Telecharge Service Fees?

[GoodyProctor]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 1:24pm

I wanted to purchase a ticket to Anatasia on the Telecharge website yesterday.  Besides the fact that the website crashed when I tried to complete my transaction, I was (going to be) charged $11 for a service fee and $3 for a handling fee. 

I usually go to the box office and I don't recall fees being that steep.  Is this something new?

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 1:31pm

There are always fees when buying tickets from telecharge or even ticketmaster when it comes to Broadway. The only way to avoid any fees is to go to the box office directly. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 1:34pm

There are no fees when you go in person to the box office. There are always fees when you buy online.

[GoodyProctor]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 1:40pm

Right, I'm aware there are always fees associated with the website (which is why I usually go to the box office). 

What my post said was "I usually go to the box office and I don't recall fees being that steep.  Is this something new?"  So to be clearer, has it been $14 per ticket for a while now?  I thought fees were something around $10 or $11. 

[MinnieFay]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 3:01pm

GoodyProctor said: "Right, I'm aware there are always fees associated with the website (which is why I usually go to the box office). 

What my post said was "I usually go to the box office and I don't recall fees being that steep.  Is this something new?"  So to be clearer, has it been $14 per ticket for a while now?  I thought fees were something around $10 or $11. "

You phrased your question poorly.  The box office does not charge fees. There is nothing "new" about Telecharge or Ticketmaster charging online fees.

 

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 3:08pm

"So to be clearer, has it been $14 per ticket for a while now?  I thought fees were something around $10 or $11. "

 

Goody, you're awfully combative for someone who just joined today. I don't know the exact rate of increase on these fees. They've been expensive for awhile. I don't have a spreadsheet.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 4:48pm

I've never sorted out why, when I act as my own box office manager, select my own seats, process my own payment, and use my own computer, printer, and ink to create my own ticket, *I* have to pay more money... but if I go to the box office, and make someone who is already on salary do that, and use all of their resources, then it is free? Doesn't that seem backwards?

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 5:37pm

haterobics said: "I've never sorted out why, when I act as my own box office manager, select my own seats, process my own payment, and use my own computer, printer, and ink to create my own ticket, *I* have to pay more money... but if I go to the box office, and make someone who is already on salary do that, and use all of their resources, then it is free? Doesn't that seem backwards?

 

"

you're kidding right? you really don't understand the service that ticketmaster and telecharge provide? and why they charge what they charge?

[Taryn]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 6:02pm

haterobics said: "I've never sorted out why, when I act as my own box office manager, select my own seats, process my own payment, and use my own computer, printer, and ink to create my own ticket, *I* have to pay more money... but if I go to the box office, and make someone who is already on salary do that, and use all of their resources, then it is free? Doesn't that seem backwards?"

The show pays for the box office to be open at the theater. Online ticket fees pay for Ticketmaster and Telecharge to be able to keep Ticketmaster and Telecharge running (and, occasionally, improving).

[HogansHero]

Posted: 1/27/17 at 6:22pm

Selling tickets in which you have no investment is a very profitable business (stubhub considerably more so than telecharge, Broadway.com even more than that). No news flash there. 

@haterobics, you make a very compelling argument for charging to buy tickets at the box office. Maybe consider deleting it before Bob Wankel sees it. 

 

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 5:43am

rangersrule132 said: "you're kidding right? you really don't understand the service that ticketmaster and telecharge provide? and why they charge what they charge?"

Not sure where I said any of that?

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 8:37am

 

"

you're kidding right? you really don't understand the service that ticketmaster and telecharge provide? and why they charge what they charge?

 

"

I've been using Ticketmaster/Telecharge for too many years that I care to mention.  I recently purchased tickets to Lionel Richie & Mariah Carey and Ticketmaster charged $31 fee per ticket.  I selected and printed at home.  So no....I guess I don't understand the service they provide and "why they charge what they charge".  What the hell did they do to justify getting $62 of my money?  I'm really open to reading your explanation.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 8:37am

double post 



 


 

Updated On: 1/28/17 at 08:37 AM

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 9:05am

ArtMan said: "
 

"

you're kidding right? you really don't understand the service that ticketmaster and telecharge provide? and why they charge what they charge?

 

"

I've been using Ticketmaster/Telecharge for too many years that I care to mention.  I recently purchased tickets to Lionel Richie & Mariah Carey and Ticketmaster charged $31 fee per ticket.  I selected and printed at home.  So no....I guess I don't understand the service they provide and "why they charge what they charge".  What the hell did they do to justify getting $62 of my money?  I'm really open to reading your explanation.

 

"

Interestjng, I've never heard of that much being charged in fees. However, they are providing a medium in which you are able to buy tickets from the convince of your home and be able to print your own tickets out at home. They can charge whatever they want to charge when they are one of only a few tickey buying platforms out there. 

