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Real fans thoughts on this its a new problem that we have to solve


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I loathe touts, but I guess it's a sign of how popular SM's events have become. It's a bit scary to think that they could conceivably snap up masses of entry tickets at the start (as happens with gigs for popular bands) and then sell them at vastly inflated prices while genuine fans miss out, something that these events have avoided thus far. I agree that spot checks for ID, while time-consuming, are going to have to be implemented to some extent so people know that this kind of behaviour won't be tolerated, and that some kind of refund/resale operation would also be a good idea (especially now that the Eventbrite system presumably makes this a little easier to process), as the genuine fans would be only too happy for their tickets not to go to waste. So long as the original ticket is rendered completely null and void, that means a new ticket can be issued without somebody trying to pull a fast one and get a refund and then still use the original ticket code in some way.

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I think the reality is its going to be a very difficult thing to stop, its been going on with concerts and sporting events for years without anyone really finding a solution. I do wonder sometimes if thats because the football clubs etc are that bothered about stopping it, but that's a different matter. I suppose you could start printing names on each ticket then telling people to bring ID to the show but that would massively slow the entry process down not to mention the extra staff it would need to do the checking, plus you'd have the problem of people who have been given tickets as presents etc.

 

The only thing I could see to do is to see if eventbrite are able to offer any re-sale facility for tickets so at least those people who are no longer able to attend and just want to get their money back rather than re-selling to make a profit are able to do so in a relatively controlled way.

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Buy back plan is awesome for one reason and that is if the guests you want cancel, then you can actually get your entry ticket sold back.

 

 

One thing that also would be very useful if the venue is sold out. A transfer system of sorts (so you can garentuee that the ticket goes to you), so if your friends ticket will go to waste and you want it. A transfer (this needs work offc) where the friend set it up for transfer, you buy it to the set price of the ticket (the real ticket price) from him through the system. The money is transferred from you to him. (as I said, needs work)

 

And also in combo with this. ID-check on entry. Cause thats the only way to make sure that the ticket is actually yours.

Edited by Wondermoose
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Nothing can be done to prevent ebay listings. It's the world we live in. Here's an idea, and just brain storming:

 

1. Before they go on sale, get buyers to register and upload their photo.

 

2. Photo of buyer is added to the ticket.

 

3. Have an extra day for registration - doesn't have to be at the venue to save on costs. Buyer redeems ticket for non transferable wristband. Photo compared with buyer at registration.

 

Expensive, timely, but will reduced ebay sales.

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Man this sucks. My faith in humanity has been lost again. The amount of times I see this happening at things annoys me. Like even on the door too. The nerve of some people. At a gig at the beginning of this year a guy as trying to sell his tickets off because his girlfriend had become very suddenly sick. Another event I went to this guy was just selling tickets at twice the price. I avoid them because they're just well I have no words. If everyone else did the same there wouldn't be this whole seeded dark corner of shows and events

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Nothing can be done to prevent ebay listings. It's the world we live in. Here's an idea, and just brain storming:

 

1. Before they go on sale, get buyers to register and upload their photo.

 

2. Photo of buyer is added to the ticket.

 

3. Have an extra day for registration - doesn't have to be at the venue to save on costs. Buyer redeems ticket for non transferable wristband. Photo compared with buyer at registration.

 

Expensive, timely, but will reduced ebay sales.

A nice idea but an extra day for registration is no good for anybody that doesn't live anywhere near the event.

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Agree there should be a platform for fans to sell there tickets back if they can no longer go etc but only at face value.

Also I have had the problem where I would have liked to have swapped my days for photoshoots as guests I wanted to meet have started to rack up on a specific day.

Would also like to see a reward scheme for returning customers maybe especially as the event is getting so big!

 

But yeah the fact that tickets are being sold on ebay etc just goes to show how big the event is so can only congratulate you guys on creating this great event!

