Ticket queing

[airwaves]

Here's an interesting take on the approach to dealing with excessive ticket applications. 

I'm looking to book a popular shuttle bus in Canada. Bookings open in 20 minutes. 

Look what the site says "places in queue allocated randomly" 

How about that for Glasto ticket sale?? 

[al_coholic]

That's how Ticketmaster works 

[kemosabe]

There's something perversely fair about the Glastonbury ticket drama in my opinion. Those who really want a ticket will generally hang around longer to try and get one. While those who are half-arsed just "trying" will drop out after half an hour or so. I don't know, I'm sure it will change one day, but I personally don't have any complaints. 

[The Orgazoid]

That is just a ballot, so by extension a hideous idea (at least for anyone who wants to go more than once very 5/6/7 years or so)

 

Get randomly allocated place 237,314 in the queue and then have absolutely zero control of your ticket buying ability from that point onwards, shut your laptop down and repeat the process a year later.

[CaledonianGonzo]

41 minutes ago, al_coholic said:

That's how Ticketmaster works 

 

Yup. Prefer the current process with See.

[gfa]

12 minutes ago, The Orgazoid said:

That is just a ballot, so by extension a hideous idea (at least for anyone who wants to go more than once very 5/6/7 years or so)

 

Get randomly allocated place 237,314 in the queue and then have absolutely zero control of your ticket buying ability from that point onwards, shut your laptop down and repeat the process a year later.

Welcome to the forum!

[Beerqueen]

5 hours ago, kemosabe said:

There's something perversely fair about the Glastonbury ticket drama in my opinion. Those who really want a ticket will generally hang around longer to try and get one. While those who are half-arsed just "trying" will drop out after half an hour or so. I don't know, I'm sure it will change one day, but I personally don't have any complaints. 

Yeah and also do their research so they don't think they can buy 4 tickets in the coach resale (I've seen a lot of this on FB tonight).

[Superscally]

8 hours ago, airwaves said:

Here's an interesting take on the approach to dealing with excessive ticket applications. 

I'm looking to book a popular shuttle bus in Canada. Bookings open in 20 minutes. 

Look what the site says "places in queue allocated randomly" 

How about that for Glasto ticket sale?? 

Nope

[hurdy]

Would save on blisters on the F5 finger whilst I stare desconsolantly at the screen showing my inevitable failure as my place at 253963 in the queue ticks down to nothing.

 

No ta.

[Nuthugger]

17 hours ago, kemosabe said:

There's something perversely fair about the Glastonbury ticket drama in my opinion. Those who really want a ticket will generally hang around longer to try and get one. While those who are half-arsed just "trying" will drop out after half an hour or so. I don't know, I'm sure it will change one day, but I personally don't have any complaints. 

this exactly. dedications all you need

[dirtysteve]

There is no fairer way to do the ticket sale than the way it's currently done. Changing to any other system (especially a quasi-ballot/lottery) would be a horrible mistake imo.

 

They solved the issue of ticket touting with pictures and names on tickets, so at least we can be sure that we're competing against real people who want to go rather than capitalist vultures who want to make a fortune out of our desperation. 

[fraybentos1]

8 minutes ago, dirtysteve said:

There is no fairer way to do the ticket sale than the way it's currently done. Changing to any other system (especially a quasi-ballot/lottery) would be a horrible mistake imo.

 

They solved the issue of ticket touting with pictures and names on tickets, so at least we can be sure that we're competing against real people who want to go rather than capitalist vultures who want to make a fortune out of our desperation. 

Yeah 100%, doesnt stop a million idiots suggesting a ballot each year on twitter even tho it would lead to less chance for them.

 

It is currently the best system possible imo

[incident]

8 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

Yeah 100%, doesnt stop a million idiots suggesting a ballot each year on twitter even tho it would lead to less chance for them.

 

With half of those suggestions being made while the sale is literally ongoing, which tells me all I need to know given they've somehow got time to bugger around with twitter.

[Hugh with a P]

The current system favours the determined.  

 

We have been fortunate enough to get tickets every year since 2004 (bar 2 when we worked) but we are seriously determined, organised and focused on ticket day.  It's just not an option to not be there and we will wear out the F5 button if needs be 🙂  

 

As frustrating as it is for some people, it is the only fair way of doing things.  

[dirtysteve]

Actually, there is one tweak I would make that might increase fairness; reduce the maximum number of tickets per transaction to 4.

