To the Organizers: Re-Institute Mail Order!

[bruce3404]

Here's an email I wrote to the Jazzfest organizers in hopes of getting a formal response regarding why mail order is no longer offered. I'll post a response when/if I get one.



To Whom it May Concern:

I respectfully ask why the practice of mail order for advance Jazzfest tickets has been dis-continued? The Ticketmaster surcharges are disgraceful. For those of us who purchase tickets for both week-ends, the various surcharges for 2 attendees amounts to almost $100!

In the past, we mailed in our money orders and were charged something around $2 per order. Both Jazzfest and the customer benefited (JF got our money to use right away and we saved TM surcharges). There are many people on your forum complaining about this new policy. For most of us, we won't be able to come down to the Arena and line up the day before the festival starts.

Why not re-institute the mail order policy? You'd get a large influx of cash NOW, it might create a job or two, you would profit a bit from the surcharge and WE could see all our money go to the festival. I don't think anyone would complain if the surcharge for mail order was raised a few dollars per order.


Thanks for taking the time to read (and hopefully respond) to this.

[Mardigrasbaby35]

Good letter - and hopefully they'll consider re-instituting the mailorder- however, i kinda want to say that the reason that mail order was discontinued was because of the mail issues that we have in new orleans post-k - last year the mail wasn't dependable to do mail order from NOLa, and i'm thinking even this year the mail still isn't totally back on track....i THINK this might be why, but someone feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.....

[Papins]

yeah but last year's Jazz Fest was 8 months after Katrina and they had mail order.

[Mardigrasbaby35]

yeah but last year's Jazz Fest was 8 months after Katrina and they had mail order.

ah, then i do stand corrected...

[bruce3404]

Good letter - and hopefully they'll consider re-instituting the mailorder- however, i kinda want to say that the reason that mail order was discontinued was because of the mail issues that we have in new orleans post-k - last year the mail wasn't dependable to do mail order from NOLa, and i'm thinking even this year the mail still isn't totally back on track....i THINK this might be why, but someone feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.....

I could be wrong, but weren't previous mail order requests sent to Baton Rouge?

[mightyradgumbo]

yeah but last year's Jazz Fest was 8 months after Katrina and they had mail order.

They had mail order last year? I don't remember that...

[Amy Winette]

I'm 95% positive there was no mail order last year . . .

[swag]

There was no mail order last year.

In previous years, the address for mail orders was a PO Box in New Orleans, addressed to Ticketmaster.

The mail order fee for 2005 was $4/order.

2005 order form (http://web.archive.org/web/20050515040742/www.nojazzfest.com/tickets/2005_ticket_order_form.pdf)

[Carolina Beadhead]

There was no mail order last year.

In previous years, the address for mail orders was a PO Box in New Orleans, addressed to Ticketmaster.

The mail order fee for 2005 was $4/order.

2005 order form (http://web.archive.org/web/20050515040742/www.nojazzfest.com/tickets/2005_ticket_order_form.pdf)


Festy said they didn't have the manpower to do it last year. And, if you remember, the mail was still verrrry unreliable at the time.

[stlbarb]

I could be wrong, but weren't previous mail order requests sent to Baton Rouge?

last time i dealt with mail order it was.
we've been doing the group ticket thing for many years.

[festivalgirl]

I vaguely remember ordering tickets through Musictoday last year. There was only a per order charge and the tickets arrived in plenty of time.

[Papins]

I vaguely remember ordering tickets through Musictoday last year. There was only a per order charge and the tickets arrived in plenty of time.

That was it! Musictoday...sorry for all the confusion...OK, why Ticketbastard-and not Musictoday?

[McGregor]

Over $40 for ticketmaster charges for one weekend times two and I printed off my own tickets.

$42.25

not awesome!:rolleyes:

[Orleansnj]

you know what - I understand everyone's frustration.....and I might just hate ticketbastid more than anyone else on this site....(although that may be hard to believe - I swear it is TRUE)....

