Joined: May 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 45 Location: Calgary
Bad scalpers, bad! « Thread Started on Feb 21, 2013, 4:50pm »
So tickets went super fast.
I know everyone is really angry towards scalpers, because they're being total jerks and stuff.
Yesterday, I allllllmost purchased a ticket off of a scalper that inflated his prices only modestly, but still about $50ish extra on each ticket.
Then I was smacked with a giant tidal wave of shame. If I buy this ticket, more and more scalpers will continue to try to make a quick chunk of change off of poor schmucks like me. Not okay.
In the meantime, here I sit, making distracted threads lamenting my ticketlessness. I read in another thread that ticket prices will drop closer to the date. I am pretty fresh to the Sasquatch ways - I have only been once, in 2012 - and tickets hung around for awhile and got really, really cheap.
So I ask you pros, at which point should I be prepared to buy? What is the most secure method of acquiring the tickets (wait for wristbands?)? Is there even a pattern to this madness?
ps: I will likely post here daily with my blurbs of impatient, anxious moanings.
Re: Bad scalpers, bad! « Reply #2 on Feb 21, 2013, 5:47pm »
But really twogirls, just wait. You'll get one no problem come May and pay face, maybe less.
The last two years running I've sold an extra ticket at way less than face value 'cause a friend bailed last minute. There will be plenty of those scenarios plus the scalpers will drop their prices just so they don't completely lose out. Have patience.
But really twogirls, just wait. You'll get one no problem come May and pay face, maybe less.
Quick Phish story. Historically, Phish tickets are nearly free the day of the show. Even during their most recent reunion shows when tickets sold out in seconds, people were literally sticking tickets in the fence outside of the venue, free to anyone who needs it. I myself even convinced a couple boarders to tag along with me because they'll have no problem finding a cheap ticket. So we're all hiking from the campground to the Gorge entrance, and what do we find? About 2,000 people with a finger in the air. This show wasn't sold out, so those who could afford it clogged the line to buy tickets. 30 minutes later we finally bought ours, and we missed the beginning of the show. (As a side note, some of these people looking for cheap tickets were so fucking stupid, they were actually standing by the clogged ticket line offering to buy freshly purchased tickets for half face. I literally told a guy, "I just waited in line for 30 minutes to buy this ticket, and now you want it for half?")
Moral of the story, just because it always happens one way doesn't mean it will continue to happen that same way. This year sold out much quicker than ever before, and there are a lot more people who struck out. Shoot, most of us here go every year, and half of us struck out. The assumption is scaplers are holding all the tickets, and the prices will drop, but consider for a second that 20,000 Mumford & Sons fans are actually holding those tickets, and can't wait to see their favorite band.
Just be careful about feeding unrealistic expectations. Yes you will have a better chance to get tickets closer to the festival, but face tickets aren't going to fall in your lap this year. You are going to have to put in some work to find them.
Secondary market ticket prices have fluctuated from year to year in the $300 to $350 range. 2012 Sasquatch tickets sold for an average of $321, only $6 above the face value price of $315. Looking at the chart below, you can see the obvious trend that ticket prices drop as the event draws closer. Even though tickets sold out for the last two festivals, tickets on the secondary market became a lot more affordable for those most patient, and even sold well below face value. There is nearly a $200 price difference between tickets purchased in February opposed to May.
2012 looks a lot different because it didn't sell out until March or something. 2011 is a much closer model as to what is happening this year.
Once again:
There is nearly a $200 price difference between tickets purchased in February opposed to May.
In 2011 tickets sold out pretty fast (though not in a day) and everyone went nuts and paid hundreds over asking. Then, as the fest got closer prices slowly went down to the point where people were selling them for face value or in some cases even less.
And because everyone loves proof here are what coachella ticket prices on stubhub looked like last year. Note how they just keep getting lower and lower and eventually some people got tickets for less than face value.
Wonk is right though, no one knows for sure what will happen. All we can do is look at the past and make educated guesses.
Cbats Snarling Mapinguary Pitchfork Super Fan member is offline
Joined: Jan 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 2,595
Re: Bad scalpers, bad! « Reply #5 on Feb 21, 2013, 7:04pm »
All things considered, a 50 dollar markup isn't horrible...I know we shouldn't encourage scalpers but if I really needed some peace of mind I'd happily pay a bit extra to take care of it now.
Moral of the story, just because it always happens one way doesn't mean it will continue to happen that same way. This year sold out much quicker than ever before, and there are a lot more people who struck out. Shoot, most of us here go every year, and half of us struck out. The assumption is scaplers are holding all the tickets, and the prices will drop, but consider for a second that 20,000 Mumford & Sons fans are actually holding those tickets, and can't wait to see their favorite band.
Just be careful about feeding unrealistic expectations. Yes you will have a better chance to get tickets closer to the festival, but face tickets aren't going to fall in your lap this year. You are going to have to put in some work to find them.
Fair enough. It will probably take some work to get a face value ticket, and this year the prices might not drop as much as in the past. You might even end up paying a little over, who knows? But I still think it's a little early yet to be freaking out. There's 3 months to the fest and wristbands haven't even been mailed out, so my approach would be to wait until closer.
