The Truth About Ticket Fee Transparency

As mentioned in our previous article about the Ticketmaster.com Settlement, we are ready and raring to discuss the nasty truth about ticket fee transparency…or lack thereof. As a consumer, we know all to well how it feels to reach the checkout for our Beyoncé tickets only to realize that there are a whack of extra fees added on to our initial ticket price: order processing fees, convenience fees, facility fees, delivery fees. The list goes on and on! Let’s begin by shedding some light on ticket fee transparency.

What is ticket fee transparency?

When we refer to ticket fee transparency we are taking about seeing the real, honest-to-goodness, final dollar amount that you are going to be charged at the checkout.

One of the biggest problems within the entertainment industry, in terms of ticketing, is the lack of transparency when purchasing tickets…especially from online providers. Case in point is the Ticketmaster.com Class Action Lawsuit that we’ve been discussing for the past week. The lawsuit alleged that Ticketmaster misled consumers by charging “order processing fees” and “UPS delivery fees” that the company didn’t spend entirely on delivery or order processing fees.

Why is ticket fee transparency necessary?

Some big-name ticket providers, such as StubHub and Ticketmaster/Live Nation, are now pricing tickets “all-in.” For the consumer, this means that what you see is what you get. Your initial, listed ticket price is exactly what you will see when you end up at the checkout. Consumers need this fee from all ticket providers in order to make an informed decision on their purchase.

Why is ticket fee transparency not in the best interest of ticket providers?

Ticket fee transparency is not in the best interest of ticket providers because it eliminates some of the confusion and pressure that consumers face while contemplating a purchase.  In some cases, late-revealed service charges can increase ticket prices by more than 30%! With a stop clock counting down the seconds until the consumer loses their chance at the tickets, it is very easy to feel confused and pressured into making an uninformed purchasing decision.

This confusion will always favor sellers.

In an ideal world, the entertainment industry would have easy access to the “all-in” price data for their prospective online ticket purchase. The airline industry has many agencies – such as Priceline, Travelocity and Expedia – that do just that! Where are they for the entertainment industry?

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