I just went on the TB website - and it was a convenience charge of $6.90 per ticket and 2.50 per ticket to print out - that's an additional $9.40 PER ticket ! That's absolutely criminal......

the mail is a mess in NO -would you all like to know how the mailman is delivering to my mother -in-law's gutted out house in the 9th ward? Hello - common sense. And we know there aren't enough people to 'volunteer' for handing out tickets etc......but I want to be a little outspoken and bring some perspective.

We're lucky there is a fest at all. Would you rather have someone volunteer to coordinate ticket stuff for us rather than to rebuild a neighbor's house or rebuild a day care center or a school?

I want to start a revolution and get rid of the monopoly that ticketbastid does have - they are awful...... but it's up to us - not the jazzfest people. There are a few of them at the foundation and there are tons and tons and tons of us.

We're fortunate to have the time to go to fest, the money to afford a ticket in the first place.......

I say - let's bring a solution - we ALL agree on the problem - and that's cool.
We're not going to change it for THIS year - but I swear - one of the things I will do is make phone calls and get stuff rolling after the fest - and on this board - so we can help the foundation.

that's my $1.50 worth. and f-ticketbastid.

[Amy Winette]

That was it! Musictoday...sorry for all the confusion...OK, why Ticketbastard-and not Musictoday?

The only thing I remember about Musictoday (maybe this was 2 years ago?) was ordering tix in, January I think, and not getting them until barely before fest, we were all freaking out on whether we would get the tix before we left for fest. I'd pay the ticketbastard fees to avoid that kind of stress. But I've got brass passes in my hot little hands already (thanks to MGBaby), feeling fine for this year :)

[festivalgirl]

I had no problem with Musictoday. But I guess it is a moot point now.

[Amy Winette]

I think it might have been better last year. I'm recalling it was 2 years ago when we had a long, panicked, where the heck are my tickets?? thread ;)

[NYMAMA]

I think it might have been better last year. I'm recalling it was 2 years ago when we had a long, panicked, where the heck are my tickets?? thread ;)

Oh yeah. My tickets for 05 didn't arrive untill 2 days before we left.

[Belle]

We're lucky there is a fest at all. Would you rather have someone volunteer to coordinate ticket stuff for us rather than to rebuild a neighbor's house or rebuild a day care center or a school?

I want to start a revolution and get rid of the monopoly that ticketbastid does have - they are awful...... but it's up to us - not the jazzfest people. There are a few of them at the foundation and there are tons and tons and tons of us.

We're fortunate to have the time to go to fest, the money to afford a ticket in the first place.......

I say - let's bring a solution - we ALL agree on the problem - and that's cool.
We're not going to change it for THIS year - but I swear - one of the things I will do is make phone calls and get stuff rolling after the fest - and on this board - so we can help the foundation.

that's my $1.50 worth. and f-ticketbastid.

Now there is a post to die for.

I have not chimed in on this one BUT between the air fare, the hotel, the night shows purchased mostly through TB, the food, drink, glass to be purchased from Rosetree:D , the cabs, the cigars, the local crafts, the gifts, the childcare back home etc. It is a very small amount of money in the grand scheme of things overall. I do however hate getting racked by some big ole company that does nothing for the money so......

The plan to work on this for next year is right on. I hereby volunteer to help in any manner. I work from home most days and can write letters, co-ordinate things very well, get things done and kick ass if I need to.

Sign me up!!! Now who is in charge?:)

[Orleansnj]

Girl - you're on - welcome to the ticketbastid revolution. no small amount of money - I work in education and don't make that much - and definitely have FOSTM (can't take credit - I think someone else posted that - Fear of Spending Too Much).....

No one is in charge - that may be counterintuitive....the board will be in charge.

we'll make a post-fest thread and everyone can contribute if they want - it will be a true grassroots effort. when we get enough information we can make it coherent and then provide it to the NOJHF and let them make the decision.

[Cleophus]

Have y'all heard of Brown Paper Tickets?
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/
Their surcharges are low and they claim to donate at leat 5% of their profits back into the communitites they serve.
I'd love for the Fest to consider doing business with these folks in the future.

[McGregor]

Have y'all heard of Brown Paper Tickets?
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/
Their surcharges are low and they claim to donate at leat 5% of their profits back into the communitites they serve.
I'd love for the Fest to consider doing business with these folks in the future.