[_IrisTInkerbell]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 9:11am

To somewhat answer the OPs question: while I don't keep a spreadsheet either and I don't have the numbers to back it up, Telecharge fees have increased a lot over the last couple year. I feel like 3-4 years ago it was more like $8, now it's up to $12-14 dollars, which is a >30% increase and can't be explained by inflation.

Ticketmaster fees used to be a LOT higher for Broadway shows, now it's not that much difference anymore (I think, not sure what TM fees are now?)

 

PThespian, excellent point. I live in Germany and will visit NY in June. I doubt I will buy many tickets in advance because I don't wanna pay $13 fees on a $60-80 tickets (side/rear mezz with discount...). I'll either wait till I get there take my discount code to the BO or I'll ask a friend in town to buy it for my when they are in the theater district next time. I would be willing to pay maybe $8, but not more. I don't see why. I don't see much service, certainly less then when I go to the BO and have the BO person help me chose my seat by explaining sight lines etc etc....

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 9:34am

 




 


 


Interestjng, I've never heard of that much being charged in fees. However, they are providing a medium in which you are able to buy tickets from the convince of your home and be able to print your own tickets out at home. They can charge whatever they want to charge when they are one of only a few tickey buying platforms out there. 

 

"

But see back..back...back in the day you couldn't print your tickets at home.  You contacted Ticketmaster BY PHONE and spoke to a rep who helped you select your tickets.  Then they mailed the tickets to you.  So the fees they charged then, also went for mailing expenses.  So printing the ticket at home has really nothing to do with the fees.  Fees have also always been there.  Like Haterobics stated  the buyer is doing all the work.  So again, what exactly is Ticketmaster doing to justify keeping $62 for fees?  It is a monopoly and they do charge whatever they want.  

Updated On: 1/28/17 at 09:34 AM

[smidge]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 9:58am

Thanks Artman. Just checked my Lionel/Mariah ticket and saw the a $21 service fee. Will have to pay more attention next time. It does seem to be the highest service fee I ever received. 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 10:01am

Smidge, I wonder why my fees were $10 more.  Which show are you going to?  Mine is the very last in Ft Lauderdale.  I hope Mariah can hold on that long.

[smidge]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 10:18am

I have NYC on 4/1. I was wondering the same thing.  I don't know if it's different depending on the city or, maybe,  price level. I  got $99.99 tickets and was charged $121

[HogansHero]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 10:27am

"The Treasurer st [sic] SOR made a comment the other day that "No one buys in advance anymore.'"

This is why one either can't listen to what one hears in a theatre or else must listen critically. Two major metrics of advance sales have reached record-breaking levels recently, one for the highest pre-performance advance and another for aggregate running advance. The fees may be exorbitant but it is best to criticize them on a basis that is defensible.

[Taryn]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 11:48am

Rangersrule said: "Interestjng, I've never heard of that much being charged in fees. However, they are providing a medium in which you are able to buy tickets from the convince of your home and be able to print your own tickets out at home. They can charge whatever they want to charge when they are one of only a few tickey buying platforms out there. "

ArtMan said: "But see back..back...back in the day you couldn't print your tickets by phone.  You contacted Ticketmaster BY PHONE and spoke to a rep who helped you select your tickets.  Then they mailed the tickets to you.  So the fees they charged then, also went for mailing expenses.  So printing the ticket at home has really nothing to do with the fees.  Fees have also always been there.  Like Haterobics stated  the buyer is doing all the work.  So again, what exactly is Ticketmaster doing to justify keeping $62 for fees?  It is a monopoly and they do charge whatever they want."

It's not "the buyer is doing all the work." Ticketmaster and Telecharge also has to do the work of maintaining Ticketmaster and Telecharge. There are tons of people involved in "doing the work" of making it possible for you to buy your own tickets online, select your seats, and print out your tickets. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they're not there being paid to do it.

The idea that people don't need to be paid if you don't speak to someone in person or over the phone is just false. Websites require constant maintenance and upgrades.

Updated On: 1/28/17 at 11:48 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 12:54pm

The "handling fee" is ridiculous when no one is "handling" anything but me. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 1:02pm

OK, basic consumer economics:

People are compensated based on what they deliver, not on what it costs to make. In the online context, we pay for a platform that someone invented and then built into a valuable resource, not for what it costs them to build and maintain. Just as someone will buy a Maserati rather than a Kia not based on the cost of manufacture. And someone will pay more to see Hamilton than Great Comet, even though the cost of delivering the Comet may be considerably higher per capita. 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 7:35pm

So Taryn, when I bought tickets for a concert two days before my Lionel Richie show and was charged the usual $10 -$12 per ticket  and then charged $31 for Lionel, according to your theory Ticketmaster must have hired a hell of alot more people and their operating expenses tripled, so that is why I paid more than their usual fee cost.  My original post was NOT why does Ticketmaster charge fees but why did the usual $12 fee go up to $31 for this concert.  Also can you edit your post? I did not state the first paragraph.  That was Rangersrule.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/28/17 at 7:35pm

double post

Updated On: 1/28/17 at 07:35 PM