£3 Booking Fee on Away Tickets Too?

[View From The Top]

Just got back from my jollies with the kids to find I have to shell out a 'kin large wad of dosh up front pronto but I'm very narked about this £3 fee.

 

As I live 180 miles north of SMS nipping in for an away ticket is not an option but I can't see any clarification if it's for away tickets as well.

 

If it is, and I attend the same amount of away games this coming season, it will cost me an extra £90 for me and the nipper to support our club.

 

That just can't be right.

[wild-saint]

what an original idea for a thread.

[dune]

I agree - it won't happen very often!

 

I cannot see how they can justify this figure as the majority of other clubs with a ticket tax charge £1 which although unpalateable is a more realistic price to cover the cost of postage - 39p and the envelope 10p.

 

By booking online it uses less man minutes to process an order than at the window as all the details are on the screen so if they're going to bring out a ticket tax for online/phone sales then you'd have expected a window tax too.

 

This is just the sort of policy which makes many people despise Ryanair.

[View From The Top]

what an original idea for a thread.

 

Thanks for the input knob jockey. I can't be arsed to trawl through all the threads regarding one specific point.

[Ewell]

Thanks for the input knob jockey. I can't be arsed to trawl through all the threads regarding one specific point.

 

In fairness you could have posted your point on one of the many threads covering the subject.

[Give it to Ron]

Just got back from my jollies with the kids to find I have to shell out a 'kin large wad of dosh up front pronto but I'm very narked about this £3 fee.

 

As I live 180 miles north of SMS nipping in for an away ticket is not an option but I can't see any clarification if it's for away tickets as well.

 

If it is, and I attend the same amount of away games this coming season, it will cost me an extra £90 for me and the nipper to support our club.

 

That just can't be right.

 

Yes I can understand you feel agrieved but there are ways around it, most away games tickets are sold 14 days in advance. You don't have to pay at the window so get them at home games I understand the queue may be quite long though near kick off - I can't see this going on for too long they have to realise buying online fee is dearer than matchday!.

It is becoming common practise now for ticket sellers to charge for handling fees. The club has to pay staff in call centres (Exeter??) to man phones and for their service.

The club has to be self sufficient so those fees can be used - it may be wrong but thats business nowadays and as I have tod Dune/Stanley many times you can avod them with planning.

We didnt sell out many games last season so dont think there will be issues.

 

I still think one months notice was too short - it should be extended to end of July for renewals.

[View From The Top]

In fairness you could have posted your point on one of the many threads covering the subject.

 

And have the question lost in the mass arguments? No thanks.

 

Thanks to Ron I now have my answer.

[View From The Top]

Yes I can understand you feel agrieved but there are ways around it, most away games tickets are sold 14 days in advance. You don't have to pay at the window so get them at home games I understand the queue may be quite long though near kick off - I can't see this going on for too long they have to realise buying online fee is dearer than matchday!.

It is becoming common practise now for ticket sellers to charge for handling fees. The club has to pay staff in call centres (Exeter??) to man phones and for their service.

The club has to be self sufficient so those fees can be used - it may be wrong but thats business nowadays and as I have tod Dune/Stanley many times you can avod them with planning.

We didnt sell out many games last season so dont think there will be issues.

 

I still think one months notice was too short - it should be extended to end of July for renewals.

 

POTD will be my prefered option for northern/midland away games.

[Give it to Ron]

POTD will be my prefered option for northern/midland away games.

 

Just one extra thing that some forget ...its per transaction not per ticket so if you buy several you only still pay £3.

[StuRomseySaint]

Yes, the booking fee applies to away tickets as well.

[shurlock]

And what does it matter that most people don't bother to go to away games? Why should they care all of a sudden?

Edited 5 June, 2010 by shurlock

[View From The Top]

Just one extra thing that some forget ...its per transaction not per ticket so if you buy several you only still pay £3.

 

Thank you. The very thing I was trying to find out.

