£2 online booking fee. Views?

[Easy 10]

Off course it is off the shelf. But my businesses (as many do) use off the shelf software, and I know it costs.

But I dont charge a "booking fee". Its all part of running costs.

My problem is the only charge it online, and not offline. Whereas offline transactions cost a lot more to process, as in addition to the booking system, they have premises and staff costs to pay for. So why not charge it offline, where the costs are much much higher. Simple, Because online sales far outweigh offline sales, so they wouldn't raise money if they did it the other way around, therefore its a fund raising venture.

Yes I know they have to pay for software, but what would you do if you went into the shop, went up to the till, and was charged £2 "purchase fee" ... "becuase we have to pay for the tills and counter, and the software to run the tills and stock control". Its the same principal. Just because its the "done thing" doesn't make it correct, and its even worse with Brighton IMO because of the smartcards.

So lets get this straight.
You WANT them to charge for over-the-counter ticket sales as well, because this would be more justifiable than the online charge ?

 

[Mr Burns]

So lets get this straight.
You WANT them to charge for over-the-counter ticket sales as well, because this would be more justifiable than the online charge ?

I want them to explain why its free over the counter, and chargeable online, when over the counter uses the same software as the online system, but has the added costs of staff/premises etc, yet online the whole thing is 100% automated. They still use the ticketing software offline. So if any customers need to be charged, offiline users should be charged, to encourge people not to use staff time (which most business highest costs) when there is a online system (which should be the free system) in place.

 

[middletoenail]

I want them to explain why its free over the counter, and chargeable online, when over the counter uses the same software as the online system, but has the added costs of staff/premises etc, yet online the whole thing is 100% automated. They still use the ticketing software offline. So if any customers need to be charged, offiline users should be charged, to encourge people not to use staff time (which most business highest costs) when there is a online system (which should be the free system) in place.

The ticket office will have a 'free licence' on the software that is operated in inhouse - Thats normal.

 

[beorhthelm]

My problem is the only charge it online, and not offline. Whereas offline transactions cost a lot more to process, as in addition to the booking system, they have premises and staff costs to pay for.

firstly thats all fixed costs, it doesn't incur a unit cost to whether the staff deal with a ticket sale or a shirt sale. secondly the booking system doesnt have to go through the online system, in which case would bypass the charges made for that. ( i see that you say they do use the same system, where was this said or has it been seen in use at shop?? as above, does it cost anything to use??)

I dont think some people appreciate just how good the IRIS software package is

really, even with the obvious bugs that still havent been fixed? imo its a fairly rough and raw system in need of some rigorous UAT.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

So, if we phone the ticket office and buy over the phone (which is effectively the same as going into the ticket office and buying over the counter), do we still get charged the booking fee?

 

[Mr Burns]

firstly thats all fixed costs, it doesn't incur a unit cost to whether the staff deal with a ticket sale or a shirt sale. secondly the booking system doesnt have to go through the online system, in which case would bypass the charges made for that. ( i see that you say they do use the same system, where was this said or has it been seen in use at shop?? as above, does it cost anything to use??)



really, even with the obvious bugs that still havent been fixed? imo its a fairly rough and raw system in need of some rigorous UAT.

Not trying to agree with you, but ticket sales staff are seperate to retail staff, so its not a fixed cost. They employ staff to man the ticket office which is within the shop. Regards the shop system, as I don't know for sure, but it has to be linked, and therefore suggests its is the same software. Otherwise tickets sold in store, would still show online and vice versa.

And yes agreed, its not a good software package!!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

My feelings are that if I buy an away ticket that needs to be posted out then the booking fee is justified, but if it is a home cup ticket that only needs charging to my smart card then it isn't justified.

 

[Mr Burns]

The ticket office will have a 'free licence' on the software that is operated in inhouse - Thats normal.

That would explain part of the issue then if in fact that was the case. Maybe the insider woiuld have shared that with us if it was the case. I asked him enough

 

[Mr Burns]

Mr Burns,

Why don't you give up this crusade and go an pester insider about something far less taxing - like commemorative shirts maybe?


Oh!!!!!!!

I'll quote you to make you feel happier, as no one else seems to be taking the slightest bit of notice of your posts

 

[rool]

Not trying to agree with you, but ticket sales staff are seperate to retail staff, so its not a fixed cost.!!

I generally sympathise with your campaign but agree with beorthelm that the ticket sales staff are still a fixed cost as it doesn't cost the club anymore whether they sell one or 1000 tickets.

