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Booking fees at the City Hall

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We have created and become victims of the 'middle man' economy. It's prevalent all over. So many of us get sucked into thinking we are getting the best deal.

 

In the hospitality industry hotels have to pay huge commissions to the likes of Expedia, last minute etc. The best method is to look at the rates on these sites, telephone the hotel and state what rate can they offer. If you get through to a decision maker then you'll more than likely get a better price.

Solid idea for hotels but if you get a too good to be true price just book it. Ive had a fair share of £20 -£30 per room per night bandb in top 10 rated trip advisor hotels that the hotel can't match and when you phone up they say they won't honer it as it must be a mistake. If you book and turn up then they always honour it and are always amazed at how cheap you got the stay. Usually cheaper than the price of a breakfast for non bandb bookings.

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We were wanting to book tickets for a City Hall performance and were shocked by the fees quoted :

 

City Hall Website

 

You may purchase your tickets by cash or credit/debit card. All major credit/switch/visa cards are accepted.

 

Booking Fees:

 

The following booking fees apply to tickets purchased:

•12% on telephone bookings

•12% on online bookings

•5% when booked in person at our box office

 

These fees are presented when purchasing tickets from Sheffield City Hall. When you have selected your tickets you will then be presented with fulfilment options and asked to make a selection on how you would like to get the tickets to you, either print at home, sent in the post or collect at the venue any associated fees for fulfilment will be displayed based on the method selected.

 

Fulfilment Fees:

•Print at Home - This is a free option with no cost attached, the printed tickets must be presented on the doors of the show for entry.

•Posting the tickets to you - this is the process of sending the tickets and includes postage costs and our collection fees. £2

•Collect from Box Office - if you select to collect your tickets from our box office. £1

 

It`s an absolute rip off, in the truest definition of the word. A 12%, that`s TWELVE percent, fee to buy Online. There is no justification for that. Quite apart from anything, if it`s a processing fee why is it a percentage as opposed to a fixed fee ? For example, why does it cost any more to process two tickets than one ?

We`re so annoyed by it we`re seriously thinking of just not going to the show.

 

---------- Post added 17-02-2017 at 18:41 ----------

 

They (and the arena) do charge a booking fee now for cash transactions. I queried it, and the poor lass behind the counter could offer no reason why, other than covering costs. :mad:

 

Can we just confirm this, even if you go round to the City Hall in person and pay cash, they still charge you a 5% booking fee ? Plus an extra charge of £1 for actually handing the tickets to you ! !

 

Added 18 Feb

 

I have just phoned the City Hall box office and they have confirmed that even if you go there in person and pay cash (or debit card, the fees for a debit card are small, I know, I own a shop) you still have to pay a 5% booking fee, plus £1 for them to print out the tickets !

 

 

---------- Post added 17-02-2017 at 18:42 ----------

 

Would be a pointless endeavour, if that happened then a ticket that did cost £40 + £5 fee will mysteriously start costing cost £45....

 

City Hall at least are providing an option that carries no extra fee on top of the ticket, I wager not all venues do this.

 

If the above really is true, it seems it`s impossible to avoid the booking fee. By definition, any fee which is literally impossible to avoid should be included in the base cost of any product.

Edited by Justin Smith

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Well I know last year I didn't pay any booking fee are charges for using a debit card when buying tickets in person from the box office.

With all these high charges this could be a the reason why a lot of acts seem to be missing Sheffield out of there tours.

Stick with Sheffield Theaters no booking fee no card charges and the post the tickets to you at no charge.

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Booking fees are a rip off, they can add up to £10 sometimes.

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Can we just confirm this, even if you go round to the City Hall in person and pay cash, they still charge you a 5% booking fee ? Plus an extra charge of £1 for actually handing the tickets to you ! !

 

I have just phoned the City Hall box office and they have confirmed that even if you go there in person and pay cash (or debit card, the fees for a debit card are small, I know, I own a shop) you still have to pay a 5% booking fee, plus £1 for them to print out the tickets !

They tried to justify that by saying the promoter of the show keeps all the cost of the "base" ticket", the fee is for the running costs of the box office. I have to say I think that sounds illogical to put it mildly. Why should the customer be interested in the split of costs of running the show, it`s irrelevant to them. It`d be like an airline charging you different fees, for example one for the airport charges etc !

Edited by Justin Smith

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I have just phoned the City Hall box office and they have confirmed that even if you go there in person and pay cash (or debit card, the fees for a debit card are small, I know, I own a shop) you still have to pay a 5% booking fee, plus £1 for them to print out the tickets !

They tried to justify that by saying the promoter of the show keeps all the cost of the "base" ticket", the fee is for the running costs of the box office. I have to say I think that sounds illogical to put it mildly. Why should the customer be interested in the split of costs of running the show, it`s irrelevant to them. It`d be like an airline charging you different fees, for example one for the airport charges etc !

 

You were either lied to, or you misunderstood what you were told.

Do you really think that the City Hall runs everything on your 5%?

 

"Face Value": agreed with the promoter, but part of that goes back to the venue.

"Booking Fee": Supposedly to cover ticketing costs, but is actually a way of getting more money to the venue. Ticketing costs always used to come out of the venue's share of the ticket.

"Fulfillment Fee":To cover printing or posting ... again, just another way of getting more money out of you. Ask yourself ... Can you reduce your Booking Fee from 12% to 5% by going in person to pay at the Box Office and still be able to print your ticket for free at home?

 

These (relatively) new charges are partly a result of trying to minimise exposure to VAT & Tax by the different parties, partly by seeing an opportunity to copy the scalping ticket companies, but mostly by greed.

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Well I know last year I didn't pay any booking fee are charges for using a debit card when buying tickets in person from the box office.

With all these high charges this could be a the reason why a lot of acts seem to be missing Sheffield out of there tours.

Stick with Sheffield Theaters no booking fee no card charges and the post the tickets to you at no charge.

 

It should make no difference to them coming to Sheffield or not as I would imagine all these venues charge the booking fees.

 

Petshop Boys concert Leeds Arena

1 Ticket x £65.00

(Booking Fee excluded) £65.00

1 Booking Fee x £8.25 £8.25

Ticket total: £73.25

 

And this for Nottingham Arena for Bob Dylan

£72.80 ( £65.00 ticket price + £7.80 administration fees)

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They could just warp the booking fee up in the price of a ticket.

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They could just warp the booking fee up in the price of a ticket.

 

That`s exactly what they should do. The only extra I think is reasonable would be a 3% surcharge for credit cards, and possibly an extra pound if you want your tickets sent out.

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These (relatively) new charges are partly a result of trying to minimise exposure to VAT & Tax by the different parties, partly by seeing an opportunity to copy the scalping ticket companies, but mostly by greed.

All such fees themselves carry VAT.

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All such fees themselves carry VAT.

 

But who they apply to can be manipulated.

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