Telecharge Now Charging For Emailed Tickets

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 3:03pm

Is this brand new? I mean, as in the last few days? Just bought for a couple shows and email was the only option for ticket delivery and it was $3. I swear all the shows Ive bought for (even a few days ago) this was no charge.

Updated On: 9/7/21 at 03:03 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 3:07pm

I bought tix for five shows on Telecharge. Two of those shows charged me the 3 bux in the last few weeks. I guess it depends on the show?

UGH. Such bull. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 3:10pm

It’s been that way for a couple of months, and it’s not an additional charge, just a renaming/reallocation of the handling fee. The total price is the same as it was when the e-tickets were free. 

For Broadway tickets over $50, the total fees come out to around $16. They used to be less, but that increase happened long before the shutdown.

Updated On: 9/7/21 at 03:10 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 3:13pm

I know when I bought one show the other day, I chose for the tix mailed to me and I don’t think there was any extra charge.  So I suppose it’s show-to-show, as mentioned above.
Just very confusing.

Updated On: 9/7/21 at 03:13 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 3:47pm

TaffyDavenport said: "It’s been that way for a couple of months, and it’s not an additional charge, just a renaming/reallocation of the handling fee. The total price is the same as it was when the e-tickets were free.

For Broadway tickets over $50, the total fees come out to around $16. They used to be less, but that increase happened long before the shutdown."

When I bought tickets for Flying Over Sunset through Telecharge a month ago, even picking up tickets at the box office had a fee of $3.00. Before pandemic, picking up at box office was always free.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:02pm

Wick3 said:

“When I bought tickets for Flying Over Sunset through Telecharge a month ago, even picking up tickets at the box office had a fee of $3.00. Before pandemic, picking up at box office was always free."

I’m saying that the $3 was always charged, not as ticket delivery, but as a handling charge. For example, a $59 ticket came out to around $75 before the pandemic, and it still comes out to that price, but they’ve replaced the $3 handling fee with the $3 ticketing charge. Same fee, different name.

Updated On: 9/7/21 at 04:02 PM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:14pm

It's a new fee.  Just purchased two tickets with Telecharge, three days ago.  Ticketmaster charged me an additional $6 per ticket to pick up at will call for 2 Las Vegas shows last week.  And that was a new fee.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:16pm

We’re not talking about Ticketmaster. It might be new on there, but it isn’t on Telecharge.

Updated On: 9/7/21 at 04:16 PM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:23pm

Reread my post.  I stated TELECHARGE, before I mentioned Ticketmaster.  All I know, I locked myself out of my Telecharge account because I forgot my password.  I had to order my tickets with a TELECHARGE supervisor.  She told me it was a NEW CHARGE.

[soulmistin]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:29pm

I don't know how long it's been a thing, but that feels very exploitative considering almost all tickets are digital now

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:33pm

Right, and you said it was a new fee on Telecharge, which it isn’t, regardless of what the Telecharge agent said. On the final page of buying tickets on the Telecharge site, it used to show a $3 handling charge, which is now listed as e-ticket, or whatever method you chose. You’re not paying more than you did before the pandemic. Also, if you get a refund from Telecharge, you’ll get a receipt that lists the $3 as a handling fee. It’s simply different wording for the same charge.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:33pm

It is.....but somebody like me doesn't have a choice.  And my Telecharge tickets won't be emailed to me until closer to the show performance.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:37pm

Okay Taffy.....the Telecharge SUPERVISOR doesn't know what she was talking about.

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 8:39am

I've always found fees for electronic, print-at-home tickets to be appalling. How does one justify requiring the customer to pay a fee for the "privilege" of using their own printer, paper, and ink? And if the ticket is fully electronic and can simply be presented from the customer's mobile device, then the fee is equally ridiculous.

What's even more irksome is the complete removal of the mail-to-home and box office pickup options. Those of us who have collected their tickets with their Playbills for years now are left with no tangible record of attendance. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 8:52am

^ I mentioned in another thread that I went to several box officers the other day and requested printed out tickets, and was given them with no problem.

[ElphabaGoodman]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 9:06am

Jordan Catalano said: "^ I mentioned in another thread that I went to several box officers the other day and requested printed out tickets, and was given them with no problem."

Do you mind saying which box offices you were able to received printed tickets from? from my experience, the Nederlander box offices seem pretty open with it, but Shubert and Jujamcyn are sticking to digital tickets only

[Jaxson2]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 9:38am

Lot666 said: "I've always found fees for electronic, print-at-home tickets appalling. How does one justify requiring the customer to pay a fee for the "privilege" of using their own printer, paper, and ink? And if the ticket is fully electronic and can simply be presented from the customer's mobile device, then the fee is equally ridiculous.Those of us who have collected their tickets with their Playbills for years now are left with no tangible record ."

