Jump to content

Is it unethical to resell tickets on a fan site...


Recommended Posts

Isn't selling VIP ticketes for 300.00 plus dollars which includes a bunch of "crap" with the package the same idea as scalping. Before you chastise me, I bought the VIP package on the last tour and enjoyed my 10th row seat, but I had the money and was willing to pay it. If others are willing to pay extra for the seat, then I would call this capitalism at it's finest.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (djtess @ May 9 2012, 07:11 PM)
Isn't selling VIP ticketes for 300.00 plus dollars which includes a bunch of "crap" with the package the same idea as scalping. Before you chastise me, I bought the VIP package on the last tour and enjoyed my 10th row seat, but I had the money and was willing to pay it. If others are willing to pay extra for the seat, then I would call this capitalism at it's finest.

No, because the VIP tickets are allocated to the company the same as the other seats - VIPNation gets a block, LiveNation gets a block, there's a block held back for the band usually, there's a block for TicketMaster, etc. It would only be vaguely the same as scalping if VIPNation competed for the same tickets as us and only then increased the price and added the merch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe it is. It should be illegal to sell tickets for even more than a penny for what you paid for it. But that's just my opinion~
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:00 PM)
I believe it is. It should be illegal to sell tickets for even more than a penny for what you paid for it. But that's just my opinion~

Really? Why? Tell me why someone should be thrown in jail, or at best, hit with a hefty fine, simply for reselling a ticket to an event - a ticket that the person bought quite legally and *owns*.

 

While you're at it, maybe you should explain why I shouldn't sell the comic book I have upstairs that's currently worth about $50. I bought it for $1.25. Tell me why the baseball cards I own must be sold at the price I paid for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 9 2012, 11:06 PM)
QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:00 PM)
I believe it is. It should be illegal to sell tickets for even more than a penny for what you paid for it. But that's just my opinion~

Really? Why? Tell me why someone should be thrown in jail, or at best, hit with a hefty fine, simply for reselling a ticket to an event - a ticket that the person bought quite legally and *owns*.

 

While you're at it, maybe you should explain why I shouldn't sell the comic book I have upstairs that's currently worth about $50. I bought it for $1.25. Tell me why the baseball cards I own must be sold at the price I paid for them.

Those are rare/collectable items that don't expire. An event isn't going to last years. It will come and pass. Once it does, the tickets will be useless.

 

Now, imagine how much less scalping there would be if you couldn't sell the tickets for more than exactly what they cost, thus allowing more true fans to get better seats and giving everyone a fair shot.

Edited by Echoes
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:13 PM)
QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 9 2012, 11:06 PM)
QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:00 PM)
I believe it is. It should be illegal to sell tickets for even more than a penny for what you paid for it. But that's just my opinion~

Really? Why? Tell me why someone should be thrown in jail, or at best, hit with a hefty fine, simply for reselling a ticket to an event - a ticket that the person bought quite legally and *owns*.

 

While you're at it, maybe you should explain why I shouldn't sell the comic book I have upstairs that's currently worth about $50. I bought it for $1.25. Tell me why the baseball cards I own must be sold at the price I paid for them.

Those are rare, collectable items that don't expire. An event isn't going to last years. It will come and pass. Once it does, the tickets will be useless.

 

Now, imagine how much less scalping there would be if you couldn't sell the tickets for more than exactly what they cost, thus allowing more true fans to get better seats and giving everyone a fair shot.

Everyone does have a fair shot. Scalpers aren't magical beings that somehow snap up every seat in the first 20 rows. They fight for the same seats we do and we end up with the vast majority of them.

 

But your point about the event expiring is completely moot. More importantly, when I buy a ticket, I OWN that ticket. And I can do whatever the hell I want with it. I can go to the event, stay home, light it on fire, eat it or flush it down the toilet. Or I can sell it. For as much as someone is willing to pay.

 

You want scalping to stop? Convince people to stop paying scalpers. As long as there is a market, there will be people to fill the orders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 9 2012, 11:17 PM)
QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:13 PM)
QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 9 2012, 11:06 PM)
QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:00 PM)
I believe it is. It should be illegal to sell tickets for even more than a penny for what you paid for it. But that's just my opinion~

Really? Why? Tell me why someone should be thrown in jail, or at best, hit with a hefty fine, simply for reselling a ticket to an event - a ticket that the person bought quite legally and *owns*.

