If/Then not honoring ticket exchange?- Page 2

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 1/15/15 at 3:52pm

"Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't refunds/exchanges generally only given if the ticketholder does not enter the theatre? "

Yes, but David Stone and co made a different policy for this specific show, in terms of being able to see Jackie and then come back to see Idina

"You might ask what would happen if you just showed up in person on Sunday and there were available seats.... would the policy get a bit more flexible? "

I would be inclined to say that this is a very good idea. Provided you bring your original tickets and the little slip of paper.

Updated On: 1/15/15 at 03:52 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/15/15 at 4:02pm

Stupidity is often the best way to get around policies.

Show up, and just be excited you're finally going to get to see Idina! Without mentioning being told you tried and they told you no, and on and on... Obliviousness, piece of paper, and smiles.... works wonders.

Someone above did say to PM them, though. If they are involved in things, that is an avenue worth pursuing first.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 1/15/15 at 4:26pm

"Stupidity is often the best way to get around policies."

It really isn't. :P So many rules are in place precisely to combat stupidity and, in particular, people who merely act so to take advantage of someone's goodwill. (Oh yes. I didn't work within the customer service department of our company, but they shared audio recordings with our department since all calls are monitored, and it's funny how much **** customers try to pull these days--yes, I'm entirely cynical and ruined now on giving people the benefit of the doubt.) Or are things just squishier around the edges on Broadway?

Updated On: 1/15/15 at 04:26 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/15/15 at 4:33pm

Typically, if you go to the box office in person, things you can't do on the phone or online can happen. I find them to be more accommodating in general. Like, with a discount code, they will sell me seats that the online system wouldn't let me purchase using the same code, etc.

Of course, me trotting down to If/Then on Sunday is a 15 minute Subway ride. I doubt I'd drive for 3.5 hours to roll the dice...

Updated On: 1/15/15 at 04:33 PM

[Pootie2]

Posted: 1/15/15 at 4:44pm

^OK, that makes sense.
When you put it that way, I'm reminded that I make that recommendation to people looking for tech support to skip the service telephone line and go straight to a store instead.

[delongpre]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 12:06am

I think the If/Then management has been more than generous letting people see Jackie and give them a chance to see Idina also. Damn, I would have gone for that. It's a courtesy, one that doesn't rate a refund by any means. I had an issue one day with getting in to the show when my teenaged daughter had arrived at the theater before I could get there and she had bought only one ticket. The box office had closed by the time I got there, but the house manager took care of me.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 12:28am

I am on the OP's side on this one. But if they are being stubborn I would move things around and see it on one of the dates offered. Better to work with what they give you, than risk not seeing it at all and loosing $300.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 1:08am

You're taking a child to see If/Then?

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 1:14am

We don't her age, but she already saw the show once...

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 6:09am

Go to the show this Sunday matinee. Bring your tickets and the slip. Arrive to the box office two hours prior to showtime so they are not too busy. Explain, briefly, the situation and be calm and polite. If they won't do it, then ask to speak to the house manager. They will likely do it on the day-of and in person, rather than over the phone. Ticketmaster are NOT the same people as the box office staff.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 7:28am

Agree. In person is always better than over the phone. Go early. Have a back up plan for a different show with a easy cheap rush, so the day isn't a complete disappointment if If/Then doesn't work out for you.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 9:19am

CapnHook- the number given on the slip of paper is the direct line to the Rodgers box office. Not ticketmaster.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 5:36pm

If it means that much to you to do a second 7 hour roundtrip to see it, take the Sunday night offer and say thanks. Sure you'll get home at 1:30 a.m. and everyone may yawn a few times the next day but no one will miss school or work and you'll all live. You could still show up for the matinee and see if they might be willing to switch but if not, at least you know you will definitely see the evening show. The "promise" was an incredibly generous courtesy that can no longer be honored. They technically owe you nothing.

[delongpre]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 8:49pm

If they want to see Idina so badly then come and try the lottery or get a lottery loser seat on a day that you CAN come in. Really, you already saw the show you paid for, so there's no loss of $300. Spend another $35-45 and see the girl you want to see.

[binau]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 10:00pm

"The "promise" was an incredibly generous courtesy that can no longer be honored. They technically owe you nothing."

They should, otherwise it seems this was just a deceptive tactic so that the producers could keep the money in their pockets.

