From a village pantomime to a sold-out stadium via festivals, fêtes, musicals and more. No matter the shape or size, events usually means tickets and marketers need to check the terms and conditions when promoting those tickets.
Every marketer wants their customers to be singing “Encore!” instead of “Refund”. Though we can’t guarantee the lead guitarist won’t lose their lucky pick, we’ve covered the most common issues that catch marketers out. So read on and avoid having to cancel the advertising fireworks before the opening night.
Hidden fees leave customers fee-ling Misérables.
Fees are common additions to ticket pricing. Customers will empty their online shopping cart if they are feeling ripped off. Fixed booking fees (fees that apply to everyone) must be included in the cost of the ticket. Shows promoted at a price no one will actually pay won’t go down well.
Onto act two, fees that are applied per transaction should make it immediately and prominently clear that the fee will apply and how much it is. Such fees won’t necessarily need to be applied per ticket, but consumers should be informed as early as possible when buying a ticket if such a fee applied.
Our final act covers fees dependent on various circumstances. Price claims, in that case, should be immediately qualified and clearly explain what and how such fees are applied. For example, if tickets bought through a third-party include a transaction fee, let consumers know early, upfront and clearly what fees apply and why they have been applied. The same principles apply to delivery fees too! Ticket pricing must be as clear and transparent as possible. Save the ambiguity for debates about spinning tops!
To VAT or not to VAT. That is the question.
Marketers wanting to know if they should include VAT in their ticket pricing claims should ask themselves the following question: “Is my ad targeting exclusively those who typically don’t pay, or can recover VAT?” If the answer is “no” then your ad simply must include VAT within the price. If there is a mix, you can display both the VAT inclusive and VAT-exclusive price but the former must be given equal or greater prominence. Failing to heed our advice can lead marketers in a whole VAT of trouble.
Reselling tickets? *Terms and Conditions apply
Ticket reselling is big business, but marketers must check the small print. Material information is defined as “information that the average consumer needs to take an informed transactional decision.” Marketers promoting resold tickets must ensure that they aren’t promoting tickets that aren’t actually valid. Marketers must check and double check that there isn’t a prohibition on resale tickets. Events may explicitly outline specific terms and conditions or the validity of resold tickets. It certainly is material information if the tickets you’re selling aren’t valid with the event. Avoid your customers being turned away at the gate as their ticket isn’t valid.
Don’t end up looking like a prize turnip.
Marketers might want to offer tickets as competitions, prizes or part of a promotion. There are rules that they need to adhere to when doing so or they risk calls of “shenanigans”. For example, marketers likely will crash out if their prize comes with a cost to the consumer; even if they are made clear to consumers. Competition rules must be clear to consumers with terms accessible and easy to understand. Competitions must be administered fairly with prize draw result produced by either a computer process that generates verifiably random results, by an independent person, or under the supervision of an independent person. Marketers need to make sure they follow the rules, or the show might not go on after all!
Save misleadingness and misdirection for the magic show.
Whether intentionally or accidentally, marketers must not mislead consumers. When promoting tickets as “from £…”, marketers must make sure a significant proportion of tickets are available at that price. These principles also include pricing claims such as “up to”. Other pitfalls marketers must exit stage left on include communications implying successful purchases of in-demand tickets. Avoid claiming to consumers they have been successful in obtaining tickets if there are additional hurdles for them to jump through. We take misleadingness seriously and marketers may end up with more than a scathing review if they skirt these rules.
Bring the final curtain down to a standing ovation with our Copy Advice Team. Welcome our Copy Advice team into your dressing room and let them help with your ticket pricing marketing. Our experts can help prevent your ads from being booed off the stage.
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