Ticketmaster adding 20% buyer surcharge to relisted tickets

[mef730]

So my guy called me back and here's the deal: The Ticketmaster surcharge has always been there.  It just never showed on the seats when you click on them, only when you get to the third screen to make the purchase.

Here's the problem: The tickets directly from the Celtics don't show a surcharge.  In other words, it looks like all the money is going directly to pay for the tickets and there is no surcharge to pay.  That isn't true.  The Celtics' tickets also include a surcharge, but it isn't broken out.  I also have no idea if the surcharge that the Celtics' tickets get is different than that of the resale tickets but, because they don't list it out separately, I have a pretty good guess.

Bottom line: There's a reason that one set of tickets shows a surcharge and one doesn't, and the one that doesn't looks that much more appealing. 

In the meantime, as a season ticket holder, I am now going to be looking at other ways to sell my tickets.  There are clearly other ways to buy them.  We have front row seats in Loge 9.  I can do better than TM.

Mike

[Donoghus]

So my guy called me back and here's the deal: The Ticketmaster surcharge has always been there.  It just never showed on the seats when you click on them, only when you get to the third screen to make the purchase.

Here's the problem: The tickets directly from the Celtics don't show a surcharge.  In other words, it looks like all the money is going directly to pay for the tickets and there is no surcharge to pay.  That isn't true.  The Celtics' tickets also include a surcharge, but it isn't broken out.  I also have no idea if the surcharge that the Celtics' tickets get is different than that of the resale tickets but, because they don't list it out separately, I have a pretty good guess.

Bottom line: There's a reason that one set of tickets shows a surcharge and one doesn't, and the one that doesn't looks that much more appealing. 

In the meantime, as a season ticket holder, I am now going to be looking at other ways to sell my tickets.  There are clearly other ways to buy them.  We have front row seats in Loge 9.  I can do better than TM.

Mike

We have a ticket section on here if you need to use it at all. 

[fairweatherfan]

So my guy called me back and here's the deal: The Ticketmaster surcharge has always been there.  It just never showed on the seats when you click on them, only when you get to the third screen to make the purchase.

This has been true of Ticketmaster for awhile.  I think the backstory here is that StubHub and probably other places have been widely advertising that they show the full price upfront so you don't get blindsided with the surcharge at the end, so Ticketmaster is copying that for their operation.

[mef730]

So my guy called me back and here's the deal: The Ticketmaster surcharge has always been there.  It just never showed on the seats when you click on them, only when you get to the third screen to make the purchase.

Here's the problem: The tickets directly from the Celtics don't show a surcharge.  In other words, it looks like all the money is going directly to pay for the tickets and there is no surcharge to pay.  That isn't true.  The Celtics' tickets also include a surcharge, but it isn't broken out.  I also have no idea if the surcharge that the Celtics' tickets get is different than that of the resale tickets but, because they don't list it out separately, I have a pretty good guess.

Bottom line: There's a reason that one set of tickets shows a surcharge and one doesn't, and the one that doesn't looks that much more appealing. 

In the meantime, as a season ticket holder, I am now going to be looking at other ways to sell my tickets.  There are clearly other ways to buy them.  We have front row seats in Loge 9.  I can do better than TM.

Mike

We have a ticket section on here if you need to use it at all.

I will be, thanks!

Mike

[mef730]

This has been true of Ticketmaster for awhile.  I think the backstory here is that StubHub and probably other places have been widely advertising that they show the full price upfront so you don't get blindsided with the surcharge at the end, so Ticketmaster is copying that for their operation.

That is an entirely credible explanation and makes sense.  Thus, my one remaining question is, why isn't Ticketmaster also showing a breakdown of fees and actual ticket price for the tickets coming directly from the Celtics?

Mike

[D.o.s.]

So my guy called me back and here's the deal: The Ticketmaster surcharge has always been there.  It just never showed on the seats when you click on them, only when you get to the third screen to make the purchase.

This has been true of Ticketmaster for awhile.  I think the backstory here is that StubHub and probably other places have been widely advertising that they show the full price upfront so you don't get blindsided with the surcharge at the end, so Ticketmaster is copying that for their operation.

They have also boosted their fees over the last decade or so.

[Mike]

I'm not sure I understand.  I am a season ticket holder who resells through the Celtics/TM, and the price I list is the same price I see on the resale website.  It even says "Reseller's Price" right on the first page, and the 20% buyer's fee is still shown on the third page.  I don't see how this is different from previous seasons.

[Kevin OConnor]

They're also charging $4.50 to send tickets by mail now. It has been free since I've been using Ticketmaster.

Robbery.

[mef730]

I'm not sure I understand.  I am a season ticket holder who resells through the Celtics/TM, and the price I list is the same price I see on the resale website.  It even says "Reseller's Price" right on the first page, and the 20% buyer's fee is still shown on the third page.  I don't see how this is different from previous seasons.

I'm showing the resale price and the TM charge on the seat map.  For the  Celtics tix, it only shows one price and has no breakdown of whether that includes ticket surcharge (I think it does.).  An apples to apples comparison would be more appropriate.

Mike