Ticketmaster Survey - Auction only in the future?

[weinerdog]

Didn't know where to post this - got an email survey from Ticketmaster where they offer three potential buying options and ask for an opinion. They included mockups and everything, but I'll just put the text here describing them. The auction option is mind boggling, since it will in effect make them nothing more than scalpers themselves(not that they're far off now). Anyways, just thought it was interesting/horrifying - I'd like to hear what others think. I've spent a ridiculous amount of money with TM, and the thought of having to bid for each concert is

Option S - Auction

Don't miss your chance to bid on tickets to see Your Favorite Artist in this 1 hour auction. Simply find the seating locations you like and start bidding. Nearly every ticket in the venue is up for auction.

How it works:

1. Auction lasts for 1 hour -- 10am CST - 11am CST
2. Bid on tickets to see Your Favorite Artist. Over 10,000 seats available through this auction.
3. Just choose where you want to sit and start bidding.
4. If you win, you will be notified immediately with your seating assignment in the section you selected. You pay what you bid
5. If you do not win, you can still purchase tickets in the onsale at 12pm CST, if tickets are still available.
6. If you do no participate in the auction, all of the tickets may sell out. So Bid Now!



Option D - Declining Price

Don't miss your chance to buy tickets to Your Favorite Artist at the price you want. During this 2 hour onsale, all tickets will decrease in price every 30 minutes. Simply purchase tickets when the price matches your budget.

How it works:

1. All Tickets go onsale at 10am CST for $500 - from the first row to the last row.
2. The price will Decrease every 30 minutes for 2 hours
1. 10:00 am PST - all tickets onsale for $500
2. 10:30 am PST - all remaining seats $400
3. 11:00 am PST - all remaining seats $300
4. 11:30 am PST - all remaining seats $200
3. If there are any unsold seats reamining at 12 pm CST, they will be placed on sale immediately following the close of the 2 hour declining price sale for $200.


Option N - Price Range

Don't miss your chance to name your price range and buy tickets to Your Favorite Artist at the price you want. Simply tell us how much you want to spend for tickets and we will find the best available seats that match your requirements.

How it works:

1. All tickets go on sale at 10am CST
2. Enter the minimum and maximum you are willing to spend per ticket and we will find the best available seats that match your request.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Officially this habit is obviously legal, okay. But this is not what I feel inside. In the last decades I was fine about understanding, that music is not only what is going on inside of me, that music has always been and more so now become an industry, a big business. But as everywhere around us, you can ask – where does it all head for? Is this really right in the true sense?

No, morally IMO it is not. Once there were artists, who created their own image to control everything regarding their music, a true faith in their art and craft. They even checked, whether even on bad seats the sound was okay for their fans.

Now the same guys as artists aka producers and us as fans aka customers have a company doing a bazar market: for good seats (and most of the stadiums) start with absurd high prices, check out, what you can rip off – then we make discount, auction, even 50% offers at the ticket desks on the show eve.
This is not only unfair, but something you would discuss everywhere else as a kind strange act: You get the same ticket aka product, that has been offered for a (high) fixed price, for completly different prices. Concerts are not valid as concerts anymore, they are now shows as part of a mighty entertainment industry. Something you can deal with as any other supermarket product. Hold it for a second: Don't I remember the industry compaining, that the people don't appreciate music the way, they used to, that they see music (included CDs, mp3s etc.) only as a product? Hm, they may check their own attitude and 'market behaviour' ...

And, yes, I think it is cynical that the billionaires and world savers of U2 have followed this path to make more and more money. And it is even more cynicaly, that we as die-hard fans (myself included) have followed this path, too. Which only shows, that this kind of manipulating our 'shopping behaviour' works. Sad, so sad. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" but here for sure not for the better.

Reading the article above article I had a vision: U2 leave these pervertive industry behind, do their own marketing – and play a concert SAVE THE ART, AGAINST RIP-OFF. And everybody, who feels connected to this, will attend.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

all of this sounds so incredibly fucked. i don't mind auctions for things like red zone, where 90% or so of the stadium is still sold old school style, but i don't want to bid for a seat at a concert. i just don't. the process of buying tickets as it is can be stressful enough if the artist you like is even remotely popular.

 

[indra]

The price range option is the only one I would even consider.

Just show me what the prices are for each section and let me decide if there are any I want to buy.

 

[coolian2]

Option N - Price Range

Don't miss your chance to name your price range and buy tickets to Your Favorite Artist at the price you want. Simply tell us how much you want to spend for tickets and we will find the best available seats that match your requirements.