 

While you're at it, maybe you should explain why I shouldn't sell the comic book I have upstairs that's currently worth about $50. I bought it for $1.25. Tell me why the baseball cards I own must be sold at the price I paid for them.

Those are rare, collectable items that don't expire. An event isn't going to last years. It will come and pass. Once it does, the tickets will be useless.

 

Now, imagine how much less scalping there would be if you couldn't sell the tickets for more than exactly what they cost, thus allowing more true fans to get better seats and giving everyone a fair shot.

Everyone does have a fair shot. Scalpers aren't magical beings that somehow snap up every seat in the first 20 rows. They fight for the same seats we do and we end up with the vast majority of them.

 

But your point about the event expiring is completely moot. More importantly, when I buy a ticket, I OWN that ticket. And I can do whatever the hell I want with it. I can go to the event, stay home, light it on fire, eat it or flush it down the toilet. Or I can sell it. For as much as someone is willing to pay.

 

You want scalping to stop? Convince people to stop paying scalpers. As long as there is a market, there will be people to fill the orders.

*le sigh*

 

Nope. Scalpers use bots to buy up tickets quicker than any human could. Look it up. It happens. Here's an example: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/to...006351352.story

 

Magical beings, no. Bots, yes.

I'll give you another example. I tried purchasing tickets to see Garbage in NY. Got right in at the onsale time, took less than a minute to get my request in. Event sold out. Not long after, I went to Stub Hub and there was a growing amount of tickets popping up, eventually getting into the hundreds. A $45 or so face value ticket was jacked up to $100-$500. Meanwhile, fans of theirs that have been waiting 7 years to see them are devastated on the band's Facebook page, going crazy that that they couldn't secure a single ticket to see their favorite band. So explain to me how this isn't unethical.

 

 

And as I said before, this is MY opinion. You're welcome to yours, just as I'm welcome to mine~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:32 PM)
QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 9 2012, 11:17 PM)
QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:13 PM)
QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 9 2012, 11:06 PM)
QUOTE (Echoes @ May 9 2012, 10:00 PM)
I believe it is. It should be illegal to sell tickets for even more than a penny for what you paid for it. But that's just my opinion~

Really? Why? Tell me why someone should be thrown in jail, or at best, hit with a hefty fine, simply for reselling a ticket to an event - a ticket that the person bought quite legally and *owns*.

 

While you're at it, maybe you should explain why I shouldn't sell the comic book I have upstairs that's currently worth about $50. I bought it for $1.25. Tell me why the baseball cards I own must be sold at the price I paid for them.

Those are rare, collectable items that don't expire. An event isn't going to last years. It will come and pass. Once it does, the tickets will be useless.

 

Now, imagine how much less scalping there would be if you couldn't sell the tickets for more than exactly what they cost, thus allowing more true fans to get better seats and giving everyone a fair shot.

Everyone does have a fair shot. Scalpers aren't magical beings that somehow snap up every seat in the first 20 rows. They fight for the same seats we do and we end up with the vast majority of them.

 

But your point about the event expiring is completely moot. More importantly, when I buy a ticket, I OWN that ticket. And I can do whatever the hell I want with it. I can go to the event, stay home, light it on fire, eat it or flush it down the toilet. Or I can sell it. For as much as someone is willing to pay.

 

You want scalping to stop? Convince people to stop paying scalpers. As long as there is a market, there will be people to fill the orders.

*le sigh*

 

Nope. Scalpers use bots to buy up tickets quicker than any human could. Look it up. It happens. Here's an example: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/to...006351352.story

 

Magical beings, no. Bots, yes.

I'll give you another example. I tried purchasing tickets to see Garbage in NY. Got right in at the onsale time, took less than a minute to get my request in. Event sold out. Not long after, I went to Stub Hub and there was a growing amount of tickets popping up, eventually getting into the hundreds. A $45 or so face value ticket was jacked up to $100-$500. Meanwhile, fans of theirs that have been waiting 7 years to see them are devastated on the band's Facebook page, going crazy that that they couldn't secure a single ticket to see their favorite band. So explain to me how this isn't unethical.

 

 

And as I said before, this is MY opinion. You're welcome to yours, just as I'm welcome to mine~

Good, now read the comments on that story. Specifically, the one from "concerned citizen".

 

As for the bots, I'd like someone to explain how bots beat reCaptchas, which is, I believe, what the ticketing sites use now. To the best of my knowledge, reCaptcha has not been beaten programmatically yet.