 

I've no issue with £3 per transaction as I get my 2 plus Corky Morris's and if it's just an extra £3 for the 5 - 8 I buy then I can live with that.

[dune]

Just one extra thing that some forget ...its per transaction not per ticket so if you buy several you only still pay £3.

 

Only?

[dune]

And what does it matter that most people don't bother to go to away games? Why should they care all of a sudden?

 

They don't care - that is the problem. There are loads of fans that travel to numerous away games cheering the team on who don't live locally and can't get to the ticket office easily, but because they support the club on the road give the team more backing which hopefully translates into more points for the club. It's nice to see Cortese thinks we're not valued.

[swannymere]

So Dune, what is your solution? It's very easy to criticize but how would you make the ticket operation self-sufficient?

[dune]

So Dune, what is your solution? It's very easy to criticize but how would you make the ticket operation self-sufficient?

 

By selling tickets for games. If there's a rip off tax on tickets why not a beer tax because the plastic cups cost money as do the beer - you're not just paying for the beer afterall. The cost of a ticket should be all inclusive the same as the price of your half time pint. I have already said it'd be fair to charge for P+P but £3 is nothing but an unethical rip off.

 

So much for Mr Liebherr and his business ethics - this is Ryanair ethics!

[StuRomseySaint]

By selling tickets for games. If there's a rip off tax on tickets why not a beer tax because the plastic cups cost money as do the beer - you're not just paying for the beer afterall. The cost of a ticket should be all inclusive the same as the price of your half time pint. I have already said it'd be fair to charge for P+P but £3 is nothing but an unethical rip off.

 

So much for Mr Liebherr and his business ethics - this is Ryanair ethics!

 

I think you can pretty much put your mortgage on the prices of beer and food in the concourses being more next season.

[swannymere]

You'll have to explain the RyanAir fixation, i thought they provided cheap flights by charging you for non-essentials.

[StuRomseySaint]

You'll have to explain the RyanAir fixation, i thought they provided cheap flights by charging you for non-essentials.

 

Charging you a reasonable 'base price' and then adding on fees and charges for bookings as well as ripping you off once you are inside and reliant on the things they offer such as food, beer etc.

 

And before you say food and beer is no essential... it is. :-)

 

If they were charging £5 a pint in St Marys, people would still buy it at half time because they want a pint and that's the only choice they have got, other than leave the stadium.

 

I do also think that is the sort of business model that Cortese is trying to build.

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

Am I the only one who thinks that "Ooooh £3, who cares?!" Sure they're taking the ****, but they know they can do it. There will always be that die hard core support that would go if they charged £10 booking fee. Also, from Cortese's point of view, most other companies who sell tickets can charge a booking fee and people pay it, so why can't SFC?

[StuRomseySaint]

Am I the only one who thinks that "Ooooh £3, who cares?!" Sure they're taking the ****, but they know they can do it. There will always be that die hard core support that would go if they charged £10 booking fee. Also, from Cortese's point of view, most other companies who sell tickets can charge a booking fee and people pay it, so why can't SFC?

 

I am not too bothered about the booking fee... it's a bit p!ss takey when we are not having a sponsor this season " because we don't need the money " but its no real hassle as generally most people buy at least a few tickets, so probably ends up only a quid or so each extra.

[Chez]

Am I the only one who thinks that "Ooooh £3, who cares?!" Sure they're taking the ****, but they know they can do it. There will always be that die hard core support that would go if they charged £10 booking fee. Also, from Cortese's point of view, most other companies who sell tickets can charge a booking fee and people pay it, so why can't SFC?

 

when it is £10 will people complaining still receive reponses like "Its only £10, shut up and get on with it"?

[dune]

Am I the only one who thinks that "Ooooh £3, who cares?!" Sure they're taking the ****, but they know they can do it. There will always be that die hard core support that would go if they charged £10 booking fee. Also, from Cortese's point of view, most other companies who sell tickets can charge a booking fee and people pay it, so why can't SFC?

