Comments on: Opinion: Ticketing, Scalping and the Music Industry

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:28:27 +0000

Update: Chris Messina has discovered that Death Cab for Cutie are doing something similar which is *very* interesting.

http://flickr.com/photos/factoryjoe/2530636686/

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:32:15 +0000

I’d have to say that Stu’s idea isn’t bad. It would be a natural restraint on the ticket purchasing; restricting scalpers possibilities.

By: Stu

Stu — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:04:41 +0000

“That’s a crap idea.”

What they should really do is open the internet and phone ticketing the day after the outlet ticketing. Then, real fans can queue up to get tickets, and scalpers can have second pickings a day later.

By: abraham

abraham — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:46:41 +0000

In the ideal world I’d like to be able to buy the ticket and either:

1 - attend the event
2 - give/transfer the ticket to a friend if I can’t attend.
3 - get a full refund if I cant attend.

Point 2 creates the greatest opportunity for scalpers but it’s very frustrating not being able to give a friend your ticket if you know you cant attend and they’re dying to go. Having a window of time between purchase and ticket posting where the name on the ticket can be changed is one way to go about it. Combine that with a strict one ticket per person would minimise opportunity to profit by scalpers.

If it’s strictly one ticket per person then perhaps stagger the release of tickets so everyone gets a go at jumping on an online queue if they can’t be in front of a computer on a given day or time.

P.s. Joel, I was searching for the ELEC9201 course and your site came up

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:10:11 +0000

@Duncan while I agree in part with what you are saying there is already a requirement for Identification to be checked at the gate for alcohol reasons. Many events pre-identify those over 18 at the gate prior to entry. The requirement that identification match a ticket, or even that when a ticket stub is scanned (as many are now) security gets a screen showing who should be associated with the ticket. The additional cost would be negligible because there are already the aforementioned requirements to check. The cost is added to the marked ticket price, not a scalped one. Insofar as “onselling” - as I’ve said all sales would need be completely refundable through the ticket agencies to ensure that if you have real reasons to traditionally onsell tickets (as @Stephen has mentioned) instead of selling to someone else they would go back into the general pool of available tickets.

@Matt sure, I’ll incorporate some of the feedback into it, and more if more people respond.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:50:00 +0000

Great article Joel.. Scalping irritates me big time!

Would you be interested in tweaking this into a ‘guest editorial’ on I’m With The Band??

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:14:25 +0000

‘Sending via Registered Post closer to the actual event date and requiring photo identification to pick up the tickets also increases the security of the process and reduces the profitability for scalpers.’ I don’t see how this helps. If a scalper buys a ticket, it’s going to be sent to their address and they will obviously have the ID to pick it up from the Post Office.

I think FULL (ie. cost plus all those little fees they like to put on) refund option being made available right up to the event is the best. I’ve known a lot of friends/people ’scalp’ their tickets because they couldn’t make it and they were only looking to recoup the ticket cost (ie. sell it for the stated value). And I’ve even bought under such terms (where I’ve paid the ’scalper’ the stated ticket cost). That is why i think it is the best option as most people just want to recoup their money, and with agencies/organisers not refunding 100% or the fees or the credit card fees is the main culprit.

However, to ask for more than the stated ticket price is wrong and that is the true definition of ’scalping’. Having personal contact / ID details printed on the ticket is probably the best bet, as most people wouldn’t want that info released publicly or given to a stranger anyway.

Good article and thougts.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:40:22 +0000

Having a system that requires security to check name and address has 2 downsides; the first is the need to employ security to do the checking and the second is that it takes time. There is no motive for the promoter or venue to reduce scalping, and if the cost of additional security is added to the ticket price, is the consumer really gaining anything?
It also takes us back to your original point - if you need to sell a ticket that has your name and address on it, how do you do so?

By: kyle

kyle — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:30:33 +0000

I really agree that something needs to be done. We have a huge problem here in Boston trying to get tickets to Red Sox games, it’s nearly impossible to pick up tickets that aren’t at least 30% marked up.

I think when Rage Against the Machine went back on tour earlier this year (they did a few shows with Wu Tang I believe) they enlisted the tactic of requiring a photo ID which needed to match your name and address to what was printed on the ticket.

I really like this idea, and hope they could one day close the book on the scalping business.