Park Avenue Armory not refunding service fees

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 2:21pm

The first thing you should all be warned about is that if you had tickets to something at The Armory, you need to specifically email them that you want a refund, otherwise they will assume you are making a donation. That was the first shady bit of disappointment I encountered with them after receiving an email about their canceled season.

Furthermore, when I got my refund it wasnt for the full amount that I paid, and when I emailed them they used the service fees as an excuse for not returning the full amount. How can there be a service charge for tickets I bought online for a show that hadnt even started rehearsals?

Ill survive without my $12 but I think its disgusting how this pandemic has brought out even more greed than ever before. Capitalism will kill the theatre long before any virus.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 2:36pm

I didn't get the $14 service charge refunded on my show that was cancelled with my Broadway series.  Had they gave me a decent excuse I would have let them keep it. My phone calls and emails were not returned by the Head and the Second In Command.  At that point, I said if they can't bother to return my phone call/emails then I'll dispute that part of my charge.  Once I did, I received an email telling me it was a "mistake" and was refunded.  To be honest with you, most people aren't even going to notice.  And that is what most of these companies are hoping for.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 2:53pm

Didn't notice until you pointed it out, but yes, the same thing happened with me. I got a refund of $52, but I paid $58. 

I certainly don't approve of this, but I don't think I'll bother them about it. I haven't donated any of my tickets back to the theatres so far, so I guess giving $6 to a non-profit against my will is...better than nothing? 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 9:19am

I think it should be your own decision to make a donation if you want. Even Ticketmaster has given full refunds, and they’re the shadiest of all.

I just think you should treat loyal customers with respect.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 12:45pm

File a charge back with your credit card company.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 12:49pm

It's 12 bucks, and they are hurting like everyone else. Let it go. 

[LxGstv]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 12:52pm

TDF didn’t refund service fees either, but I’m ok with that.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 12:55pm

Perhaps people are not aware that service fees are what helps them make what little money they have right now. They are a non profit origination that helps the arts. That someone would complain about a very, very small donation to them or to tell them to call their credit card company regarding that charge is absolutely wild. 

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 1:19pm

TotallyEffed said: "I think it should be your own decision to make a donation if you want. "

 

YES

 

[scripps]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 1:26pm

Many theater companies and cultural organizations are providing some wonderful and inventive digital content on a weekly basis, but not a peep from the Park Avenue Armory. I'm quite surprised as I know I have pivoted my giving to organizations that are really making an effort right now virtually. 

Updated On: 5/5/20 at 01:26 PM

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 3:27pm

You did pay for the service of buying tickets via an online platform, that costs money to upkeep. Service fees aren’t worthless charges. Sometimes steep? Yes, but they aren’t made up.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 3:36pm

I understand that, but I never received anything from the purchase, that is my point.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 3:48pm

True.  But they likely paid the intermediary, so if they refund you they end up in the hole.

 

Not your fault the show canceled.  Not theirs either.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 3:50pm

They’re still working and refunding so there is still a “service” being provided. I don’t think it’s greedy at all. Everyone is trying to stay afloat.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 4:01pm

Unfortunately, the service was you pressing “purchase tickets” rather than going to the box office, not the event occurring.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 4:05pm

TotallyEffed said: "I understand that, but I never received anything from the purchase, that is my point."

You have every right to be tiffed.  As some are saying it's a donation.  It's not a donation until the person is agreeing to donate.   Ask first, don't automatically decide you are just going to take.  In my case, it wasn't a nonprofit and they are in house for fees.   Had they explained why they were keeping the fees, then they could have had it.  Give me a concocted bullcrap answer.  Don't just ignore an email.  It's the principal.   It's not a small amount, when you multiply the thousands of subscribers.  

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 4:10pm

scripps said: "Many theater companies and cultural organizations are providing some wonderful and inventive digital content on a weekly basis, but not a peep from the Park Avenue Armory. I'm quite surprised as I know I have pivoted my giving to organizations that are really making an effort right now virtually."

 

I totally respect that we will all have different standards and preferences for which theatre companies we value, and what services we want from them right now. So I think your comment is perfectly valid.

However, personally I feel like all this online content has become oversaturated, and it sort of feels like all these companies are desperately scrambling for the public's attention. I understand why they are doing that, but I don't mind that a particular theatre chooses not to add to the din. As is the case with many theatres, the Armory probably isn't in a legal position to release any archival videos they may have. And aside from the much-appreciated archival videos from those companies that have released them, I don't really want or need any online content from theatre companies right now. 

I do hope to set aside a bit of money from my stimulus checks to give to theatre companies down the road, but when I do that, I'd rather choose whom to give it to based on how much I value the theatrical work they produce, not based on the online content they produce when they aren't operational. I think the Armory provides a valuable and unique to service to the NYC theatre community, moreso than some of the companies putting out a lot of content right now. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/5/20 at 4:14pm

With regards to the fees, I guess the big question here is:

Why is it that the Armory can't refund these fees, when all of the other companies (as far as I've experiences) HAVE been refunding all fees? Is it that all of the other companies chose to take that additional loss, and the Armory didn't? If so, I suppose it's reasonable enough for them to keep the fee, given BroadwayNYC2's point about convenience. But still, it doesn't look good for them to be one of the only companies hanging on to service fees. It doesn't exactly cast them in a great light. Especially since the Armory already charges quite a lot for their tickets.