Newcastle City Hall charges

Gers

This morning I wanted to buy a ticket for a show at City Hall in May this year.

On selecting the seat the price is shown as £52.70.  At checkout the price has increased and is now £55.45.  The calculations show a difference in the actual ticket price and then three additional charges.

I didn't buy the ticket. What the £6.10 'service fee' is for is unknown. Why a 'facility charge' and an 'order processing fee' too.  Seems to be unfair and unclear charging by O2 with no explanation on the websit -

Okell

But it's transparent at checkout before you pay, isn't it?

If you don't think the show is worth £55.45 don't buy the ticket...

Pollycat

Well, £52.70 appears to be the ticket price of £45 + £6.10 processing fee + £1.60 facility charge and the £55.45 is that total + £2.75 processing fee.
But I would expect an explanation on the website.

sheramber

Gers said:

This morning I wanted to buy a ticket for a show at City Hall in May this year.

On selecting the seat the price is shown as £52.70.  At checkout the price has increased and is now £55.45.  The calculations show a difference in the actual ticket price and then three additional charges.

I didn't buy the ticket. What the £6.10 'service fee' is for is unknown. Why a 'facility charge' and an 'order processing fee' too.  Seems to be unfair and unclear charging by O2 with no explanation on the websit -

What did they say when you asled them for details of these charges?

https://help.ticketmaster.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360017761298-How-to-Contact-Us

Gers

Didn't bother!  Any company which adds on a charge of £6.10 without any easily found explanation isn't getting my money.

Gers

Okell said:

But it's transparent at checkout before you pay, isn't it?

If you don't think the show is worth £55.45 don't buy the ticket...

Not transparent at all. 

First screen 'full ticket price £52.70'. 

Second screen 'full ticket price £45.00'. 

Then added fees.

And...I said that I didn't buy the ticket!

swingaloo

It tells you at the top of the screen that handling charges may apply to your order. Its commonplace now whoever you but tickets through. No tickets for any venue are sold for just the face value of the ticket, there are always different kinds of fees added on. 
The worst thing is if the act cancel the show you only get the face value back and not the fees. I suppose its all down to how much you want to see the act.

sheramber

Did you read the terms and conditions?

Gers

I am venting! 

Of course I read the T&Cs. 

Yes, handling charges are mentioned. What they are not are explained. 

PHK

It actually explains what the fees are when you look at the Ts and Cs or the help section

The service fee is the amount that Ticketmaster takes. 
The facility fee goes to the venue box office. 
The face value goes to the event organisers. 
The order processing fee is the cost of payment processing and passing the funds to the event organisers and venue. 

Ectophile

PHK said:

It actually explains what the fees are when you look at the Ts and Cs or the help section

The service fee is the amount that Ticketmaster takes. 
The facility fee goes to the venue box office. 
The face value goes to the event organisers. 
The order processing fee is the cost of payment processing and passing the funds to the event organisers and venue. 

What a lot of people don't know is that Ticketmaster don't keep all of the fees for themselves.  Some goes back to the venue, and some goes to the artists.  But Ticketmaster gets all the blame.

That suits the industry very well - a faceless company in an office block somewhere gets all the hate, and the artists and venues get a sneaky few pounds extra on the official ticket price.