ever increasing balance payment. Other solutions would require wholesale system changes.....As an aside, just noticed I can have 14 nights all inclusive in either Spain, Balearic's or Bulgaria, flight included for less than cost of Glasto ticket!