Make no mistake, this policy is unusual but it existed only to benefit the producers in the long-term (e.g., by increasing word of mouth or preventing the risk of people getting a refund and not re-booking), in my opinion. They weren't doing this as a 'favour'.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 10:49pm

^ How exactly was it deceptive? Neonlights said the same thing happened to him and he had no problem being rescheduled. And they are still willing to honor it, just on limited dates. This was likely done with a handful of people. I seriously doubt they thought they'd get a word of mouth bump. Do you really think 7 or 8 months after the show opened, someone who wasn't going to see it will do so only because they gave someone else a free ticket? 4 1/2 months passed, the show is closing, things changed. That's the way it goes.

[binau]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 10:55pm

It was deceptive because these terms were not clearly communicated to the OP upfront (otherwise they wouldn't be in this situation, and may have chosen another action such as a refund).

Updated On: 1/16/15 at 10:55 PM

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 11:16pm

^ You need to reread what the OP wrote. Tell me if I missed something but I can find absolutely nothing the OP claimed they said or was in the note that is not being honored. "Best available basis" and "every attempt" means you are not guaranteed a specific performance and best available might just as well apply to the seats they set aside for courtesy tickets, not ANY unsold seat. A reassurance that the offer does not expire is being honored as there are performances being made available for the OP to attend. The OP assumed he could wait as long as he wanted and then be able to get tickets to the exact performance that suited his schedule. Sorry, not the case. If you can point to anything in the note or what he said he was told that is not being honored, please do so. That the OP THINKS they should be able to accommodate him because they appear to have seats available is completely immaterial. And I don't think anyone reasonably expects the theatre to provide a lengthy terms and conditions document in a situation like this.





Updated On: 1/16/15 at 11:16 PM

[Pootie2]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 11:28pm

Have to agree with FishermanBob.

This isn't a bait-and-switch. This "issue" is strictly one of convenience for a privilege, and a compromise was already given (being able to see the show again for free), so it's up to OP to figure that out before the show closes. Asking for a refund at this point is rather silly, too.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 11:38pm

The terms were if you see the show now with Jackie, you can see the show again at a later date with Idina, and as soon as the OP said they were ready to see Idina 4-5 months later, the show said, sure, we can do Sunday night or Wednesday afternoon, which would you prefer?

Whether that is how the OP interpreted and expected it to work to not, or how the show has been doing things prior to the announcement of the closing, there seems to be little recourse other than the two performances being offered, with the direct warning that they may stop honoring these requests at all after this week.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 11:41pm

But why couldn't they just give her tickets to the Sunday matinee if there were SOO many seats available. What's the big deal? She was promised the seats to see Idina and they have many performances that are barely sold. It's ridiculous for them to limit her to those two days. there doesn't seem to be a reason why either

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/16/15 at 11:52pm

"But why couldn't they just give her tickets to the Sunday matinee if there were SOO many seats available. What's the big deal?"

The box office was told what they are allowed to do in this case, and seem to all be on the same script. I wouldn't blame them, since they don't decide any of this themselves..

You can question why they have such a policy, or decide what the policy should be and how it should be implemented, but the OP wants to see Idina in If/Then ostensibly for free, since they already saw the show with the tickets they purchased in September, and the box office told them how they could do this, including offering them seats five hours after their preference.

I wouldn't call the Sunday matinee barely sold, it looks more like 85% or more sold, btw.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/17/15 at 12:05am

In the end, it's a simple case of past-dating tickets which, in general, has to be approved by a box office manager, has to be asked the day before or day of a performance, and generally only approved on Tue-Thu cases only. The fact that they offered you a Sunday night in advance is actually pretty special, if you ask me. I don't believe in pulling kids out of school unless it's illness or emergency, so I would've taken that Sunday night. (And it's a school holiday Monday, isn't it? If it was that important, go into work late Monday or take it off.)

Updated On: 1/17/15 at 12:05 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/17/15 at 12:08am

That is a good point. Monday is a holiday!

[binau]

Posted: 1/17/15 at 12:36am

The Sunday Matinee is not 85% sold hehe. Sorry I change my mind RE: deception - that was cynical and I assume that the producers would want to accommodate if they thought possible. The problem is just a poor implementation of the policy/procedure. Obviously they must have 'blacked out' the shows that were selling better strictly to prevent someone taking 'free tickets' if they would have been paid for otherwise. In reality, of course the producers could only wish the show was doing that well, and they haven't really carefully considered what the actual attendance is like.

It's actually at most sold only approximately 68% (I counted).

Updated On: 1/17/15 at 12:36 AM