 

Clearly they can, but that doesn't make it an ethical business decision. It's a con.

[saintjinksie]

I agree - it won't happen very often!

 

I cannot see how they can justify this figure as the majority of other clubs with a ticket tax charge £1 which although unpalateable is a more realistic price to cover the cost of postage - 39p and the envelope 10p.

 

By booking online it uses less man minutes to process an order than at the window as all the details are on the screen so if they're going to bring out a ticket tax for online/phone sales then you'd have expected a window tax too.

 

This is just the sort of policy which makes many people despise Ryanair.

 

at least they're cheap...

[La BoIS Saint]

I really don't understand why Dune has received so much abuse on various related threads. Lots of people seem to be happy to roll over and have their tummies tickled by Cortese. He is going to be laughing all the way to the bank. It's a joke to say we don't need a shirt sponsor and then increase some away tickets by 20%.

[StuRomseySaint]

I really don't understand why Dune has received so much abuse on various related threads. Lots of people seem to be happy to roll over and have their tummies tickled by Cortese. He is going to be laughing all the way to the bank. It's a joke to say we don't need a shirt sponsor and then increase some away tickets by 20%.

 

Exactly. It is beggars belief that 90% of our supporters seem to accept the lovely 'gesture' from Cortese of not having a shirt sponsor when all he has done is pass the cost on ( and some more for himself ) to the customer in the form of charges and season ticket rises.

 

The extra revenue generated from the increases and charges are more than double what the club could expect to earn from having a sponsor.

 

Yeah, cheers for that SFC, nice one, really appreciated.

[ericofarabia]

POTD will be my prefered option for northern/midland away games.

 

Even then there is a catch .... I'm sure quite a few clubs charge a couple of quid more for tickets bought on the day in the away section. :cool:

 

Although of course you could actually 'save' money by having to leave the pub earlier to go and queue up at the ticket office 1st before queueing up again get into the ground

[dune]

As I mentioned on another thread, and it's very unlike me to repeat myself, with the £3 ticket tax you should expect a premium service. You will have payed well over the odds to receive your tickets through the post so if they're not with you in a couple of days you should complain to the club. Furthermore if your tickets fail to arrive (as happened to me twice last season (had to pick up duplicates at Oldham and MK Dons)) then demand a refund of the ticket tax because the club have not completed their service. If tickets don't arrive for me next season, and if the club don't give me a refund of the ticket tax, I WILL take them to the small claims court.

[Thedelldays]

dune..sorry, but you are a complete ****..

 

infract me someone..please

[JRM]

I really don't understand why Dune has received so much abuse on various related threads. Lots of people seem to be happy to roll over and have their tummies tickled by Cortese. He is going to be laughing all the way to the bank. It's a joke to say we don't need a shirt sponsor and then increase some away tickets by 20%.

very well put mate, this is how i feel, only missed a handful of games last year and i get the feeling its those of us who go regularly are most aggrieved, its the others who stay at home and post on match threads who seem to think the charges are great. The one word that springs to mind with cortese's policy here is exploitation. Despite the inconvenience i'll pay on the day for midlands and northern away games this year just to avoid the ticket tax. Ticket office operating costs should be factored into to running costs of the company and just included in ticket prices.

[dune]

Ignoring the troll, there is additional information on the Which? website:

 

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/buying-tickets-your-rights/index.jsp

 

If SFC refuse to give you a refund of the ticket tax when tickets do not arrive at your address on time

 

1. Contact STAR

If the ticket seller refuses to give you a refund and you still want to reject the tickets you have several options, depending on the circumstances:

 

If the ticket seller is a member of The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), take your complaint there. It can't force members to give your money back, but if a member breaks the code of practice they face warnings, fines or expulsion from STAR.

If it is not a member and you paid for tickets worth more than £100 by credit card, you might be able to claim a refund from your credit card company.

 

2. Contact your local trading standards office

If STAR cannot help you, and you didn't pay with a credit card, you could take the ticket agent to the small claims court for breach of contract.

