Scalpers

[HilkeySmooth]

Not sure what can be done about it, but there are certain sites out there (no names, edited by Sav) has X tickets for 2013. How is that possible. And one seller has 14 tickets. Selling each for 10 grand. WTF? How did that happen?
Yes. Do not play more then face value for tickets. It will only encourage the scalpers.
But how did one seller get 14 tickets to scalp and half of my camp could not get one?

[lemur]

just ignore it.. its not your problem

[Savannah]

Not sure what can be done about it, but there are certain sites out there (no names, edited by Sav) has X tickets for 2013. How is that possible. And one seller has 14 tickets. Selling each for 10 grand. WTF? How did that happen?
Yes. Do not play more then face value for tickets. It will only encourage the scalpers.
But how did one seller get 14 tickets to scalp and half of my camp could not get one?

Because on some ticket websites, sellers are allowed to sell tickets that 1) do not exist, and 2) have not shipped to the original owners, and won't for another 4 months.

Anyone who pays 10K for a Burn ticket is a fool. They were half-price (and less) last year in late July and after.

If none of your camp got tickets, join the Jack Rabbit Speaks email newsletter on the main site so you'll know about STEP tickets and OMG tickets. You can find it. Good luck to you.

[BBadger]

Return to the ticket sale forum at the beginning of August.

View the list of hundreds of tickets for sale at cost prices.

Laugh in the face of scalpers.

[Ano]

I think the past two years of selling out has taught us all the valuable lesson that scalping Burning Man tickets is not a viable career path. Yeah, some of these expensive, overpriced tickets will sell to Plug 'n Play's, rich spectators, or people who don't know better... but there will also be hordes of tickets at or below face value on Eplaya, on craigslist, and on the way to the Burn. We also have STEP (which appears to be a bit better set up this year, in my opinion!), the OMG sale, and there is still the resource of your local region.

We all want to panic, because who doesn't love panicking, but... you'll get your tickets. Don't worry!

[socks]

I think after last years burn the scalpers learned a lesson. If you were on the playa
you could see there were far less people than in past burns.

[Eric]

Not sure what can be done about it, but there are certain sites out there (no names, edited by Sav) has X tickets for 2013. How is that possible. And one seller has 14 tickets. Selling each for 10 grand. WTF? How did that happen?

Look at the date the seller says you'd recieve the tickets if you bought on those sites: the seller with 15 says the buyer will get them on Friday, Aug 30th - the Friday OF Burn Week (after CORE Burn, the right before the event ends), most of the rest said sometime in August, the earliest date was July 4th (and who knows if the tickets will even be out by then).

The resellers tactics are to find people like your camp who are freaking, get them to pay a premium price for something the seller doesn't even have, then the seller goes & buys it cheaper when they become available in July-ish, and passes it on at the jacked up price to you.

There will be tickets. I don't have a ticket either, and I have friends in the same position. None of us are worried because all of us remember how cheap they were selling by late July, early August (and literally being given away by the time the Burn rolled around).

Those who plan, Burn.

Carry on with your plans, do not pay scalper prices, you have a 99% chance of complete success in your ticket acquisition.

[whitneywhiteman]

I am so happy I joined this forum

My disappointment due to failure to purchase tickets is melting away

Truly hope to make it to the event.

[junglesmacks]

There will be tickets. I don't have a ticket either, and I have friends in the same position. None of us are worried because all of us remember how cheap they were selling by late July, early August (and literally being given away by the time the Burn rolled around).

I have to admit that I'm a litttttttttle nervous with how many people seem to be counting on this. Makes me think that the resale demand may indeed outstrip resale supply this year..

[JayBobBoy]

I agree with Mr. Smacks. I was a bit surprised how fast the tickets sold out this year after the scalpers took a beating in the last few week leading up to the event. If the BMorg plan was as successful at scaring off scalpers as we all think, then it stands to reason that the tickets were sold to the real end users this year.

If that is somewhere close to reality then the resale market will be a lot smaller this year. Mostly consisting of burners who have had a change in plans or circumstances. It is entirely possible that there will be a large amount of tickets in the STEP program, but I have my doubts.

At the very least, burners will be more likely to use STEP this year than to try and make a buck or two in the secondary market when tickets are mailed out.

I do agree with Eric though, if you want it bad enough, you'll get there!

[VultureChow]

1000 in the OMG sale is probably not enough to discourage scalpers.

The key is that last year was the first real trial run of scalping strategy. You know that you can pretty much guaranty selling your tickets at face value up until that OMG sale. After that, the demand goes down and you start losing money.

But regardless, the sell out mentality has taken hold and everyone who can swing the ticket price and is considering going would have felt that purchasing now was their best strategy. We're past the point where you can wait until your travel and work plans come together before being guaranteed the ability to buy a ticket. That is a notion that tough to get over even as last year showed that face value or below tickets were plentiful at the end. Those with good contacts and camp mates might feel comfortable with that strategy, but for others the "wait and try" method is far riskier than the "hurry and buy." So my predictions are the same brisk aftermarket sales as plans change. Mild scalping until August.