How it works:

1. All tickets go on sale at 10am CST
2. Enter the minimum and maximum you are willing to spend per ticket and we will find the best available seats that match your request.

isn't that what already happens, more or less?


the other options are shithouse, but will probably never happen so there's no need to worry

 

[cdparky]

How about the mystery option where they go on sale for a reasonable face value price and the promoters don't treat the fans like cash cows to be exploited to the maximum?

 

[VintagePunk]

I think they forgot the option where you bend over and they screw you. Oh wait, that's all of their options!

They're on thin ice in Canada, with a bunch of lawsuits pending, so I don't expect they'll ever try anything like that here.

 

[Galeongirl]

They should just call them Option Ripofff. What a disaster.

 

[corianderstem]

I hope they implement the most WTF IS THIS SHIT option, and it finally is WTF IS THIS SHIT enough to make someone do something to finally change the industry and stop putting up with Ticketmaster's fuckwittery.

 

[Salome]

since concert is where the money is being made as hardly anyone pays for recorded music anymore this sounds like something that could happen

 

[kramwest1]

I honestly don't blame TM that much for this bullshit; they're just a company that has found its niche to make money and no one is stopping them. It's the complete lack of regulation of monopolies in the U.S. that I blame.

Ticketmaster
Media owners--TV, Radio, Cable, internet
Health insurance Cos.

...to list just a few. Our government is supposed to break up monopolies and allow competition. If the only way something can function is as a monopoly, then it is to be heavily regulated, i.e. utilities. (or run by the government)

 

[cdparky]

I honestly don't blame TM that much for this bullshit; they're just a company that has found its niche to make money and no one is stopping them. It's the complete lack of regulation of monopolies in the U.S. that I blame.

Ticketmaster
Media owners--TV, Radio, Cable, internet
Health insurance Cos.

...to list just a few. Our government is supposed to break up monopolies and allow competition. If the only way something can function is as a monopoly, then it is to be heavily regulated, i.e. utilities. (or run by the government)

To be fair it isn't TM that set the prices or the manner in which tickets are sold, that is down to the likes of Evil Nation. What they are doing is increasing the ways Evil Nation can exploit fleece the idiots willing to pay stupid amounts for tickets (and expecting the non-idiots to pay the same).

If any artist I followed made tickets solely available via these methods I would select option Z and suggest they go and insert their tickets up their own arses.

 

[ntalwar]

To be fair it isn't TM that set the prices or the manner in which tickets are sold, that is down to the likes of Evil Nation. What they are doing is increasing the ways Evil Nation can exploit fleece the idiots willing to pay stupid amounts for tickets (and expecting the non-idiots to pay the same).

Yeah - TM charges a service fee either way, so they don't stand to make additional profits using the new scheme. The promoter and artist are the ones who would decide to go with this option. At least it looks like only a portion of the seats (for S) would be available. Hopefully only artists like Miley Cyrus would use this.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

"The promoter and artist are the ones who would decide to go with this option."

Nice friends – but why don't you name it: U2 is also a part of this, a big part! They made their deal with Live Nation – for profit reasons and obviously nothing else ...

 

[paulrg]

Didn't know where to post this - got an email survey from Ticketmaster where they offer three potential buying options and ask for an opinion. They included mockups and everything, but I'll just put the text here describing them. The auction option is mind boggling, since it will in effect make them nothing more than scalpers themselves(not that they're far off now). Anyways, just thought it was interesting/horrifying - I'd like to hear what others think. I've spent a ridiculous amount of money with TM, and the thought of having to bid for each concert is

Option S - Auction

Don't miss your chance to bid on tickets to see Your Favorite Artist in this 1 hour auction. Simply find the seating locations you like and start bidding. Nearly every ticket in the venue is up for auction.

How it works:

1. Auction lasts for 1 hour -- 10am CST - 11am CST
2. Bid on tickets to see Your Favorite Artist. Over 10,000 seats available through this auction.
3. Just choose where you want to sit and start bidding.
4. If you win, you will be notified immediately with your seating assignment in the section you selected. You pay what you bid
5. If you do not win, you can still purchase tickets in the onsale at 12pm CST, if tickets are still available.
6. If you do no participate in the auction, all of the tickets may sell out. So Bid Now!



Option D - Declining Price

Don't miss your chance to buy tickets to Your Favorite Artist at the price you want. During this 2 hour onsale, all tickets will decrease in price every 30 minutes. Simply purchase tickets when the price matches your budget.

