I am making it my business, because it is my business, to sell theater tickets to the masses. With that occupation comes a huge responsibility. I’ve learned in my time inside the box office that there are many things people have yet to know about going to the theater. What I am writing for you now, is the first in a series of articles dedicated to the theater goer that may still be a little confused as to how all of this works. At times I may be harsh, but it is my firm belief that some of the best teachers are mean, even cruel. I have not set out to be the best, but rather second best. Here is your education.
Lesson #1–Internet vs. Window/Phone
The internet is so convenient, isn’t it? I mean, right now, you’re reading this from the comfort of your home/office/home office and you may or may not be decent. Your hair may be matted, you may have coffee breath, you may not be clothed. (Please don’t tell me.) And yet, here you are being educated. It’s brilliant!
The internet, a modern convenience. It has changed the way we all live our lives, has it not? You can buy just about anything via the ‘net, including theater tickets, and you may have. And yet there are still people working all day long in theater box offices. How?
Well, Theater Goer, it’s because it is, in most cases, cheaper to buy tickets in person or over the phone than over the internet. I feel that I need to tell you this because, while answering phones at work, I encounter the following scenario on a daily basis, sometimes more than once.
Caller: Is it cheaper to get tickets at the box office or over the internet?
Me: It is cheaper to buy in person.
Caller: Really?
Me: Yes.
Caller:Well, that’s strange. Usually it costs you more to buy through a person than it does over the internet.
No, it doesn’t. See, you are thinking of eBay, a site where you can purchase products for a much cheaper price than a retail establishment would charge. But tickets are different. If you purchase tickets online, there are service fees. This is almost always the case. Therefore, unless you are buying through a site where you get discounted tickets, you are going to pay more money. If it were cheaper for the public to purchase tickets online, I would be out of job. So would many of my friends. So, really, your logic makes no sense. Website=more expensive. Why? Because we have to pay for convenience. Isn’t that…convenient?
So why do internet sales win? People don’t like talking to other people. Also, some theaters do not have a person, let alone a few persons, on phones all day long to sell tickets. And waiting until the night of the show may be a bad idea, because that show may be sold out. (Speaking of which, Sold Out Shows will be included in next week’s lesson.)
I hope this helps.
Tags: tickets