Dynamic pricing- Hugh Jackman tickets -MSG

[nycesq]

Posted: 7/15/19 at 2:14pm

Bought two tickets in the lower bowl to see Hugh Jackman for his recent MSG show.  Stupidly bought  two premium tickets on the day they went on sale, and paid a whopping $480 per ticket plus service fees through ticketmaster.. Noticed that ticketmaster dropped the price of the tickets for the same section and same area to $149 per ticket (ouch) a few days prior to the show.. Am very upset that the show sold its tickets at a very high (inflated?) price and reduced them to get rid of excess stock  prior to the performance. Have any readers experienced this with other recent shows.  I realize they use dynamic pricing for airline tickets and hotels, but this price drop was very painful.

Updated On: 7/15/19 at 02:14 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/15/19 at 2:35pm

I think those are "official platinum" tickets, which tend to be the seats that are dynamically priced through Ticketmaster for concerts. For Ben Platt's recent concert in NYC, some of the best seats that weren't VIP were tagged as "official platinum" tickets and they, too, were pricey a month or two before the concert (some evern more expensive than a VIP ticket.) As it got closer, though, prices decreased but I don't think it was at the same rate as you experienced. 

[couldbnwouldbn]

Posted: 7/15/19 at 7:51pm

The same situation happened here in Tampa for his concert.  We had 2 platinum floor tickets 5th row that we purchased right when they went on sale at full price.  The day before the concert they released seats in the first row that had not been there before for over $200 less per ticket than the ones we had bought.  I called Ticketmaster and explained that better seats had been released and could I do a ticket exchange since I would rather have the better seats.  They easily did the exchange for the better seats they never questioned the price and in the end I paid $400 less than I originally had.  The $400 credit showed up on my account the next day.  The only thing they charged was a $10 per ticket exchange fee.  I personally think it's rotten that they now do this dynamic pricing, but I will, whenever I buy tickets, always keep checking to see if prices go down and other seats come up try this again.  Who knows it may work again.  I'm going to put that $400 saved towards tickets for The Music Man in New York.

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 9:30am

That's great they did that! With my experience with Ticketmaster and exchanging seats, they always tell me I can exchange for a more expensive ticket (plus add that exchange fee) but I can't exchange for a less expensive ticket (and get a credit for the difference in price.)

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 10:01am

nycesq said: "Am very upset that the show sold its tickets at a very high (inflated?) price and reduced them to get rid of excess stock prior to the performance.Have any readers experienced this with other recent shows. I realize they use dynamic pricing for airline tickets and hotels, but this price drop was very painful."

This happens for most events. Once you have tickets, don't look back...

That said, they would have been more than happy to sell all of the seats for $480 and never reduced a single one.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 10:12am

Maybe there's a lesson about over-estimating HJ's popularity ?

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 10:15am

devonian.t said: "Maybe there's a lesson about over-estimating HJ's popularity ?"

What is the lesson? That after you move a bunch of expensive seats, you can sell the rest for $150?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 10:21am

I bought my single ticket two days before the performance and it was $150 and in an excellent location. Well worth that price. Hugh really puts on an excellent show.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 10:24am

People only seem to be concerned about dynamic pricing in one direction... if you knew that after you bought a premium ticket, the price went up to $800 and that is what everyone around you paid, would you be outraged?

[devonian.t]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 10:55am

haterobics said: "devonian.t said: "Maybe there's a lesson about over-estimating HJ's popularity ?"

What is the lesson? That after you move a bunch of expensive seats, you can sell the rest for $150?"

Clearly the lesson is to only pay that much when it is patently necessary to pay that much.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 11:11am

devonian.t said: "Clearly the lesson is to only pay that much when it is patently necessary to pay that much."

But you will only know that after the fact... 

[couldbnwouldbn]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 3:23pm

I totally expected Ticketmaster to say no to the exchange for the lower priced tickets, and was happily surprised when they did it without question.  Even if they hadn't the show was great and a lot of fun.  Being in the front row gave a great perspective and made me feel that at least the view was worth the price.  I usually avoid arena shows anymore because it's almost impossible to get seats close up at a reasonable price, and what's the point of going if you spend the whole evening watching the giant screens and can't really see the performers faces.

[B.JAMES]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 3:30pm

We paid $1400 for Taylor Swift tickets (I don't care what you think, lol) and the week of the show, seats in the same area were $275. I buy all of my concert tickets closer to the show date now.

We snatched up floor seats for P!nk the day of the show for $130 that were previously $400.

[B.JAMES]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 3:32pm

Wick3 said: "That's great they did that! With my experience with Ticketmaster and exchanging seats, they always tell me I can exchange for a more expensive ticket (plus add that exchange fee) but I can't exchange for a less expensive ticket (and get a credit for the difference in price.)"

This is exactly what they tell me as well.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 4:32pm

I wouldn’t call selling out three shows at MSG “overestimating” Hugh Jackman’s popularity. I think dynamic pricing in general has taught us to be more circumspect and wait for the right time to buy. Wish I’d learned that lesson earlier myself.