Booking Fees

[ss201]

This whole booking fee nonsense just gets me really angry

Phoned to book tickets for a concert at a local small venue today. Ticket price advertised at £10. Then was informed of a £2.50 booking fee if booking by phone or online - even if using a debit card. However if paying directly at the venue in advance or on the door - no booking fee. Bonkers. Why discourage people from buying in advance by increasing the price? It just makes no sense. Don't these venues realise they're giving me a dozen excuses not to turn up.

I worked in concert promoting for years and I remember the days before this booking fee lark started up. It's a rip-off and I see it more and more. Can you imagine booking your car in for a service or ordering parts from ECP and then being told there's a booking fee for the privilege of giving them your business? Madness!

Don't get me started on airlines!!!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

I worked in a theatre for 9 years, Booking fee's basically pay for the staff which work there (in the Box Office). Most small venues allow you to avoid the fee's if you pay in cash, over the counter.

There is so little profit margin in venues that are not owned by ticketmaster etc its one of the only ways they can keep afloat.

Venue's that have big names, guarenteed sell outs, only get a very small cut of the profits as it nearly all goes to the promoter. They only way a decent cut on lesser known acts but then there is a risk involved as to if they will sell or not.

 

[trapperjohn]

The last big concert we went to see was Neil Diamond at the big venue in Manchester (not a clue what it is called now) I paid the booking fee with some regret but paid it. The seat was rubbish and Mr Diamond was tiny from where we were sat, true the big screen did make him more visible. We might as well have stayed at home and watch a DVD - So guess what we do now. Yup buy a DVD stay at home and watch that.

Though I will be off to the movies to watch Led Zepps movie of a concert.

Why not just make the ticket one price. inclusive of booking fees, it wont make a lot of difference pricewise to the big artists.

 

[brucemillar]

The last big concert we went to see was Neil Diamond at the big venue in Manchester (not a clue what it is called now) I paid the booking fee with some regret but paid it. The seat was rubbish and Mr Diamond was tiny from where we were sat, true the big screen did make him more visible. We might as well have stayed at home and watch a DVD - So guess what we do now. Yup buy a DVD stay at home and watch that.

Though I will be off to the movies to watch Led Zepps movie of a concert.



Why not just make the ticket one price. inclusive of booking fees, it wont make a lot of difference pricewise to the big artists.

Wife bought tickets to see Rod Stewart at Earls Court. Concert started, entire row infront stood up. Game over we could not see a thing over the Flump family infront of us. Stewards refused to get involved. Eventually we left (after about 30 minutes) 500quid down the drain.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Stewards refused to get involved.

You cant ask 100+ people to sit down!

 

[brucemillar]

Somewhat less than a 100. It was prime seating. Book on-line only. It was clearly stated NO STANDING as they knew that anybody behind would not see. We paid prime money for the seats. Seats being the operative word here. Fat folk should not be allowed into concerts if they cannot behave.

 

[trapperjohn]

Went to a Wet Wet Wet concert at the G Mex in Manc (for SWMBO not for me o'course) also many moons ago. This bunch of ladies stood up in front of us.

I doned my best Sergeant Major voice and bellowed at them "sit down" They did - rapidly. I was called a few names - boring old git - and such like plus I got a few looks which indicated they were not my bestest friends. Tough - I did fork out a wallet load to stand up.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Impossible to Police, you cant stop people (front row most likely die hard fans who book on day one of all their gigs) from standing up, you could ask the artist to stop performing while they sort it out, but the venue will end up with 1000+ people wanting their money back as the performance has been stalled.

This happens at virtually any seated gig, always has done. Those people on the front row are the artists bread & butter.

 

[brucemillar]

The lot in front of us had eaten his bread and butter and all the pies, choc ices, beers, etc. I could have sworn it was a Dom Jolly caper. Anyway. back to the OP. We paid booking fees. Waste of money.

 

[terrycufc]

It is bad enough there is a booking fee, but to load it on each ticket, then have another charge for using a credit card is too much for me.
I try to buy direct from the venue, collect the tickets on the day to avoid postal charges, it is usually cheaper.

Terry

 

[martin_a]

Surely the issue with people standing up is height not width?

Anyway, needs more artist types doing this:

Millican boycotts venues over fees | Herald Scotland

m.

 

[Harrythedog]

As the OP stated 25% booking fee is obscene

 

[MOCAŠ]

As the OP stated 25% booking fee is obscene

Really? If the booking fee is designed to cover admin costs, then presumably it needs to be set at a certain level to cover those costs. However, the ticket price is going to vary wildly depending on the type of event and how big a draw the artist is. So if £2.50 is what's need to cover admin, sometimes it will be 50% of the ticket price, others it will be 2.5% or less. Seems fair to me.

 

[Harrythedog]

Really? If the booking fee is designed to cover admin costs, then presumably it needs to be set at a certain level to cover those costs. However, the ticket price is going to vary wildly depending on the type of event and how big a draw the artist is. So if £2.50 is what's need to cover admin, sometimes it will be 50% of the ticket price, others it will be 2.5% or less. Seems fair to me.

So you'd be happy to pay an admin charge on anything you buy?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

So you'd be happy to pay an admin charge on anything you buy?

Your not buying a product as such, depending on the venue their outgoings are completely different.


Im not into football, but do they have simular charges? or do they just charge a couple of grand for 10 games (but noone complains)

 

[MOCAŠ]

So you'd be happy to pay an admin charge on anything you buy?

We probably already do in many cases, except that it's hidden within the cost of the item. However, declaring it separately means that it can be avoided in certain circumstances, such as when booking in person or, in the case of credit card charges, by paying in cash or with a debit card.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

We probably already do in many cases, except that it's hidden within the cost of the item. However, declaring it separately means that it can be avoided in certain circumstances, such as when booking in person or, in the case of credit card charges, by paying in cash or with a debit card.

Exactly, in some ways Booking Fee's are a good thing, they at least give you the option to get it for cheaper (should you pay by cash at the venue)

 

[Harrythedog]

But we don't know that the admin charge is already in the price of the ticket. The fact that no charge appears for box office visitors suggests there is. The admin costs for a face to face transaction are the same as a telephone transaction.

 

[MOCAŠ]

But we don't know that the admin charge is already in the price of the ticket. The fact that no charge appears for box office visitors suggests there is. The admin costs for a face to face transaction are the same as a telephone transaction.

It depends on the business model. Presumably the cost of on-site booking offices is absorbed withing the venue's operating costs, whereas providing a call-centre or online service is outsourced to operations like Ticketmaster, who levy their own overheads.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Card companies take a small % of all transactions, the cost to run a phone system over a year is a huge, aswell as employing phone staff. - promoters wont pay this.

Over the counter by cash you dont have any of these overheads.