Anyone purchased tickets from Goldstar?

[newsie20841]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 6:16am

Would anyone who has purchased tickets through Goldstar be willing to share their experience with me?  I am considering purchasing tickets to Alton Brown’s show over Thanksgiving week and Goldstar has discount tickets for sale.  Is this legit?  Has anyone ever experienced any issues when using Goldstar? 

 

Also, if anyone is aware of any other (better?) discounts for Alton Brown’s show, please share!  Looking at taking my mom as an early Christmas present.

 

Thanks for your insight!

[indytallguy]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 7:48am

I buy Goldstar tickets fairly regularly and have done so for shows in a variety of different cities when I travel. I've always had a great experience. Seats are usually decent and in a few instances have been great.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 8:16am

I've been using Goldstar for over 10 years and have never had a problem.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 8:27am

Totally legit.

 

But how can we tell you of there's a better discount, when you haven't shared what THIS one is?

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 8:28am

Completely legit.

[CassandraReads]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 8:36am

I purchase from Goldstar often, never have I had a problem. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 9:02am

Also have purchased for many, many years and for shows in several states and have never had an issue. Knock on wood. :)

Updated On: 10/23/16 at 09:02 AM

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 10:39am

I've also purchased many times from Goldstar. Not only are they legit, their customer service is fantastic!

[Marianne2]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 10:45am

No issues here either. I actually ended up with 5th row center on the aisle when I saw Dames At Sea last year.

[freewilma]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 11:14am

I've purchased from them a number of times.  There are a few hints to keep in mind.  Just because a ticket is on Goldstar, it doesn't necessarily mean it's hugely discounted.  Sometimes the discount is only $5-10 from the face value you could get directly from the venue...and when you buy from the venue you can pick your own seat.  There are many times I'd happily trade that $5 for knowing exactly where my seat will be in advance.  

Also, keep in mind the size of the venue.  For example, the Kennedy Center has HUGE theatres that seat 3,000+ people (double many broadway houses).  If you get stuck on the back row of the third balcony,  it definitely changes the experience.  I often use Goldstar in smaller theatres where this isn't such a big deal.  Or sometimes you will be given two different price-points, in which case I always choose the more expensive to avoid the horrible seats.

Each venue seems to handle their Goldstar ticket sales differently.  I've gone to some venues where I arrive and my tickets are already in a envelope at will call.  Other times I get to will call and they give me the top two tickets off a big stack of unsold tickets.  In that cast, arriving early is definitely beneficial.  

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 11:16am

I love Goldstar. I buy all of my Metropolitan Opera tickets through them -- the seats are always excellent, and they usually come with a free glass of champagne.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 11:19am

I love goldstar. Most of the tickets I've gotten were for less than 50 dollars in the orchestra. Talk about a deal.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 11:24am

Been using them since 2005. Never had a problem.

[lalaleeloo]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 11:29am

The only problem I've had is when the theater has dynamic ticket pricing. In my experience, the Goldstar discount applies to the price of the seat on the day of the show, not at the time of purchase. So I've purchased a Goldstar ticket guaranteeing 50% off tier A, which at the time of purchase means $25 orchestra tickets. By the day of the show, rear mezz was tier A, so it cost me $25 plus fees for a seat that would've cost less if I had purchased it from the theater on the day that I purchased the Goldstar ticket.

[hork]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 11:41am

I buy most of my tickets through Goldstar (the exceptions being large venues like the Pantages or Ahmanson in L.A., because it's too hard to get good seats with those and there are better ways to get cheap tickets anyway). Never really had a problem. They even alerted me that Lin-Manuel Miranda was sick and wouldn't be performing in In the Heights the night I had tickets, and gave me the option to switch to another night.

Updated On: 10/23/16 at 11:41 AM

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 1:12pm

Loyal GS patron of many years. In fact, when I hear of a show I want to see, the first place I go is GS. I would say 50% of seats have been excellent, 25% good, and 25% poor. I agree with other commenters here, I generally won't use GS for the large houses for shows that I am very interested in seeing for risk of a bad seat. For small theaters with no bad site lines, GS cannot be beat. 

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 3:17pm

Slightly different question: Has anyone used Goldstar for 54 Below? Where have the seats been? Thanks!

[iamjwk]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 4:15pm

I have used Goldstar for many years at multiple venues and in multiple states.  I have never had a problem.  Most of the seats have been good, some great and a few just okay.  Never had a truly bad seat.  However, it is worth searching out other discounts as I have sometimes found better deals once you take into consideration the fees charged by Goldstar (this comes into play more on cheaper seats).  Have had to use their customer service a couple of times and they were very responsive and helpful.  I can strongly recommend them.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 5:30pm

Yes, Goldstar is legit. I've used it for a mix of general admission and assigned seating. The assigned seating has been all over the place as you'd expect with different events (when the event isn't well-sold my seat has tended to be better).

I don't know what 54 Below's policies are. I often go on my own and sometimes I feel like they just put me anywhere depending on when I show up. I've used Goldstar twice for 54 Below shows. When I was solo I got a seat at one of the long tables in the middle. When I went with a date, we were at a table slightly off to the side but still in the main seating area. 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 10:55pm

lalaleeloo said: "The only problem I've had is when the theater has dynamic ticket pricing. In my experience, the Goldstar discount applies to the price of the seat on the day of the show, not at the time of purchase. So I've purchased a Goldstar ticket guaranteeing 50% off tier A, which at the time of purchase means $25 orchestra tickets. By the day of the show, rear mezz was tier A, so it cost me $25 plus fees for a seat that would've cost less if I had purchased it from the theater on the day that I purchased the Goldstar ticket.

