Mandatory Booking Fees: The ASA Responds

[Southover Street Seagull]

Two things. First, you can't just "sell tickets" any more, it needs to be integrated so that you have an accurate account of your inventory, other outlets can sell tickets from the same pool, etc. It's no longer a case of picking up a bit of paper from the pile and putting it in an envelope.

Second, if you haven't even heard of transaction-based licensing then you are unlikely to remain one of the largest suppliers of software for much longer.

A few questions as you seem to have some knowledge of online ticketing systems.

If the club are using the same transaction based licensing system they have for the past two seasons then why was there no booking fee for in person ticket purchases last season?

If the club are using the same transaction based licensing system they have for the past two seasons then why is there now a booking fee per ticket and not per transaction like the last season?

Virgin Trains use an online ticket booking system and yet they don't charge booking fees for their tickets. I know this as I recently bought five tickets for Birmingham away and there was no fee whatsoever. Why do Virgin not charge? Do you think they include the fee in the total price?

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Virgin Trains use an online ticket booking system and yet they don't charge booking fees for their tickets. I know this as I recently bought five tickets for Birmingham away and there was no fee whatsoever. Why do Virgin not charge? Do you think they include the fee in the total price?

To attract people into buying tickets with them as online train ticket purchasing is big business now as most train companies as well as third party companies do it, not charging a booking fee results in more people using your website, that would be why Virgin, Southern and Red Spotted Hanky (probably the best of the lot) are the most popular websites, where as thetrainline.com charge booking fees AND fees for using cards - thats not fare......

Ill get my coat for that last pun

 

[Bold Seagull]

A few questions as you seem to have some knowledge of online ticketing systems.

If the club are using the same transaction based licensing system they have for the past two seasons then why was there no booking fee for in person ticket purchases last season?

If the club are using the same transaction based licensing system they have for the past two seasons then why is there now a booking fee per ticket and not per transaction like the last season?

Virgin Trains use an online ticket booking system and yet they don't charge booking fees for their tickets. I know this as I recently bought five tickets for Birmingham away and there was no fee whatsoever. Why do Virgin not charge? Do you think they include the fee in the total price?

What these debates have established, is that there are some people who believe the booking fee is a real separate cost required for accounting, licensing, etc. etc. It cannot be separated from their minds as being just a way of adding a cost to the ticket. It is a real fee.

The rest of us realise it is just a way of having a lower face value but taking more money for each ticket.

 

[Superphil]

A few questions as you seem to have some knowledge of online ticketing systems.

If the club are using the same transaction based licensing system they have for the past two seasons then why was there no booking fee for in person ticket purchases last season?

The club was losing money last season, this season, they are trying not to lose as much?

If the club are using the same transaction based licensing system they have for the past two seasons then why is there now a booking fee per ticket and not per transaction like the last season?

The terms of the license from the software company changed?

Virgin Trains use an online ticket booking system and yet they don't charge booking fees for their tickets. I know this as I recently bought five tickets for Birmingham away and there was no fee whatsoever. Why do Virgin not charge? Do you think they include the fee in the total price?

Virgins turnover is far greater than ours, perhaps the fees per sale are tiny, and can easily be accomodated in their prices.

Alternatively, the train companies that conspire to produce their own, bespoke, software, for which they have paid an upfront fee, do not need to pay a commission to the developers each time it's used?

I don't really know but I've thought about it for a few minutes and come up with these. These are just suggestions in answer to your questions, some might think they are all be completely wrong, others might think there is a bit of sense in there.