ticketmaster dynamic pricing uk

[Gnomicide]

I didn't even know this was a thing until today, absolutely despicable practice. I don't go to many big gigs any more but fucking Hell.

 

[efcfanwirral]

Do we know for sure that it's not the resale tickets that surge pricing is used for? My assumption was that they sell out quickly then it's surge for reselling?

[Ryan1984]

It’s horrible, nasty, a rip-off, unfair, c**ty etc - but if people are prepared to pay it, then businesses will charge the going rate.

[incident]

1 hour ago, efcfanwirral said:

Do we know for sure that it's not the resale tickets that surge pricing is used for? My assumption was that they sell out quickly then it's surge for reselling?

Yep, it's an officially set aside part of the allocation. I've heard about 10%, but that'll only rise if they continue to get away with it. What's worse is that they'll often put the dynamic priced tickets on sale ahead of the regular sale date, misleading people into panic.

AXS have started doing the same - more scumbags.

[Matt42]

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

Edited September 2, 2022 by Matt42

[jannybruck]

13 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

The large artists doing stadiums next year (Beyonce, Taylor, Weeknd) will absolutely be hovering around that price point, but ultimately the market will dictate it. If people aren't buying at certain price points, then promoters are going to notice and they'll simply have to adjust accordingly because there's only so many gig-goers to go around and only so many artists who can sell at those levels. Even the Kendrick tour hasn't been shifting off the back of one of the best Glastonbury headlines ever and it's almost exclusively down to the price point. The £80-90 range for indoor seems to be the ceiling for a lot of people.

What hasn't been mentioned in this thread is that dynamic pricing also works the other way – eg for the Weeknd tour recently prices started dropping nearer the time because they needed to pad out certain shows that were empty. It's done quietly and without fanfare, but it means that there's actually no true fixed price level for shows anymore. Just starting points.

[dotdash79]

22 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

Next year is going to be the one. Coldplay was £95. 

[charlierc]

23 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

If not next year, probably 2024. Quite a lot of acts this year or already announced for 2023 are already at an £85-95 price point.

[Hugh Jass II]

47 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

Paid over £100 for GnR last year.

[Skip997]

22 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Paid over £100 for GnR last year.

keep taking the meds, you'll be alright one day

[fraybentos1]

1 hour ago, Matt42 said:

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

Basically Is for stadium shows atm, arenas are like 80 odd for established bands. It’s shite but just the way it is. As I get older I tend to find myself seeing smaller bands anyway but I’ll defo be after monkeys and swift tickets in the next couple months and I’d expect 90 for AM and 110 for swift standing 

[Matt42]

35 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Paid over £100 for GnR last year.

Was that for absolute cheapest tickets available? Very interested to know if that was the case and the cheapest tickets available are above £100.

[mufcok]

They're a disgrace. They do it with all events now.

I'm going to the wrestling in Cardiff tomorrow and it happened with that. They've also stopped the 'transfer ticket' facility as well. I've got two spare tickets, decent seats/price - just looking to sort someone out at face value, or lower, and they're making it borderline impossible for me to do. I'm at the point where I'd have to send someone screenshots or literally walk them in, because Ticketmaster are making life so difficult.

[Ryan1984]

While we are on gig prices, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott have kept theirs down to £30 - including at the 02. So it can be done.

[Suprefan]

4 hours ago, efcfanwirral said:

Do we know for sure that it's not the resale tickets that surge pricing is used for? My assumption was that they sell out quickly then it's surge for reselling?

2 different things. Dynamic kicks in within real time during an onsale and you can see prices change if you got in early enough during a sale. What you see as inflated resale prices is whats termed platinum pricing. Ticketmaster is essentially being its own broker and pricing tickets according to demand and such.

 

There was a lawsuit in Canada where some ticket buyers sued Ticketmaster where they had carted tickets at a certain price. When they went through the checkout process when they were finalizing the purchase the cost had changed to a higher price. That shouldnt be allowed to happen because you essentially lock in a price point when you are checking out and the system shouldnt have that power to change prices before you buy.

[Suprefan]

3 hours ago, Matt42 said:

How long until it’s pretty standard for big gigs to be over £100 for standing?

Well a lot of acts would rather do seated floors in arenas or even stadiums cause it equals more money. Include dynamic pricing and theyll make out like bandits moreso.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Suprefan

[dotdash79]

37 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

While we are on gig prices, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott have kept theirs down to £30 - including at the 02. So it can be done.

Depends on what production level you expect. I saw them on the last tour and it was quite basic but they were ace. 

[Matt42]

1 hour ago, Ryan1984 said:

While we are on gig prices, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott have kept theirs down to £30 - including at the 02. So it can be done.

I’m sure that people are absolutely falling over eachother to secure those!

[incident]

7 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

I’m sure that people are absolutely falling over eachother to secure those!

No need to be a dick, Matt.

[Matt42]

1 minute ago, incident said:

No need to be a dick, Matt.

It was meant to good humoured, but there is a truth to it. Harry styles gigs can have super unfair dynamic pricing because there are people scrapping with eachother to get them. Ticketmaster can surge the prices because Harry fans will pay for them. Whoever can pay the most will get them. Don’t think Paul and Jackie have the same luxury, so no shock their gigs are still £30.

[Matt42]

Imagine if Glasto had dynamic pricing. Fucking ell’

Worried I’m going to need a mortgage to see Swift. If they surge to £500, Swifties will still buy them. 

[incident]

Just now, Matt42 said:

It was meant to good humoured, but there is a truth to it. Harry styles gigs can have super unfair dynamic pricing because there are people scrapping with eachother to get them. Ticketmaster can surge the prices because Harry fans will pay for them. Whoever can pay the most will get them. Don’t think Paul and Jackie have the same luxury, so no shock their gigs are still £30.

Yeah for sure it's the high demand events where ticket agencies can screw people the most. I think the (valid) point being made though was that putting a show in an Arena doesn't automatically raise the underlying costs to a degree where crazy expensive tickets become necessary. Past a certain point especially with dynamic pricing it just becomes exploitative.

[Matt42]

1 minute ago, incident said:

Yeah for sure it's the high demand events where ticket agencies can screw people the most. I think the (valid) point being made though was that putting a show in an Arena doesn't automatically raise the underlying costs to a degree where crazy expensive tickets become necessary. Past a certain point especially with dynamic pricing it just becomes exploitative.

It is exploitative and there’s only a handful of acts who can get away with it. So of course they will do it.

On a separate note, this is just another thing which makes me feel like a serious cost of living / recession / potential depression is inevitable. Where prices surge and everything becomes for the rich only… and when the rich stop buying things fall through the floor.

[DeanoL]

Springsteen tickets were £100+ - there were cheaper ones but they were seats very far back.

[EssexIndie]

Whilst it’s a shitty practise and not one I agree with, I’m seeing it as a great opportunity to support up and coming and ‘smaller’ acts that need the revenue that touring brings. There are some superb acts and artists out there that need the exposure and realistically that’s most likely to happen with people turning up to watch them play. There is absolutely no justification to pay £100+ to watch anyone play for 90 mins and if people are happy to pay that, it’s only going to get worse, more expensive and make it even harder for new bands and artists coming through.

Edited September 2, 2022 by EssexIndie