Question About Buying Concert Tickets

[morgana_st]

So the Backstreet Boys are touring to promote their new album, and it seems as though I maybe might possibly be actually going to my first BSB concert! (I'm hoping to get a yes! from a friend tomorrow, and then I'll buy the tickets

Comments

[solariana]

See if you can find out what their handling charges are. Some places are charging $35-$50 or more per ticket for *handling* plus additional charges for mailing tickets. I would check out the business to make sure it's a legitimate company. Try to find out a street address, owner's name and how long they've been in business. Also look for a phone number and hours of business. Doing an online search can give you valuable feedback. High prices are one thing, but never receiving tickets or getting bogus tickets would suck. Don't wait until the last minute either, because all of these places I have seen say all sales are final and it is not their fault if you do not receive the tickets in time. If you get them too late for your concert, they're worthless and you won't get a refund. My boyfriend and I almost got screwed because he never received tickets from a ticket broker and never followed up in 2 months. When I took it upon myself to track down the tickets, I found the ticket broker was closed for over a week because they were based

[morgana_st]

I know it's just a fact of life and everyone accepts it, and you just have to add it into the cost of the ticket, but seriously, what "handling"? Punching a couple of keys on the computer and sticking the envelopes in an envelope? That's worth that much money? How can they get away with that?

Anyway, I still haven't heard back from my friend, so that gives me a little more time to continue researching before I make any phone calls. (At least the goodseattickets place seemed to handle their transactions via phone calls rather than electronic media. So I know I'd be talking to a person. I don't know that that means they're necessarily any more trustworthy, but at least I can ask questions, if they're who I end up dealing with.)

Thanks for the words of wisdom.

[solariana]

The ticket brokers I have looked into do have business addresses, so no doubt you are paying their rent, utilities, employee salaries in addition to the original ticket price and handling, plus a little profit on top of that. We only used a broker because the concert sold out in less than ten minutes. Our option was to use a ticket broker or not go at all. It was pricey, but we were all glad that we went. Enjoy!

[call_me_loca]

Just my two cents, but a lot of the time you wind up paying MORE through a broker due to handling. They are the ones who originally purchase the tickets so not only are they charging you THEIR handling fee but likely the original fee as well. If at all possible try contacting the venue itself and see what they suggest. Some sell the tickets outright without charging a handling fee. (Granted that means going to the venue and picking them up in most cases, but it could be worth it in the long run.)

[morgana_st]

Well the good news is I just got the go-ahead email from my friend; she's happy to go to the concert with me. So yay! for that. The problem as far as seating goes is that she wants to bring her husband along. I have no problems with her husband, it's just that most of the tickets left seem to be singles or pairs -- very few seem to be in blocks larger than that. So I need to pin her down tomorrow on details like what we're willing to spend and get these things purchased. The venue itself has a lot of singles, even more sold out sections, and a few areas towards the back where there actually are blocks available. I foresee a night of research and price comparisons ahead!

Thanks for your two cents -- I've been to two Rufus Wainwright concerts, but I wasn't the one who bought those tickets so this is my first time navigating through all this.