How it works:

1. All Tickets go onsale at 10am CST for $500 - from the first row to the last row.
2. The price will Decrease every 30 minutes for 2 hours
1. 10:00 am PST - all tickets onsale for $500
2. 10:30 am PST - all remaining seats $400
3. 11:00 am PST - all remaining seats $300
4. 11:30 am PST - all remaining seats $200
3. If there are any unsold seats reamining at 12 pm CST, they will be placed on sale immediately following the close of the 2 hour declining price sale for $200.


Option N - Price Range

Don't miss your chance to name your price range and buy tickets to Your Favorite Artist at the price you want. Simply tell us how much you want to spend for tickets and we will find the best available seats that match your requirements.

How it works:

1. All tickets go on sale at 10am CST
2. Enter the minimum and maximum you are willing to spend per ticket and we will find the best available seats that match your request.

NONE OF THE ABOVE thanks for asking!

I want to decide were the hell I sit/stand and want to know what it will cost me to conclude the deal. Most folks don't have the time/inclination to mess about with auctions like that. Please reign in your greed or please will the FTC/Congress or whoever stop this merger between TM and LiveNation. Ugh.

 

[cdparky]

"The promoter and artist are the ones who would decide to go with this option."

Nice friends – but why don't you name it: U2 is also a part of this, a big part! They made their deal with Live Nation – for profit reasons and obviously nothing else ...

Yes of course U2 would be involved in any move towards this, as would any artist permitting their tickets to be sold like this. At some point the greed of the industry will consume itself.

 

[VintagePunk]

Didn't U2 state before this tour that they don't engage in the practice of withholding tickets in the general ticket pool so that they can be sold by Ticketmaster auction? I'd be very, very disappointed in them if they did start to do this.

 

[Notabene]

I hope they implement the most WTF IS THIS SHIT option, and it finally is WTF IS THIS SHIT enough to make someone do something to finally change the industry and stop putting up with Ticketmaster's fuckwittery.

That is exaclty how I feel sometimes when purchasing tickets through ticketmaster. My words to be exact "wtf" I just don't understand how sometimes when trying to get tickets is so easy and other times it's a nightmare. Guess there will always be that love hate relastionship with ticketmaster.

I honestly don't blame TM that much for this bullshit; they're just a company that has found its niche to make money and no one is stopping them. It's the complete lack of regulation of monopolies in the U.S. that I blame.

Ticketmaster
Media owners--TV, Radio, Cable, internet
Health insurance Cos.

...to list just a few. Our government is supposed to break up monopolies and allow competition. If the only way something can function is as a monopoly, then it is to be heavily regulated, i.e. utilities. (or run by the government)

Well said. It's definatley time for stuff like this to be taken action against and finally to have a stop put to it. Ticketmaster like you said found their niche to make money and no one has put a stop to it yet.

 

[Bonogirl777]

...the fuck?
Ticketmaster is a bastard.

 

[cdparky]

Didn't U2 state before this tour that they don't engage in the practice of withholding tickets in the general ticket pool so that they can be sold by Ticketmaster auction? I'd be very, very disappointed in them if they did start to do this.

To be honest I'd be a little surprised if U2 sold tickets using any of these methods (they could quite easily have exploited far higher prices this time out for the GA tickets). There will be bands / artists who will be up for doing it though, the likes of Bon Jovi & Madonna are very much set on milking their fanbases for everything they can possibly get.

 

[ntalwar]

To be honest I'd be a little surprised if U2 sold tickets using any of these methods (they could quite easily have exploited far higher prices this time out for the GA tickets). There will be bands / artists who will be up for doing it though, the likes of Bon Jovi & Madonna are very much set on milking their fanbases for everything they can possibly get.

I agree. TM has offered auctions for a few years now, and many artists have used them for premium seats. U2 has used auctions for Red Zone only.

 

[BWU2Buffs]

Lots of negative vibes on this, but I'm OK with these options -- it is just capitalism. The Internet and places like StubHub and these proposed TM ideas are simply allowing suppliers of a service to get a price that the market will bear. The market for concert tickets is not perfect -- limited supply, more demand etc (no need to debate the imperfections, and there probably is not a truly perfect competitive market) but these are pretty good options to get the buyers and sellers in an imperfect market to agree on a price through information and technology.

Personally I like the first option best -- it's kind of half auction, half "normal" where a set number of tickets are up for auction, say half of the stadium, and a set number of tickets are sold the old fashion way with set prices.