Edited by only_jay
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I don't know how easy it is to do but could you do the tickets like there were for DST where you handed over the ticket it was hole punched and given back. That way every photo shoot ticket you ordered would also be attached to the entry ticket and they couldn't be sold off.

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Certainly a buy back facility will help those that "genuinely" cannot attend and is probably a good idea as we see costs increase. Let's say there was a family illness for example - as an adult I would take a hit on a general entry ticket that I had paid for but if I had bought Diamond passes it would be "nice" for both me to get a refund and equally if the events are going to sell out in future then to give someone an opportunity to buy one where I couldn't go would be fair. This wouldn't deal with the touts and I appreciate might make it difficult for SM to know where they stand financially at any one point but if the event is going to sell out then I guess that would be ok?

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Nothing can be done to prevent ebay listings. It's the world we live in. Here's an idea, and just brain storming:

 

1. Before they go on sale, get buyers to register and upload their photo.

 

2. Photo of buyer is added to the ticket.

 

3. Have an extra day for registration - doesn't have to be at the venue to save on costs. Buyer redeems ticket for non transferable wristband. Photo compared with buyer at registration.

 

Expensive, timely, but will reduced ebay sales.

Photo added to ticket is fantastic idea - and potentially is very quick to be checked - you could argue that it doesn't need to be checked at entry to the event BUT when handing over money at the guests table Or at a photo shoot etc the team member can quickly look and check it's you!

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Nothing can be done to prevent ebay listings. It's the world we live in. Here's an idea, and just brain storming:

 

1. Before they go on sale, get buyers to register and upload their photo.

 

2. Photo of buyer is added to the ticket.

 

3. Have an extra day for registration - doesn't have to be at the venue to save on costs. Buyer redeems ticket for non transferable wristband. Photo compared with buyer at registration.

 

Expensive, timely, but will reduced ebay sales.

 

Best suggestion so far....

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It's amazing that eBay actually allowed this ticket on an auction to be honest. You stopped being able to list event tickets a while ago as they started the Stubhub site for tickets sales to make it more protected for buyers. I'm not sure what category this is listed in....maybe under entertainment or something?

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Such a shame the money-makers will do anything to cash in on an event at the sacrifice of real fans.

 

How would name validation come across? IE: you have your name from the order printed on the ticket(s), and then you just show some ID at the door - credit card, driving licence, nothing huge, but just something to confirm you're the ticket holder.

 

But I guess that comes over almost as policing an event that should be fun. It's a shame tough measures need to be thought about to clamp down on those ruining it for others.

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If an event sells out there are going to be people trying to make money off the back of it. Any extra measures you introduce to cut this down will only bring about there own problems, longer queues need for ids etc. it's too late to do anything about it for this event but whatever you decide to do make sure you put out that information way in advance of the next event and preferably before tickets go on sale.

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So glad that this issue has been officially acknowledged. A buy back system would be a good place to start, but that only helps the genuine fans who can no longer go. Every time I see an eBay listing I report it. There is one currently on auction for £200 Saturday entry which is ridiculous. I also try and encourage people not to buy tickets in the Facebook page (which is rife ATM) so it's also good you will be spot checking them too

Edited by MissShell
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I hate scammers, they are so annoying. They do it with limited edition blu rays, posters etc. To be clear though sm are painting that all resold tickets are scammers, they will not be. SM don't refund entry tickets so people or families that can't attend will try to sell them on as they can't get a refund. This is the 1st thing sm should tackle, maybe in future allow people to return their tickets with a waiting list of those who missed out ready to buy them. Lets face it entry into lfcc with more than likely double in the next 2/3 years as it is selling out (normal buisness practice) that may cut down on scammers but in reality there is probably not alot sm can do beyond names on tickets and checking id's but that would take ages with an event of this size. A rock and a hard place really. I think the best thing is just to book early through official channels. I think last year tickets had been on sale a week or 2 before i bought them, next year it will be as soon as they go on sale. Maybe its time for wembley under the roof sm 200.000 on the pitch and on the concourse :)

 

EDIT. I've jst thought, get a points system in place that rewards people who buy official year on year giving them first option on tickets for the next year or let us make a deposit on a ticket for the next year. That would be a good way to repay the real fans.