 

I will also be contacting watchdog requesting that they highlight what SFC and other clubs are doing:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/

[dune]

Email sent to watchdog. It's a very simple form to fill out so please contact them if you feel as strongly as I do using the link provided above.

[Thedelldays]

i am starting to wish Markus and NC just walked away...really, just up'd and left tomorrow morning..

 

this is rather embarrassing.

[dune]

i am starting to wish Markus and NC just walked away...really, just up'd and left tomorrow morning..

 

this is rather embarrassing.

 

I would have complained if Lowe had introduced this, Wilde had introduced this, Crouch had introduced this. So I will conplain now. I was disgusted having to pay a booking fee when I went to Elland rd with some Leeds supporting mates last year and had a bloody good moan about it so i'm not going to be a hypocrite and now be accepting of something which I believe is unethical and inherrently wrong.

[Thedelldays]

I would have complained if Lowe had introduced this, Wilde had introduced this, Crouch had introduced this. So I will conplain now. I was disgusted having to pay a booking fee when I went to Elland rd with some Leeds supporting mates last years and had a bloody good moan about it so i'm not going to be a hypocrite and now be accepting of something which I believe is unethical and inherrently wrong.

 

you make out that you have to pay....you dont

im an certain there is at least one poster on here that will pick you up a ticket from the ground for you if you gave them the dosh..

 

talk of taking SFC to small claims court is an utter joke, YOU are an utter joke and a complete freak..

 

or, dont go..simple as that..you DONT HAVE TO...not as if the club are going to put a gun to your head if you dont go

 

or dont you want to come down to my level and go to games when and IF possible..? after all, you are one of the merry men that looked down on part time visitors to SMS last season..

 

I bet Alpine will go more than you next season..wont that be a tear up..lol

 

we get your message..please, you hate "cortese the pr1ck" and dont want to pay £3 "ticket tax"...

 

go you

 

edit - you have 3 paydays to save for a ST (if you get paid at the end of the month)...not ideal but not the end of the world

Edited 6 June, 2010 by Thedelldays

[dune]

I really don't understand why Dune has received so much abuse on various related threads. Lots of people seem to be happy to roll over and have their tummies tickled by Cortese. He is going to be laughing all the way to the bank. It's a joke to say we don't need a shirt sponsor and then increase some away tickets by 20%.

 

I think I know you, and if you are who I think you are, i'm right in saying you hardly miss a game. As JRM states it does seem that those who don't care about this tax are those who don't go very often. No dig at Delldays intended.

[jamesfp1]

£3!!?? oh no!!!!

 

jesus christ.

[dune]

£3!!?? oh no!!!!

 

jesus christ.

 

By that logic would you complain if the price of a pint was £6? i.e the cost plus a £3 service charge.

[Give it to Ron]

I really don't understand why Dune has received so much abuse on various related threads. Lots of people seem to be happy to roll over and have their tummies tickled by Cortese. He is going to be laughing all the way to the bank. It's a joke to say we don't need a shirt sponsor and then increase some away tickets by 20%.

 

Because 90% of us have enough brains to see ways around not paying it - its the 10% who dont have a brain cell lumped together that need to see that!

 

As for the idiot that thinks we would pay £10 booking fee...words fail me...you just want to keep moaning and moaning.

Have a look at other clubs ST and matchday prices then come back and apologise.

[Thedelldays]

Because 90% of us have enough brains to see ways around not paying it - its the 10% who dont have a brain cell lumped together that need to see that!

 

As for the idiot that thinks we would pay £10 booking fee...words fail me...you just want to keep moaning and moaning.

Have a look at other clubs ST and matchday prices then come back and apologise.

just looked on the sheff wed site...their tickets are more expensive than ours (even WITH out ticket tax)

[dune]

Because 90% of us have enough brains to see ways around not paying it - its the 10% who dont have a brain cell lumped together that need to see that!