And, I have no problem with U2, "savers of the world" maximizing their profit potential at all -- heck, go for it! And use some of those profits to save even more of the world! (Heck, at least U2 earns it, some of the artists previously noted have not done jack hooy sh*& in several years yet people still pay)

Plus, compare these ideas to stuff we currently deal -- you can buy a plane ticket 3 months in advance for $200 less than if you buy the ticket 1 week in advance -- same flight, same everything, yet we all put up with it.

And, if you are the father of a little girl into Barbie right now, check out the links below for the Barbie Glamour Camper -- this bad boy retails for about $69 to $89, but nobody has it. It is sold out everywhere, well except eBay. Yet, Amazon has "sellers" who have it for $189 and up -- why? Supply and demand. Wal-Mart, sold out $65, Amazon, not sold out, $189 -- should I write my congress-person or get pissed off at Amazon? Nope.

The internet has blown up a lot of markets, it is a good thing, and this is just more of that same trend. It seems to me that it would be a bit hard and perhaps hypocritical to bitch about these TM options to buy tickets to a show yet then go out to PriceLine or some other internet / technology based service to save money on the travel and hotel to and for the show.

PS -- I think I found my Barbie Camper. On CraigList!

Walmart.com: Barbie Glamour Camper: Dolls & Stuffed Toys

Amazon.com: Used and New: Barbie Pink Glamour Camper

 

[VintagePunk]

^It's acceptance of these shitty practices that have made things the way they are. If consumers would collectively put their foot down and refuse to pay premium prices for a tour or two, it'd stop.

I was actually happy that U2 tickets seemed to be so plentiful at many stops this tour. The tickets sold, but it just meant that scalpers were getting screwed, and I'm all for that.

 

[digitize]

I don't have a problem with these options, per se... I just think they'll stupid, and if any artist/promoter attempts to use them, the first two have a good chance of pissing people off and reducing demand, while the third is just an overcomplicated way of selling tickets using the status quo method, which certainly won't help Ticketbastard and people who use these options increase demand.

 

[BGD75]

This is fucking insane.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Lots of negative vibes on this, but I'm OK with these options -- it is just capitalism... And, I have no problem with U2, "savers of the world" maximizing their profit potential at all -- heck, go for it!

Yes, and without offending you but more so with blaming myself:
Reactions like this, the acceptance or even the 'understanding', makes all of this madness possible.

 

[phommel]

"The promoter and artist are the ones who would decide to go with this option."

Nice friends – but why don't you name it: U2 is also a part of this, a big part! They made their deal with Live Nation – for profit reasons and obviously nothing else ...

Indeed U2 is part of it too. Although I am sure their personal motivation is not to make as much $$ as possible, they are indeed part of it since they signed the deal with LiveNation.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Indeed U2 is part of it too. Although I am sure their personal motivation is not to make as much $$ as possible, they are indeed part of it since they signed the deal with LiveNation.

So, what is U2's motivation then?

 

[djparky]

not in favour of this- not interested in bidding on concert tickets- want to have the price/ticket options to buy at face value and I'll decide what I want to spend- not fcuking TicketBastard or Evil Nation

there are acts out there who simply view the fanbase as a cashcow and adjust ticket prices accordingly- I don't believe that U2 are like that- they could have easily charged alot more for GC specific tickets this year, especially given the cost of putting the show on

it isn't new though- ticket auctions through various websites have been going on for years

 

[ntalwar]

Lots of negative vibes on this, but I'm OK with these options -- it is just capitalism. The Internet and places like StubHub and these proposed TM ideas are simply allowing suppliers of a service to get a price that the market will bear. The market for concert tickets is not perfect -- limited supply, more demand etc (no need to debate the imperfections, and there probably is not a truly perfect competitive market) but these are pretty good options to get the buyers and sellers in an imperfect market to agree on a price through information and technology.

Ironically, people complain less when the artist/promoter simply sets the fixed price high. I thought the $250 seats were overpriced, and did not purchase them on this tour. I paid less in TM auctions (two for U2 RZ and two for other artists' first few rows) than the $250.

Using your airline example, priceline and hotwire auctions help to sell seats, and auctions would increase concert ticket sales. Most consumers tend to think of airline and hotel auctions as a way to save money- I know I have saved a lot. Auctions also help to smooth out regional differences in economic strength, etc. As long as they implement them properly, auctions can be a good thing. Hardcore fans will(or should) always have the presale option.