 

I don't think that's quite right. When Goldstar gets seats from a venue to sell, they are given the section, the full retail price and the agreed upon discount and that's the price they offer it at. The % off is just stated as a reference point. They don't guarantee that won't change if a venue uses dynamic pricing or if they were given the wrong data on the full retail price to begin with, although in the latter case they will typically work to "make it right". So you are getting the discount on the ticket as of when you buy it, not as of the day of the show.

In a few cases with dynamic pricing, with hockey tickets as an example, I was about to buy tickets for a game and checked ticketmaster for the full current price. It actually had gone down a few $. I informed Goldstar and after checking with the venue, they updated their price giving me the same % discount off the now lower full retail price. They often are not updated by the venue when the prices change so they really don't know unless someone informs them. 

They always list the section and most of the time, it is specific such as orchestra or front mezz. In the example you cited it sounds like they called it Tier A. I've had that happen a few times and I always check the venue's website to see where Tier A seats are to see if i want to sit there. I have never heard of any venue changing the definition of what constitutes Tier A seats IN THE MIDDLE OF sales for a specific event. Dynamic pricing is Tier A seats that were $30 are now $35. I've seen that happen but changing Tier A's definition entirely seems very unethical to me and if you had informed Goldstar, I'm pretty sure they would have gone to bat for you with the venue to either get your seat upgraded or give you credits for the difference between what Mezz seats were selling for at the time you bought the tickets and the new corresponding price for mezz seats under Tier A. If you did call them and they didn't help you, I'd be very surprised. 

 

Updated On: 10/23/16 at 10:55 PM

[lalaleeloo]

Posted: 10/24/16 at 12:12am

UncleCharlie said: "I've seen that happen but changing Tier A's definition entirely seems very unethical to me and if you had informed Goldstar, I'm pretty sure they would have gone to bat for you with the venue to either get your seat upgraded or give you credits for the difference between what Mezz seats were selling for at the time you bought the tickets and the new corresponding price for mezz seats under Tier A. If you did call them and they didn't help you, I'd be very surprised."

 


Customer service actually wasn't helpful at all. I had checked the seating charts before I purchased the Goldstar ticket, so I was pretty sure once I got to my seat that the tier had changed. The offer was for 50% off Tier A, no other specifics given on the section. I emailed Goldstar right after the show (Tuesday) and included a screenshot of the next night's ticketing chart that showed that my seat was listed as Tier B for a similar weeknight show. I asked to be refunded the difference between Tier B face value and what I paid through Goldstar. Customer service said there was nothing they could do, because the venue defined the tiers. I haven't purchased from Goldstar since, because I found them so unhelpful. But I recognize that it's sort of a fluke scenario.

 

 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/24/16 at 4:24am

lalaleeloo said: "UncleCharlie said: "I've seen that happen but changing Tier A's definition entirely seems very unethical to me and if you had informed Goldstar, I'm pretty sure they would have gone to bat for you with the venue to either get your seat upgraded or give you credits for the difference between what Mezz seats were selling for at the time you bought the tickets and the new corresponding price for mezz seats under Tier A. If you did call them and they didn't help you, I'd be very surprised."

 


Customer service actually wasn't helpful at all. I had checked the seating charts before I purchased the Goldstar ticket, so I was pretty sure once I got to my seat that the tier had changed. The offer was for 50% off Tier A, no other specifics given on the section. I emailed Goldstar right after the show (Tuesday) and included a screenshot of the next night's ticketing chart that showed that my seat was listed as Tier B for a similar weeknight show. I asked to be refunded the difference between Tier B face value and what I paid through Goldstar. Customer service said there was nothing they could do, because the venue defined the tiers. I haven't purchased from Goldstar since, because I found them so unhelpful. But I recognize that it's sort of a fluke scenario.

 

 

That all sounds very strange. Your best bet might have been to call them when you picked up the tickets since after the event is over they don't have the ability to immediately contact the venue and correct your seat if you were put in the wrong tier. I also always print out and bring my confirmation. If I know I bought a Tier A seat and the one they gave me is not in the section they list as Tier A, I can show the confirmation to the box office and point out on their seating chart that the assigned seat is not in the right tier. But I've never actually had that happen. If anything, I occasionally get upgraded to a better section than the one I bought if the house isn't that full. If I was going to ask for a refund, I might have asked for the difference between the Goldstar price for Tier A and B since that is really what you overpaid. Not sure why they'd give you the difference between face value and what you paid at 50% off. I'm still not sure what happened in your situation but unfortunately, it sounds like you had a bad experience. They've been terrific for me.

 

Updated On: 10/24/16 at 04:24 AM

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 10/24/16 at 10:44am

My first time getting a ticket through them ended up with them cancelling my ticket and not letting me know the day until the day of the show. Thank goodness the show wasn't sold out and I could get a TDF ticket instead. They gave me $20 credit in my account. I'm not really a fan of them and would much rather use TDF or even Today Tix. 

[freewilma]

Posted: 10/24/16 at 11:10am

Here's an example TODAY of why it pays to check around.  A View from a Bridge is coming to the Kennedy Center.  Goldstar sent an email this morning that it had $35-$75 tickets for the show.....and the Kennedy Center had the exact same sections available for $35-$79 with lower fees and you could pick your own seat.  

Goldstar CAN have terrific deals, just not every offer is a super saving deal.  

[xoffender45]

Posted: 10/24/16 at 12:07pm

Does anyone have any Karma Codes they'd wanna share with me? :)