Birmingham Rep - Feel Ripped Off

coupleuk

I purchased two tickets to see Little Shop of Horrors at the Birmingham Rep.

We decided on a mid-tier £20 ticket each.

This week, I received an email from Groupon offering the best seats (£27.50ea) for the same performance at the Rep for just £10 each.

I contacted the Rep and asked if they would refund half the price of my tickets - but they refused.

That means that late buyers are getting better seats than we are, for half the price we paid.

So, I would suggest that if you are looking to buy tickets at the Birmingham Rep that you simply monitor their live seat availability screen to see how ticket sales are going before you commit.

If sales are going well, then just pay the usual rate.

But, if sales are a little slow, just wait until the last minute and you could well bag a deal.

I think that the Rep should do the decent thing and refund the price difference IF people query the offer.

As it now stands, there is no incentive to book ahead and they run the risk of this affecting ticket sales for other shows too.

Paul

sb65

The Rep is not in the business of doing 'the decent thing'. Its business and like buying airline seats, etc the market moves either towards you or against you.

I don't think you can say there is no incentive to book ahead. There are too many factors involved. If you wanted to see Whoppi Goldberg in Sister Act you would book now.

I can understand your frustrated but ticket sales like this happen all the time. Sometimes they don't sell well and other times they do.

david39

An interesting article in The Observer last weekend on this very subject.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/22/airline-ticket-eight-week-rule


It majors on the best time to buy airline tickets but, part way down the page, follows the same arguments about theatre tickets.

The conclusion was, for theatres, there is little point in booking ahead for long-running productions - tickets are seldom sold out, so buy them on the day at around half price!

coupleuk

If you wanted to see Whoppi Goldberg in Sister Act you would book now.

Her Mom has had a stroke and yesterday it was announced that she's pulled out of the show and is returning to the US.

But I know what you mean about advance booking for big "names" and in that situation I would agree with you.

Re the Birmingham Rep

Now that many theatres have a live seat availability system, it is really easy to monitor ticket sales day by day.

From now on, I will just use that method and only book ahead if sales are going really well; but no longer at the Rep.

I just felt that it would have been the decent thing to offer an appropriate refund to those who helped the theatre/promoter by giving them the advance sales.

Obviously, those who hadnt received the Groupon email would have been non the wiser but those who challenged the situation should have been given a price match.

Paul

david39

From coupleuk:

it would have been the decent thing to offer an appropriate refund

The same argument could easily apply to those who buy anything, online or in a shop, that later reduces in price. When you buy it, you accept that the asking price is value for money for you at that time. We have all bought something one week and then found it at half the price a fortnight later.

In the case of the Birmingham Rep, the extra you paid for early booking, was for the peace of mind that you definitely had a ticket for the performance you wanted and that you were able to select a seat from a wider selection than those who booked later.

coupleuk

Hi David

I dont agree with the comparison - with most things you buy you get to use them from day 1 - so if it goes down in price 3 weeks later you've already enjoyed 3 weeks use.

As I said, if the show has a big "name" and/or is selling quickly then by all means buy the ticket to get the guaranteed seat you want.

But, for most theatre occassions, it will now be best to wait and just monitor the situation.

Paul

david39

Hi {aul

Yes, I agree with you.

We paid big money several weeks in advance to see The Jersey Boys in the West End, but could have bought them on the day much cheaper.

I think it applies to all theatres, not just the B'ham Rep, though.