 

[otk]

Just a thought, but if the club sell 13500 tickets online for a cup match, and each transaction, for example, averages at three tickets, that makes 4500 transactions @ £2, which equals £9000 per game. If we (hopefully) play say five home cup games a season, that makes £45000 per season in booking fees alone....

 

[rool]

Just a thought, but if the club sell 13500 tickets online for a cup match, and each transaction, for example, averages at three tickets, that makes 4500 transactions @ £2, which equals £9000 per game. If we (hopefully) play say five home cup games a season, that makes £45000 per season in booking fees alone....

This can't be a bad thing.

Although I said I sympathise with Mr Burns campaign, in as much that it does seem to be penalising those fans using the most cost effective method of sale for for the club, I also have to add that we can at least see that the club are making good investment in the playing side. It would feel a whole lot worse if it appeared the club were just trying to rake in revenue but neglecting the product.

 

[Mr Burns]

Just a thought, but if the club sell 13500 tickets online for a cup match, and each transaction, for example, averages at three tickets, that makes 4500 transactions @ £2, which equals £9000 per game. If we (hopefully) play say five home cup games a season, that makes £45000 per season in booking fees alone....

And thats the point. No way does a third rate ticketing system cost that much... or it shouldn't! But the club are claiming they are subsidising it!!

 

[Mr Burns]

I generally sympathise with your campaign but agree with beorthelm that the ticket sales staff are still a fixed cost as it doesn't cost the club anymore whether they sell one or 1000 tickets.

Off course it does. If you only sell one ticket, you aren't going to need an army of ticket staff to serve that one person. If we sell a 1000 tickets person to person, you are going to need to employ a lot more staff. So the costs are not fixed!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

We always try and buy en masse, now, for Cup / away games, to save on the £2 booking fee. 50p each when you're buying four tickets

 

[Mr Burns]

This can't be a bad thing.

Although I said I sympathise with Mr Burns campaign, in as much that it does seem to be penalising those fans using the most cost effective method of sale for for the club, I also have to add that we can at least see that the club are making good investment in the playing side. It would feel a whole lot worse if it appeared the club were just trying to rake in revenue but neglecting the product.

I think that's a post that sums a lot of peoples feelings up to be fair.

But when things aren't going well on the pitch, people will be moaning about every last little thing, so I if you strongly disagree with something, while wait until the on the pitch fortunes suffer.

THis has nothing to do with the playing side. Set the ticket price at what they want, people can choose to complain about that if they don't think they are getting value for money. But what I am saying is, don't sneak in these booking fees, when the smart card system dont justify it. Even Marin Perry was telling people at the season ticket meetings that there wouldn't be a booking fee for cup games!!

 

[rool]

Off course it does. If you only sell one ticket, you aren't going to need an army of ticket staff to serve that one person. If we sell a 1000 tickets person to person, you are going to need to employ a lot more staff. So the costs are not fixed!

Technically we'll be getting into stepped fixed costs but they are still fixed but don't want to get into accounting shite, lol

 

[Mr Burns]

Technically we'll be getting into stepped fixed costs but they are still fixed but don't want to get into accounting shite, lol

Okay fair enough, but if the internet crashed or online ticket sales got banned, and we all had to go to the ticket office, the "fixed" staff costs would go up as they would need more staff, but they could then be argued at being "fixed", just fixed at a higher amount due to higher staffing levels.

If everyone brought their tickets online and no one used the shop, those "fixed" levels would be less as they wouldn't need tickets staff in the shop!!

 

[rool]

Okay fair enough, but if the internet crashed or online ticket sales got banned, and we all had to go to the ticket office, the "fixed" staff costs would go up as they would need more staff, but they could then be argued at being "fixed", just fixed at a higher amount due to higher staffing levels.

If everyone brought their tickets online and no one used the shop, those "fixed" levels would be less as they wouldn't need tickets staff in the shop!!

ha ha correct, hence they are stepped up or down depending on business levels but still fixed until the level of business reaches a point when another member of staff is required. It will then be fixed at the cost of two members of staff until business goes up or down enough to effect manning levels again.

I don't know where my smilies are so this will have to do x , lol

 

[One Legged Striker]

See the clubs ONLINE TICKET SITE has taken a bit of a battering today, many fans unhappy with its problems, which still have not been sorted.

Just a suggestion maybe they should charge us £5 as a booking fee, as the £2 we seem to be giving them for each transaction, don't seem to be working.