 

As for the idiot that thinks we would pay £10 booking fee...words fail me...you just want to keep moaning and moaning.

Have a look at other clubs ST and matchday prices then come back and apologise.

 

You completely miss the point. Why should I find ways of avoiding to pay the ticket tax when booking online/over the phone is the most convenient method for me?

 

The issue is that the charge is unfair.

[Give it to Ron]

You completely miss the point. Why should I find ways of avoiding to pay the ticket tax when booking online/over the phone is the most convenient method for me?

 

The issue is that the charge is unfair.

 

would you be happy to pay a £1??

[BARCELONASAINT]

I'm sure we are not the only club to have its fair share of drama queens and whinning minnies but as i only ever bother to read this forum it appears we have a certain core element who can do nothing but moan and whine.

 

Have any of you drama queens out there stopped and thought for a minute.

ML bought our club and cleared our debts and saved us from oblivion. He then quite rightly stated he wanted to run the club as self generating and living within its means once stability was achieved.

 

The club is living within the economic times we live in as best it can. I don't care what anyone says but this country is ****ed and there are going to be some very hard times ahead that the goverment will have to impose and football is not above those hard times.

 

Stop blaming the club, blame Sky tv, blame fat cat agents, blame greedy players that have turned the game into one big money obsessed arena.

 

If the club is to survive once Marcus has left....and he will do eventually, then the club needs to be able to do so with income it self generates. Its simple economics in harsh times.

 

As much as i can sympathise with many that dont like some of the decisions the club has made i would ask them to take their heads out of the sand and think about the bigger picture!

[dune]

would you be happy to pay a £1??

 

I would be happy to pay for P+P.

[Turkish]

You completely miss the point. Why should I find ways of avoiding to pay the ticket tax when booking online/over the phone is the most convenient method for me?

 

The issue is that the charge is unfair.

 

But it is more expensive for the club for people to phone up, they have the cost of the call operative to cover, cost of postage etc. It is cheaper for the club if people call in personally and buy them at the ticket office. From a business point of view i can see why they have introduced this "ticket tax" for phone bookings.

[jamesfp1]

By that logic would you complain if the price of a pint was £6? i.e the cost plus a £3 service charge.

 

No because a service charge on a pint is ridiculous, a booking fee on a ticket however, is as common as me taking a dump.

[dune]

But it is more expensive for the club for people to phone up, they have the cost of the call operative to cover, cost of postage etc. It is cheaper for the club if people call in personally and buy them at the ticket office. From a business point of view i can see why they have introduced this "ticket tax" for phone bookings.

 

But selling tickets is the product of the club. I'd suggest it costs no more to employ a call centre operator than it does to employ a ticket office worker. It would also require less man hours to sort out an online sale than a window sale because the details are sorted on the screen with an online sale, as oposed to having to deal with enquiries and then the sale at the window.

[dune]

No because a service charge on a pint is ridiculous, a booking fee on a ticket however, is as common as me taking a dump.

 

It's getting that way, but it's still unethical and morally wrong especially given the high price SFC are going to charge. A stamp costs 39p, an envelope costs roughly 10p. So that's £2.50 for doing no more (probably less) than a window sale.

[View From The Top]

But it is more expensive for the club for people to phone up, they have the cost of the call operative to cover, cost of postage etc. It is cheaper for the club if people call in personally and buy them at the ticket office. From a business point of view i can see why they have introduced this "ticket tax" for phone bookings.

 

Agreed, but to have it on internet sales is daft.

 

That said, as it's £3 per transaction and as I'm buying between 2 - 8 away tickets at a time I can live with it.

 

It it were per ticket I'd be 'kin fuming.

[Give it to Ron]

Well then I know this may be hard to do but find 3 friends and all buy ...that works out at a £1!!!

One thing you may want to check on is one match a transaction ....you may be able to buy 3 home and 3 away if thats one transaction then £3???

 

Ok will leave this now as am bored by you and going to Tidworth for a footie tournament