DREW OF THE RUSHES Roaring Meh-Teh Defeating the Porpoise member is offline
Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 5,472 Location: East Bay
Re: Bad scalpers, bad! « Reply #8 on Feb 21, 2013, 7:36pm »
Stubhub is a piece of shit philosophically...but it's also secure. You'd be safe buying from there.
I buy tickets from Craigslist every once in a while, and I've never been burned, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I meet the people and make smalltalk. For Radiohead last year, the dude went to a high school near my high school and he gave me the tickets for face after advertising them for double face.
[There's 3 months to the fest and wristbands haven't even been mailed out, so my approach would be to wait until closer.
Since you are only paying ~$50 over face I am going to assume you are going the craigslist route. As ky said no one has wristbands yet, so do not give anyone any money. They might try some deposit BS but there's always the chance you will never see them again.
Once wristbands get mailed out I'm sure lots of people will post pictures and descriptions on here, so make sure you have an idea of what the thing actually looks and feels like before handing over hundreds of dollars. There is a pretty good chance there will be some kind of serial number on the RFID tag, so it's worth a shot to call ticketmaster with that number and see if they can verify it that way.
With a purchase like this I would consider asking the person to see their address on some ID or something along those lines. It seems a bit weird, but if you get all the way to the Gorge and find out you got something fake then you can go to their house and break their shins. Seriously though if they are super weird about giving you any way of finding them after the fest then I'd be a bit suspicious.
Re: Bad scalpers, bad! « Reply #10 on Feb 21, 2013, 8:11pm »
I've bought and sold plenty of tickets on Craigslist. I think the tip about small talk is key. Often you'll find out they're still going and you can make a bullshit promise to meet up and share a beer, or they'll share stories about past festivals and how sad they are about not going this year. All of that will give you a small impression of their character and how genuine the ticket might be. Or maybe they'll come across as a professional scalper (I had one guy open a binder of tickets and attempt to upsell me to better seats one time) and you can ask for a business card for any future purchases. Again, you'll know the ticket's probably real 'cause they'll want your return business.
And asking to see a receipt or proof of purchase is also good. Most people with genuine tickets don't get offended or have issues with providing this, but I don't think it's a sure fire way to prove the ticket's legitimacy. Though it does lend itself to showing the character of the seller similar to small talk.
Re: Bad scalpers, bad! « Reply #11 on Feb 22, 2013, 1:07pm »
Until the wristbands actually get delivered, pre-buying them from anywhere that isn't someone you know, stubhub or ebay via paypal (where you're protected) is a monumentally bad idea.
I've bought and sold plenty of tickets on Craigslist. I think the tip about small talk is key. Often you'll find out they're still going and you can make a bullshit promise to meet up and share a beer, or they'll share stories about past festivals and how sad they are about not going this year. All of that will give you a small impression of their character and how genuine the ticket might be. Or maybe they'll come across as a professional scalper (I had one guy open a binder of tickets and attempt to upsell me to better seats one time) and you can ask for a business card for any future purchases. Again, you'll know the ticket's probably real 'cause they'll want your return business.
And asking to see a receipt or proof of purchase is also good. Most people with genuine tickets don't get offended or have issues with providing this, but I don't think it's a sure fire way to prove the ticket's legitimacy. Though it does lend itself to showing the character of the seller similar to small talk.
I always feel more comfortable if the person's email is from a recognizable business or university. Not sure if this is valid or not.. but I Dr. Garbanzoure you probably are less likely to scam someone using your university email address...?
Joined: Jan 2013 Gender: Male Posts: 311 Location: B.C. Canada
Re: Bad scalpers, bad! « Reply #13 on Feb 22, 2013, 4:33pm »
Love the Phish story Wonk. I remember back in the day when we would pull up to a grocery store or truck stop close to a venue where the Dead would be playing and be able to meet dozens of other people going. Building a rapport with the potential ticket seller was key. I have been "miracled" before with a finger in the air and also by simply having a "need a miracle" sign on my dashboard.
Alas, those days are gone and Wonk is right, every year is different. Last year the tickets lasted a very long time due to the expectation of single day passes being released. This year most folks finally accepted that single days are gone and I foresee Sasquatch being a festival that sells out quickly because of this.
My rule of thumb for purchasing tickets off of people that will not be able to use them is this: I will usually pay around $20-25 more than face value if I really want to go because I know from experience that when you buy tickets for a group of friends and then one bails they probably haven't paid the buyer yet so that person is stuck with the ticket. Sure everyone pays for their tickets eventually but there is still the credit card interest to factor in, and I am willing to help with that. With tickets and whatever else is on a credit card + all the interest from hanging onto a ticket from a possible presale purchase in November until they sell it (say May)... well anyways, I wouldn't lose sleep or feel like I am supporting scalping at around $20 above face.
BUT MAKE SURE YOU WAIT UNTIL THE WRISTBANDS ARE ISSUED UNLESS YOU KNOW THE PERSON!
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