 

And even if there are bots involved, they are still going up against thousands of real people. The relatively small number of floor seats being sold on StubHub proves that the scalpers do not have a lock on everything.

 

But none of that speaks to the point of the practice being unethical. You can call it that if you want. I don't believe that it is. It still comes down to a very simple principle. I should have the right to do with my property whatever the hell I want. And my concert ticket is my property. Same as my car, same as my couch, same as my iPad or a CD I own. If I want to sell it to someone who is willing to pay a certain amount, I should have that right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 10 2012, 12:13 AM)
It still comes down to a very simple principle. I should have the right to do with my property whatever the hell I want. And my concert ticket is my property. Same as my car, same as my couch, same as my iPad or a CD I own. If I want to sell it to someone who is willing to pay a certain amount, I should have that right.

Simply said, this statement says it all...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Totally low class. If you sell your tickets above face on this forum.....that is just low.

 

If it is a VIP ticket...of course ask for the VIP price.

 

I have never sold a Rush ticket to a Rush fan above face value. That is just bad karma.

 

When I am able to upgrade my seats...I find a true Rush fan and sell them tickets for what I paid. That is just how I am wired when it comes to Rush.

 

We are a clubhouse. A unique secret clubhouse. We should be taking care of each other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (djtess @ May 10 2012, 08:29 AM)
QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 10 2012, 12:13 AM)
It still comes down to a very simple principle. I should have the right to do with my property whatever the hell I want. And my concert ticket is my property. Same as my car, same as my couch, same as my iPad or a CD I own. If I want to sell it to someone who is willing to pay a certain amount, I should have that right.

Simply said, this statement says it all...

You do. I believe in free markets like everyone else who lives in this great country.

 

But don't expect to be thought of nicely if you come on a Rush fan site and try to profit.

 

Not cool. Not cool at all.

 

By all means sell them for what you want. But stay out of the clubhouse when doing it.

 

That is point of the thread.

 

It's about good form and bad form. That my friend is just really bad form.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Tigershark2112 @ May 10 2012, 12:22 PM)
Unethical? Perhaps. Dick move? DEFINITELY.

This is my entire point.

 

To come onto a site made and populated by Rush fans and jack up the price on some tickets is undeniably a dick move. Keep that stuff over at StubHub or wherever you crazy kids are selling your tickets these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (kid-gloves @ May 9 2012, 10:25 AM)
I saw this posted on RIAB under one of the tour dates: "I have listed 2 RUSH tickets for 9/24 MN show on StubHub. They are one row (17th & 18th rows of FLR 1 section) and only 2 seat numbers apart, so you'd be very close to a friend if you wanted 2 tickets. They are listed at $211.20 each, so should be easly [sic] to spot if you are interested. Thanks and enjoy the show!"

Wow-- what a bargain-- you can pay double face value and you and your friend maybe can shake hands if you really stretched out.

IMO, fan sites should not be used to resell tickets above face value. If you've upgraded or have an extra ticket, then use the fan sites to unload your tickets to another fan at cost plus fees only. But don't try to gouge other members of the community (if you think it's clever to price the tickets after a Rush album, then how about $121.12-- and for that price postage should be included).

I'll go even further and argue that reselling presale tickets for a profit is flat out unethical. If you are doing that you are part of the problem. It's also likely illegal, since the MT user agreement states, ""The sale or resale of a ticket, through unauthorized partners, for a price in excess of the original purchase price is not permitted."

For a brief moment I looked into the possibility of seeing the next two shows after my home venue. I pulled 3rd row lowers on MT for one show and 6th row floor for the other show, MUCH better than what I got for my home venue. But as the seconds to sale ticked away, I knew realistically I couldn't get away from work for a week at that time, so I threw them back. I didn't buy them and resell them on SH. If I had bought them and couldn't go, then I'd try to sell them for face and fees to another fan.

Two issues here.

 

The first: selling tickets above face on a FAN site is, at worst, bad form. At best, it's smart, because the seller has a captive audience.

 

The second: outside a fan site, it is not unthical in the least. It's straight capitalism. No one is compelled to buy a ticket they do not want or cannot afford. Entertainment is a want, a luxury.

 

Is it "ethical" for a band to charge $130 for a ticket (and--gasp!--make tons of money)? Plenty of legitimate and successful companies mark up ticket prices.