Never heard of them but I'm down with paying anyone but the TBastard

very cool:
What does Brown Paper Tickets promise you?
* The smallest service fees in the industry
(99¢ and 2.5%)

* Brown Paper Tickets is based on the Not-Just-For-Profit business model.

* At least 5% of profits are donated back to the communities we serve.

* One fair fee - phone orders are the same price as online orders.

* No add-on fees for printed tickets.

[linza22]

I've used brown paper locally. loved them. and i hate the surcharges too. but...and a small but....one year i left 8 tickets at home, and all i had to do was go to will call at JF and pick up my copies. but...i suppose since everything is computerized anyway now, any company could do that!

[Cleophus]

The biggest question in my mind about using Brown Paper or similar vendors for JazzFest is whether they have the infrastructure (manpower, computers, paper, ink, printing, etc.) to handle a huge event like this.

If there are such problems, maybe they could be used on a limted basis (like as the mail-order vendor only), and/or in conjunction with other ticket vendors.

[Festaholic]

What I want to know is how does Ticketmaster justify their charges? Does anyone know where to get public information on how "service" charges break down? Is it mostly profit? In this Internet era, why hasn't their been a company that is able to successfully compete with them?
I have to believe that a portion of the "service" charges gets kicked back to the event promoters, record lables or the talent to sweeten the deal and make them go through ticketmaster.

Didn't Pearl Jam try to unsuccessfully avoid Ticketbastid about 8 years ago or so?

[McGregor]

The biggest question in my mind about using Brown Paper or similar vendors for JazzFest is whether they have the infrastructure (manpower, computers, paper, ink, printing, etc.) to handle a huge event like this.


Good points but someone should definitely take the time to find out.

I would almost rather ticketmaster not offer me the print email option so I would feel like I was getting something for charges. Seriously, it would just make me feel better for them to actually mail something to me.

Didn't Pearl Jam try to unsuccessfully avoid Ticketbastid about 8 years ago or so?
I don't think that worked so well for them.

[Cleophus]

What I want to know is how does Ticketmaster justify their charges? Does anyone know where to get public information on how "service" charges break down? Is it mostly profit? In this Internet era, why hasn't their been a company that is able to successfully compete with them?
I have to believe that a portion of the "service" charges gets kicked back to the event promoters, record lables or the talent to sweeten the deal and make them go through ticketmaster.

Didn't Pearl Jam try to unsuccessfully avoid Ticketbastid about 8 years ago or so?


I would guess that info about TB might be available in reports about that Pearl Jam suit, but I imagine it's very well-guarded information.

I was pretty disappointed when I heard that Pearl Jam lost their lawsuit, but not knowing the details I'm not sure why they lost. TB sounds like quite the monopoly, and its outrageous surcharges only add to that perception.

[McGregor]

TB sounds like quite the monopoly

well it's no longer a monopoly I guess, with the new company above. Hopefully, BrownPaperTix can make an impact in the music community.

The whole issue baffles my brain!

[Cleophus]

I would almost rather ticketmaster not offer me the print email option so I would feel like I was getting something for charges.

And how ridiculous is it that they charge you $$$ to print out tickets on your own computer & printer?!??!?!! Yet they'll print and mail tickets to you for less or for no additional charge.

[Cleophus]

well it's no longer a monopoly I guess, with the new company above.

Yeah, I kinda killed my own argument there. :)

But it's darn near a monpoly, I would guess, based on market share and anti-competitive practices.

[Festaholic]

Here is an interesting audio report from NPR in 2005. TM refused to reply to NPRs requests for an interview:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4732884

[McGregor]

Yeah, I kinda killed my own argument there. :)

But it's darn near a monpoly, I would guess, based on market share and anti-competitive practices.

Don't get me wrong, I'm with you Cleo. Monopoly it is!

[stlbarb]

Don't get me wrong, I'm with you Cleo. Monopoly it is!