 

At the moment, with 6 being allowed, that's potentially only 21600 or so transactions (130K tickets / 6). Changing to 4 would increase that to 32500 or so potential transactions, giving more opportunity for people to get into a booking form and snag tickets. I don't think it'd increase the number of people trying much as I'd expect most people who want a ticket are trying and if they get through will buy for their group.

[HotChipWillBreakYourLegs]

16 minutes ago, dirtysteve said:

Actually, there is one tweak I would make that might increase fairness; reduce the maximum number of tickets per transaction to 4.

 

At the moment, with 6 being allowed, that's potentially only 21600 or so transactions (130K tickets / 6). Changing to 4 would increase that to 32500 or so potential transactions, giving more opportunity for people to get into a booking form and snag tickets. I don't think it'd increase the number of people trying much as I'd expect most people who want a ticket are trying and if they get through will buy for their group.

 

It would surely increase the admin load and overhead for See and the festival though.

[incident]

20 minutes ago, HotChipWillBreakYourLegs said:

It would surely increase the admin load and overhead for See and the festival though.

 

It would, but it would also result in a proportional increase of £9.95 (or £2.75 for Coach) transaction fees.

Edited April 19 by incident

[cb4747]

20 hours ago, kemosabe said:

There's something perversely fair about the Glastonbury ticket drama in my opinion. Those who really want a ticket will generally hang around longer to try and get one. While those who are half-arsed just "trying" will drop out after half an hour or so. I don't know, I'm sure it will change one day, but I personally don't have any complaints. 

I have no complaints, but I am one of those who really want a ticket and will wait for a good hour after we've had the Tweet to say they've sold out, just incase. I've tried different devices, different IP's, different locations, 3G, Wifi, you name it and only managed once to buy tickets. I've had more luck winning than I have buying. I know it's luck of the draw but it's bloody frustrating. I also cannot see a better system and don't really think a ballot would be as fun as T-day is. I do love the rush whether or not I manage tickets, I feel I'm a lucky one who has been to the festival a fair few times and it makes me happy enough seeing everyone have a good time and being a part of the build up whether or not I have tickets 🥰

[Neil]

20 hours ago, airwaves said:

Look what the site says "places in queue allocated randomly" 

How about that for Glasto ticket sale?? 

its a terrible idea, you've made clear you really want to go to glasto, with random allocation you'll lose out to someone who's not too bothered about going.

 

the system as it is now, rewards people who try hard (who are probably people who really want to go).

[kemosabe]

11 minutes ago, Neil said:

its a terrible idea, you've made clear you really want to go to glasto, with random allocation you'll lose out to someone who's not too bothered about going.

 

the system as it is now, rewards people who try hard (who are probably people who really want to go).

To an extent. It also rewards big groups trying together too. I dunno how you change that though. 

[DeanoL]

2 hours ago, dirtysteve said:

There is no fairer way to do the ticket sale than the way it's currently done. Changing to any other system (especially a quasi-ballot/lottery) would be a horrible mistake imo.

How are you defining fair? This system, or a ballot system, would undoubtedly be fairer, if "fair" means "everyone should have as equal as possible a chance".

The current system is intentionally unfair, as it rewards people willing and able to put in a modicum of effort (an hour of refreshing a page). It also rewards larger organised groups which may or may not be intentional.

I think it's fairly reasonable and probably the best way to do it. It doesn't require an excessive amount of effort, or a level of effort most people couldn't achieve - if the sale were longer, or required physically queuing as some always suggest, that's excluding more people.

Some people will still get caught up though. The current system looks a load less fair if you're in a job where you can't clear that hour on Sunday morning. (And yes, I appreciate most people can, but that's the point, some will always get caught up in it).

[Neil]

3 minutes ago, kemosabe said:

To an extent. It also rewards big groups trying together too. I dunno how you change that though. 

random allocation can be gamed too! - people will find ways to make it work for them.

[Avalon_Fields]

Definitely not. Most years I go on a French site for a major sports event, randomly allocated queue. Longest I’ve been in the queue was around 6 hours. Ridiculous. 

[Neil]

16 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Definitely not. Most years I go on a French site for a major sports event, randomly allocated queue. Longest I’ve been in the queue was around 6 hours. Ridiculous. 

i presume in that instance everyone has to wait while the thousands of people before them do their full transaction?

 

still wouldn't satisfy everyone wanting glasto tix  cos there's fewer tickets than people.

[Neil]

40 minutes ago, kemosabe said:

To an extent. It also rewards big groups trying together too. I dunno how you change that though. 

the current system isn't perfect but is probably around the best it can get for distributing tickets without being random - with advantages random can't do, like getting tickets for the people you want to go with.