Edited by cropsy2008
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It may have been mentioned but SDCC have a pass system with just your name on, that you pick up at the event with your confirmation and ID. They have a registration (similar to Sherlocked) it would mean maybe extending the event to include a Thursday registration but it safeguards customers and nobody else can use their tickets.

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The problem I see with ID checks is the time it takes...Lets say it takes an average of 10 seconds per attendee to check the ticket and ID (Some will be faster, having all paperwork ready and recognisable ID's, others will have to rummage through bags first finding their ID, etc) and you would have 10.000 attendees, that means it takes 100.000 seconds, being almost 28 hours of manpower to check tickets and let people in. Lets say you have three entryways with the usual two man at the door checking, this means it takes almost 5 hours before the last person is in!

 

Problems with photo's on tickets: Legal implications, I have no idea if an organiser is allowed to ask attendees to take their pictures, upload their pictures, store them and print them on tickets. Also, it means tickets can not be bought as gifts anymore. and of course lets not mention the possibility photo's on E-tickets are just part of the digital file and therefore can easily be edited and thus forged.

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Buying up popular tickets to sell later at an inflated price is selfish and unfair to the real fans, in my opinion.

I'm sorry to hear this is happening, but I'm not surprised.

I heard about it happening with Stan Lee last year. And my own view is that this is only going to increase with the new ticket system (which I am a fan of, don't get me wrong, even though it doesn't work reliably on mobile devices! Not having the shop close a couple of weeks before the event is going to be super helpful for those instances of last minute guest announcements!) as to sell on now all you have to do is email someone the ticket.

How to get around this though ... it's going to be tricky.

Any system needs to not slow things, like entry to the event, down too much. Particularly now the events are so popular and there are so many fans in attendance. You don't want to spend ages checking IDs at the door with massive queues of people getting increasingly frustrated about how long it takes to get in after the doors open.

And it also needs to take account of situations where people buy for other people, for example I always buy both mine and my brother's tickets. And I've always got early bird entry and him the standard entry ticket (when these used to be available), because I needed to get in earlier for photo ops - a lot of the time we're not together when we're doing things at the event as I always get loads of photo ops so he's wandering doing other things whilst I'm queuing for those. So any 'identification' system would need to make allowances for where one person buys for multiple people in a group, a group who may not arrive at the same time or split up to do their own activities once inside.

I think a system authorised and overseen by Showmasters of fans selling to other fans, maybe here on the forum, and / or a buy back system is worth considering. Ensuring that tickets would have to be sold at face value or less.

There are situations when people would like to sell their tickets for genuine, not profit, reasons - like not being able to make the event due to illness or a great Sunday-only guest being announced when you had planned, and thus got entry tickets, for Saturday only.

With a Showmasters system for reselling etc, such tickets wouldn't go to waste and other fans could get the benefit of them if the event is sold out. And would hopefully then be a place for fans to turn in the event of a sold out show, instead of having to resort to unscrupulous people on eBay.

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Perhaps very naïve of me but I was saddened and shocked that reading the Facebook forum this morning that someone had wanted to find out what hotel the guests would be staying at.. appreciate slightly off topic but I hope this is not news to SM and that adequate security is in place to ensure that the guests have a great time and are not bothered unnecessarily outside of the event.

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Perhaps very naïve of me but I was saddened and shocked that reading the Facebook forum this morning that someone had wanted to find out what hotel the guests would be staying at.. appreciate slightly off topic but I hope this is not news to SM and that adequate security is in place to ensure that the guests have a great time and are not bothered unnecessarily outside of the event.

This is not just a lfcc thing. Sadly people do this all over the world, unfortunately some people take it way to far.

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