When it comes to bored games, I'm more of a fan of Risk. ;)

we may not be able to get officials, who may or may not be in each other's pockets, to change business associations. however, if a business does not make enough money, it will usually cease that line of business.
ie - if we can get enough people to boycott the only advance out-of-town ticket service available, they will not make enough profit and things will change.
the only way to fight and win, is financially. hit 'em where it hurts.
monoploies are not required to have a social conscious unless mandated by law (utilities).

of course, the festival has put some risk out there, unless said ticket agency is protecting that risk by guaranteeing numbers. the risk being that they have set up a situation that will sell fewer advance tickets, and if there is cr@ppy weather they will lose out. people are more likely to show on an iffy weather day if locked into a ticket.
jm(radical)o

[Cleophus]

Well said, StlBarb. I think I am now convinced to not buy tickets in advance!

(I like the new picture/avatar, too.)

[Papins]

The only thing I remember about Musictoday (maybe this was 2 years ago?) was ordering tix in, January I think, and not getting them until barely before fest, we were all freaking out on whether we would get the tix before we left for fest. I'd pay the ticketbastard fees to avoid that kind of stress. But I've got brass passes in my hot little hands already (thanks to MGBaby), feeling fine for this year :)

Oh yeah, last year the tickets were down to the wire for arrival-still, I got them and whatever fee they charged wasn't the ticketbastard price of $6.80 per ticket.

[mightyradgumbo]

Just a word of note....gawd I never thought I would be defending ticketbastid...I recently purchased tix for a show in NOLA through ticketweb and here is what I came up with....
Ticketbastid:35.00 JF Ticket * 3 tix= 105
sv chg(6.90)/ticket* 3 tix= 20.70
order charge(4.00)=4.00
total of order=129.70
divide that by service charges=24.70
total percentage of service charge=19.04%

ticketweb:20.00 VOW ticket* 3 tix=60.00
svc charge per order=14.25
total percentage of service charge=19.19%

Just some food for thought when you discuss ticket fees

One of the reasons Veddar and his krewe gave up the fight (after having it fall on deaf ears at the justice dept) is that they knew that unless they had their own internal ticket people do a portion of it(ala the Grateful Dead, DMB etc.) they knew they were going to end up paying for the ticket brokers overhead. The best way to solve this is if Festival productions created their own ticketing like the bands mentioned. A chunk of the money would stay in-house and it would prolly be a hell of a lot cheaper to use their own staff (or a hired group of temps, thus stimulating a temporary boon to the local employment) to do ticketing.
There are other benefits such as reduced ticket fraud (not that that is an issue here) and design could be local for fest-produced tix. For a six day festival, in house ticketing could possibly/prolly be done for the entire thing.
Just my .02 cents

[stlbarb]

Just a word of note....gawd I never thought I would be defending ticketbastid...I recently purchased tix for a show in NOLA through ticketweb and here is what I came up with....
Ticketbastid:35.00 JF Ticket * 3 tix= 105
sv chg(6.90)/ticket* 3 tix= 20.70
order charge(4.00)=4.00
total of order=129.70
divide that by service charges=24.70
total percentage of service charge=19.04%

ticketweb:20.00 VOW ticket* 3 tix=60.00
svc charge per order=14.25
total percentage of service charge=19.19%

Just some food for thought when you discuss ticket fees

One of the reasons Veddar and his krewe gave up the fight (after having it fall on deaf ears at the justice dept) is that they knew that unless they had their own internal ticket people do a portion of it(ala the Grateful Dead, DMB etc.) they knew they were going to end up paying for the ticket brokers overhead. The best way to solve this is if Festival productions created their own ticketing like the bands mentioned. A chunk of the money would stay in-house and it would prolly be a hell of a lot cheaper to use their own staff (or a hired group of temps, thus stimulating a temporary boon to the local employment) to do ticketing.
There are other benefits such as reduced ticket fraud (not that that is an issue here) and design could be local for fest-produced tix. For a six day festival, in house ticketing could possibly/prolly be done for the entire thing.
Just my .02 cents

19.xx% service charge is excessive. what else charges you that up front? credit cards suck the life out of you 1 month at atime, but you have the option of paying without interest. i believe there should be laws against such greed.

[Amy Winette]

Hmm, wait staff, but then, they're busting their azzes!

