Two prices one show

CC0

Hi,

Just a quick question.

I went to see a Musical. It was a great show. So no complaints there.

I just wondered whether it was normal to have two websites for the same company - selling the same tickets - at different prices.

I'm only asking as we paid full price. The other website was discounted. Both are for the same shows/same tickets - and the same company.

The only difference is that we paid more than others would have done.

I guess it isn't against the law?

I would be interested if anyone knew the 'law' or statute [whatever it's called] that would cover this ... [eg. for other things it might be the 'distance selling law' etc - don't know what this would fall under]

This is more out of interests - as I was happy with the show for the price we paid. I am just curious of this practice. And if we weren't happy with the show - I would be more angry.

Since this I noticed other places do it. Like airlines, or hotels. They will have one price on their main website and then another one with cheaper prices. Usually the other websites might be other companies. So maybe they can't run the two websites themselves? Maybe that's something the theater venue did wrong?

Anyway I am rambling.

Any ideas/help or points in the direction of where I can get the info/answers would be most appreciated

Thanks

SuperHan

Nope, no law against this.

They can sell at whatever price they want, wherever they want (within reason!).

It's similar to different prices on the high street and online, even at the same shop.

The moral is just to shop around before you press buy!

CC0

Thanks

Is that in writing somewhere? Or does everyone just know they are free to sell at what ever price they want?

Be good to see it in black and white. Like I said - since this I have become a bit fascinated by the practice

Thanks

SuperHan

The best I can find is:

Two separate prices on the same item

If there are two separate prices on the same item, you can offer to pay the lower price and see if the trader accepts this. They might do, but they don’t have to. If you don’t want to pay the higher price and thetrader won’t accept the lower price, you could see if they will accept an offer at a price in between. Whatever offer you make, thetrader has to agree to it before there is a binding contract.

If the price on the goods you are buying is unclear, the trader may have made a genuine mistake or you have been misled. If you think you may have been misled, consumer protection regulations may be broken. This won't affect you agreeing a price to buy thegoods, but will be something that Trading Standards can look at.

from: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_common_problems_with_products_e/consumer_problems_with_price_or_payment_e/pricing_problems.htm

Which implies that the same website could show two different prices, and they don't have to honour the lower one, but can if they want. By extension, they can have two separate websites and charge different prices.

By virtue of it not being illegal, there is no statute to say otherwise, so I can't show you that. But it's quite common practice. The best I can do is prove by examples! Look at Sports Direct for example, they trade online and in the shop at quite different prices. Tesco will have different offers and clearance at different store. Petrol stations do it. McDonalds do not show prices on their website as they differ at different locations.

Out of interest, what website was it? Is it possible that there are two separate companies in the same group (like Argos and Homebase), who have different offers on at the same time.

SuperHan

PS If you are fascinated have a mooch around on this forum. It happens ALL the time that people complain about this.

wealdroam

CC0 wrote: »

Thanks

Is that in writing somewhere? Or does everyone just know they are free to sell at what ever price they want?

Be good to see it in black and white. Like I said - since this I have become a bit fascinated by the practice

Thanks

Unlikely you will find anything stating that.

Laws tend to prohibit things... in other words, as there appears to be no law/statute/whatever stating that "you cannot sell the same thing at different prices at different places", we can assume the practice is lawful.

mattyprice4004

CC0 wrote: »

Or does everyone just know they are free to sell at what ever price they want?

Of course they are - it's a free country, and as long as you weren't mislead it's fine.

CC0

Thanks everyone

I do appreciate the answers

nomoneytoday

Maybe the cheaper site had "booking fees" and VAT etc that would add up to your original all-price, or were selling the previously unsold tickets at a discount? After all, an empty seat makes £0..

zaax

In England you can do what ever you want unless there is a law stopping it.

InsideInsurance

For it to be against the law/ illegal then it would have to be in writing that people cant do this. You effectively have the right to do whatever you unless there is a law that says otherwise rather than everything is illegal unless there is a law to say its ok.

As long as it isnt driven by an outlawed "ism" then companies are free to charge what they want to whoever they want. So you cannot charge an extra £100 because the customers black but because they decided to go to site A rather than site B then you can.

Are you sure that these two sites are run by the same company? Evidently for shows, hotels, flights etc there are many distributors and so they are different companies you are buying from even if you end up at the same place.

When 1 company operates two sites aimed at different markets you may well find there is different options and T&Cs which in some way may go to justify the cost difference. So with one theatre ticket booking company their full priced site allows you to select your seats when you buy the tickets and you can switch the date of the tickets if needs be at a later date. On their budget site you only can choose the price point of tickets and you are locked in on the date. They inevitably then allocate the seats which they couldnt sell at full price to others and so inevitably you get the worst seats at that price point.

Of cause with some they may offer exactly the same and its just simply cheaper with one brand than the other.

It normally should come down to the question of value, are you happy to possibly be sat behind a pillar but pay the lowest possible price or are you willing to pay extra to remove that risk?