Agree. Mobile device usage at outrageously unacceptable limits. Every business wants  their app on your phone, most absurdly a window fan that requires an app to start it. Saves company $ providing a remote. TV's next?   Also raises security issues, not to mention storing company apps on your cloud that drives up your storage fees.

I've noticed the $3 fee for sometime. And this digital ticketing, especially draconian Seatgeek, looks like theater industry plan/justification to reduce box office personnel and printer/paper expense.  

What if you own a flip phone or none or leave your tkt at home? 

If businesses require my phone for their product/service, pay me rent. 

[saxpower]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 10:37am

On the fees issue, without getting into the argument, certainly the real question is the total being charged-if in fact its just renaming a fee and we're being charged the same amount as before, economically its the same.  However, optically, its not a great idea-emailing of the tickets takes minimal, if any human involvement or other things that drive up a ticket vendor's costs.  It essentially makes it look like the customer is being charged for a computer to find your tickets and email them to you.   There should always be a way to get your tix for free- including for those of us who don't live in NYC and can't run by the box office ahead of time.  If memory serves, in the pre-email days they'd MAIL you the tickets for "free" (ie as part of the standard handling charges).  I can understand charging for mailing things these days, but e-mailing is a different thing all together. 

As to paperless tickets, I do understand that in the current situation, there are good reasons for "contactless" ticketing and ticketing collection.  I actually liked the pre-Covid E-tickets since you could always print them out again if you misplaced or forgot them (they weren't as "nice" a keepsake as the old tickets, but could be kept with the Playbill and were made to "look" like the old tickets).  Certainly the option of having access on your phone is helpful and one less piece of paper to keep track of.  But as others have said, not everyone has smart phones (though their numbers are likely dwindling) and e-ticketing requires multiple apps.  Its also easy to forget or even lose your phone.  Even if one wants to argue the person who forgets/loses the phone is to blame in such a situation, phones also malfunction.  My (less than one year old) phone died a few weeks ago,  Luckily under warranty and was able to get it fixed but what if I pulled my phone out as I was going into the theatre and that happened?  It took a day at the Apple Store to get it straightened out. 

My "return to Broadway" weekend includes one show each in Shubert, Nederlander, and Jujamcyn theatres (and thus one each for Telecharge, Ticketmaster, and SeatGeek).  Ticketmaster and SeatGeek are electronic only and I had to download the app to make sure the ticket was in my account.  Telecharge  said they'd email them to me for free when we get closer to the show (I'm going in early November).   It'll be interesting to see what ends up happening for those. 

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 10:38am

I bought tickets to the Music Man on Friday on Telecharge and the only option was to have the tickets emailed me to me. Though understandable, I was upset as I am someone to saves all my tickets! But yes - there was a $3 fee. Ugh.

I don’t think LincTix had a $3 charge when I bought for Flying over Sunset, as it was $35 flat.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 11:04am

Jordan Catalano said: "^ I mentioned in another thread that I went to several box officers the other day and requested printed out tickets, and was given them with no problem."

Based on what you posted, I did a live chat with Roundabout about my Caroline Or Change ticket.  Not an argument or issue.  They gave me the option of putting my ticket at will call or emailing it.  No extra charge.  No judgement on why I don't own a smart phone.

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 1:25pm

Jaxson2 said: "If businesses require my phone for their product/service, pay me rent."

THIS.

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 1:25pm

Jordan Catalano said: "^ I mentioned in another thread that I went to several box officers the other day and requested printed out tickets, and was given them with no problem."

That's good to hear!

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 1:27pm

ArtMan said: "I did a live chat with Roundabout about my Caroline Or Change ticket. Not an argument or issue. They gave me the option of putting my ticket at will call or emailing it. No extra charge. No judgement on why I don't own a smart phone."
 

I called Roundabout and requested that my tickets be printed and held at Will Call. She said it was taken care of, but I received no subsequent confirmation so we'll see what happens.

Updated On: 9/8/21 at 01:27 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 1:44pm

Who will be the Pearl Jam of Broadway and take a stand?

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/8/21 at 2:15pm

Lot666 said: "ArtMan said: "I did a live chat with Roundabout about my Caroline Or Change ticket. Not an argument or issue. They gave me the option of putting my ticket at will call or emailing it. No extra charge. No judgement on why I don't own a smart phone."


I called Roundabout and requested that my tickets be printed and held at Will Call. She said it was taken care of, but I received no subsequent confirmation so we'll see what happens."

Lot666, After I picked the will call option, I asked could they send me an email confirming that my ticket will be at will call.   They stated no problem.  I received the email seconds later and stapled it to my original ticket receipt.