[stlbarb]

Hmm, wait staff, but then, they're busting their azzes!

its not mandatory.

[Amy Winette]

Unless you're wtih a big group.

You know what I've noticed lately, the 20% gratuity being added right into the spa tab, no more dicretion there either.

[mightyradgumbo]

YYR, more and more restaurants and specialty gigs are tackin those charges on. Funny thing about the origin of the word TIPS, it was originally an acronym for "to insure proper service" in other words done in anticipation of getting good service the next time around...evolved as a reward for previously rendered service...ok quoting useless trivia-mind is fried-off to take a nap :D

[Papins]

19 point whatever percent...isn't that what loan sharks charge?

[mightyradgumbo]

19 point whatever percent...isn't that what loan sharks charge?

i am just saying that the bastid isn't the only broker that does it..not defending them...I remember the days of ticketron who were a subsidiary of Sears and there was a 1.50 charge for the order-then TB bought Ticketron and the landscape was forever changed in the ticket industry.

[McGregor]

i am just saying that the bastid isn't the only broker that does it..

they happen to be the only one that ever does it to me!

[Yangety!]

Just a word of note....gawd I never thought I would be defending ticketbastid...I recently purchased tix for a show in NOLA through ticketweb and here is what I came up with....
Ticketbastid:35.00 JF Ticket * 3 tix= 105
sv chg(6.90)/ticket* 3 tix= 20.70
order charge(4.00)=4.00
total of order=129.70
divide that by service charges=24.70
total percentage of service charge=19.04%

ticketweb:20.00 VOW ticket* 3 tix=60.00
svc charge per order=14.25
total percentage of service charge=19.19%


Ticketbastard owns Ticketweb. They bought TWeb out several years ago, but then kept TWeb in existence as if it was an "alternative" ticket source to dispel claims against Ticketbastard of being a monopoly. It is all a big sham. Thus, when you look at percentages of service charges b/t the two companies it is really all the same.

Pearl Jam realized after much struggle that they couldn't even book shows at decent venues unless they allowed Ticketbastard to be the ticket handler, as TBastard has EXCLUSIVITY contracts with most venues and promoters, such that the tickets MUST be sold thru TBastard if the show wants to be put on at that venue. Again, more evidence that they are in violation of collusion and anti-trust laws...however, they are also in the pockets of most politicians, thus the end result of Pearl Jam's efforts was that nothing was done, and nothing ever will be done.

I could go on and on, but it'll just piss me off even more about Ticketbastard and the scumbucket "ticket agencies" that they carve tickets off to....:mad:

anyway, back to fun...if yer going both weekends, BUY A BRASS PASS! Yea yoo right, dubya-dubya-OH-ZEE!!!! :D

[Cleophus]

I emailed Brown Paper Tickets to see what their capacity for handling something like JazzFest is. I didn't get a direct answer about such capacity, but they are open to discussing it. Here is the email reply I received:

"I would be more then happy to chat with a representative of the
festival to talk about sales volumes as well as what ticketing
options they require.

"I'm in the office between 8am and 4pm PST, Monday through Friday if
you'd like to pass my contact information along.

"Thanks for your consideration.

"Sten W. Iverson
Brown Paper Tickets
w) http://www.BrownPaperTickets.com
e) sten@brownpapertickets.com
p) 800.838.3006 x7003"

[Papins]

i am just saying that the bastid isn't the only broker that does it..not defending them...I remember the days of ticketron who were a subsidiary of Sears and there was a 1.50 charge for the order-then TB bought Ticketron and the landscape was forever changed in the ticket industry.

Oh I didn't get the idea you were defending them, I just wanted to put their "usery" fees into perspective. The difference between them and scalpers is scalpers don't have paperwork.

[stlbarb]

Oh I didn't get the idea you were defending them, I just wanted to put their "usery" fees into perspective. The difference between them and scalpers is scalpers don't have paperwork.

well said.
but scalpers won't take credit cards either.
there are those 'ticket agencies' - legalized scalping in some states.
they have paper work and take credit cards.

[Amy Winette]

Some credit cards charge about 19% after the promotional rates, etc.