 

The reality is we all live in a fast-paced and competitive society that is more and more technologically driven. This is why commerce and the best-paying careers are rapidly becoming tech-driven.

 

Bottom line: if you feel selling tickets above their printed (and highly profitable sticker) is "unethical", click your mouse one hundred times and maybe, just maybe, you'll find the seat you want...but then I'm sure you'll complain about the high ticket prices and fees.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (danielmclark @ May 10 2012, 12:13 AM)
It still comes down to a very simple principle. I should have the right to do with my property whatever the hell I want. And my concert ticket is my property. Same as my car, same as my couch, same as my iPad or a CD I own. If I want to sell it to someone who is willing to pay a certain amount, I should have that right.

That's true. You have the right to sell your tix for however much you want.

 

But...not here.

 

TRF is fine with established members* selling their tix here for face value or less, but not above that. That goes for on the board or in PMs (should someone report a PM). What you people do off this board is your business, but there is to be NO price gouging here.

 

Any posts advertising tix for above face value will be promptly edited, no exceptions.

 

 

 

*Meaning, we don't want people joining the board just to sell their tickets.

Edited by 1-0-0-1-0-0-1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I think we are mostly in agreement. Sell your tickets for whatever you want.

 

But if your going to come on a fan message board and try and broker the tickets for above face....it is really bad form and get the f**k out of the clubhouse.

 

Agreed?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Todem @ May 10 2012, 02:46 PM)
So I think we are mostly in agreement. Sell your tickets for whatever you want.

But if your going to come on a fan message board and try and broker the tickets for above face....it is really bad form and get the f**k out of the clubhouse.

Agreed?

Hi Todem,

 

I don't know if I would go that far, because the person that might sell those tickets for a profit might have (and likely did) spent a good deal of time trying to get them.

 

I do, however, agree that it would be tacky, but I would not be offended

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So after hearing the moderator say not on these boards. I would say yes its unethical to do so, since he has stated we don't want that on these forums.

 

Illegal no, but unethical yes, but only on TRF.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (iglehart @ May 10 2012, 04:03 PM)
So after hearing the moderator say not on these boards. I would say yes its unethical to do so, since he has stated we don't want that on these forums.

Illegal no, but unethical yes, but only on TRF.

Not just here. As noted in other posts in this thread, other fan sites frown upon price gouging. And fans themselves think it's bad form to sell tix for more than face value on a fan site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Snaked @ May 10 2012, 02:08 PM)
It has nothing to do with ethics, it has to do with the wishes of the owners of the board.

They say no selling above face value.


They pay the bills, they make the rules.

Exactly right.

 

And though I know the thread was specifically asking about selling tickets on fan sites like this, I've been talking about the more broad ethical issues of reselling. If the owners don't want tickets sold above face value here, I'm totally cool with that. No argument. No judgement. Their house, their rules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no issues at all with people asking whatever they want for their tickets. Just not on dedicated fan boards for said band.

 

There are plenty of other avenues to get premiums for your tickets. And fan's will look there who are willing to pay premiums.

Edited by Todem
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (kid-gloves @ May 9 2012, 10:25 AM)


I'll go even further and argue that reselling presale tickets for a profit is flat out unethical.  If you are doing that you are part of the problem. It's also likely illegal, since the MT user agreement states, ""The sale or resale of a ticket, through unauthorized partners, for a price in excess of the original purchase price is not permitted."

That's how I pay for my seats.

 

I buy 8 and sell 4 at 150% mark-up. I've been burned, but most often I cover part of my expenses. Stubhub adds service and shipping charges that eat into the profit. It's a risk, and I've learned it works best when you're holding great seats. The ticket brokers set obscenely high prices, but I can low-ball them and get rid of the seats before the Credit Card bill is due.

 

Back when USC was doing great, we had season tickets, Scholarship Club, and we could cover over half the cost of the season by selling just two or three games.

 

Nothing unethical about offering your tickets to anyone willing to pay for them. Remember, I have to front the initial cost and be at the right time and place to get those good seats.

 

Tips: No one wants to pay $100 for a $45 crappy seat. (especially on the 2nd leg of the S&A tour) But people will pay $299 for a $125 great seat--first 15 rows, center.

 

If the show is sold out, (like the VH reunion tour) it's a sellers' market and don't be in a hurry to sell low. Hold out for a 200% markup (4x face).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...