[fresh]

I thought there was going to be a more bullet proof system this year, I guess not. I do hope that STEP works like it did last year, everyone who wants a ticket gets one and the glut of tickets at the end of July/early August ruins the profits for the professional scalpers. As of now, two days in, the one big site has already sold 30 tickets averaging $630. As far as the $10k tickets on there, I think that is more of burners trying to see the action on the site, so they sell at prices that will never be purchased. (I know I will get scolded for posting this, but I think it is good to keep track of it )

[moonpup]

I did not get individual sale tickets, never made it in time... so I just got a holiday sale ticket next day.. they are still available (although I thought that with the normal tickets selling so fast people would go straight for the holiday sale tickets)... Did not want to pay that price, but it was either pay it or stand a chance of missing out... I am coming over from england and have mates from BM2010 going...

I cant hang around for the 1000 tickets OMG (holidya from work and flights), and not sure if many STEP tickets will be released and how quick they will be snapped up......

Anyway, main point is, holiday sale tickets are still available so why risk getting a dodgy ticket from somewhere for the same price as an original ticket...

[trilobyte]

I agree with junglesmacks. It would be a mistake to bank on there being a glut this year. First, last year's glut wasn't as big as most people think (most of the listings on ePlaya from mid-August were multiple listings for the same tickets), and second I don't know that people will be playing the same waiting game they did last year.

That doesn't mean give up hope, either. Throughout the course of the season plenty of tickets do change hands at or close to face (I wouldn't think of it as scalping for someone to include their shipping/fees in the asking price). Those who plan…burn. Stay determined and pay attention. STEP opens up at the end of the month (remember, this year it's open to anyone), ticket order transfers will open up not too far after that, and then tickets will mail out in June/July.

Fresh - Burning Man does keep track of it, but will not play host to scalper pricing indexes on ePlaya.

[illy dilly]

There will be tickets. I don't have a ticket either, and I have friends in the same position. None of us are worried because all of us remember how cheap they were selling by late July, early August (and literally being given away by the time the Burn rolled around).

I have to admit that I'm a litttttttttle nervous with how many people seem to be counting on this. Makes me think that the resale demand may indeed outstrip resale supply this year..

WOW.
I hadn't thought of that.

This might be the first year, in my 4 years at least, that there wont be tickets all over the place in August.

Though, I still figure that between STEP, OMG, and the August Shake Out, that like always- Anyone who KNOWS they're going to Burning Man will find a ticket.
Shit, even I got knews 15 minutes before the individual sale started that might end up meaning I'm not going to the burn. And, in that last 15 minutes freaked out wavered back and fourth, then decided to just get them now. A big part of the deciding factor was how easy it is to sell tickets back into STEP.
With STEP in the picture its not like your purchase is even 'final' its more like you're just putting a $13 deposit on your tickets until they ship.

[9ah]

I did not get individual sale tickets, never made it in time... so I just got a holiday sale ticket next day.. they are still available (although I thought that with the normal tickets selling so fast people would go straight for the holiday sale tickets)... Did not want to pay that price, but it was either pay it or stand a chance of missing out... I am coming over from england and have mates from BM2010 going...

I cant hang around for the 1000 tickets OMG (holidya from work and flights), and not sure if many STEP tickets will be released and how quick they will be snapped up......

Anyway, main point is, holiday sale tickets are still available so why risk getting a dodgy ticket from somewhere for the same price as an original ticket...

Much smarter of an idea than purchasing from a scalper that may never send you tickets (and it would be supporting scalping...think of the poor Native Americans!)

On the same note, I don't understand why someone would purchase a ticket from a scalper for $630-10k when you can still purchase a holiday sale ticket. You can obviously afford the $650 or so that it costs...

This year feels a little reminiscent of 2012 in the sense that people have purchased in the directed ticket sale and fellow campers may have purchased an extra ticket for a friend or fellow camp mate through that sale or the main sale. They will soon find out that said friend or cousin can no longer make the burn. Those tickets will end up in STEP and if they do get mailed out in June, they will pop up on Facebook and the listersevs that we folks are part of.

[theCryptofishist]

We forgot to quote (or I didn't see it in my web-induced coma) last year's other motto:
Face Value or Fuck Off!

[Simon of the Playa]

We forgot to quote (or I didn't see it in my web-induced coma) last year's other motto:
Face Value or Fuck Off!

[H.G.Crosby]

you paid way too much for that hat.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

dude.

fyi.


that poster is kinda statist.

[AbundantChoice]

The resellers tactics are to find people like your camp who are freaking, get them to pay a premium price for something the seller doesn't even have, then the seller goes & buys it cheaper when they become available in July-ish, and passes it on at the jacked up price to you.

Listen all y'all this is arbitrage / Listen all y'all this is arbitrage / Listen all y'all this is arbitrage
LISTEN ALL Y'ALL THIS... AWWWWWWWWWW

[media]

(sorry, couldn't resist)

[theCryptofishist]

dude.

fyi.


that poster is kinda statist.

Well, I thought it was a dig at all sports fans. Plus, I'm more worried about the breeding between an ape and a baboon...

[cahlm]

10 GRAND?????? OK...

[theCryptofishist]

There is no actual evidence that anyone has bought a $10.000 ticket from a scalper. Doesn't prevent them from asking...

[cahlm]

There is no actual evidence that anyone has bought a $10.000 ticket from a scalper. Doesn't prevent them from asking...

I'm sorry, but asking $10k for a ticket to Burning Man is incredibly laughable. I'm sure we are all in agreement on that.

[theCryptofishist]

It gives them a lot of room to negotiate.

And some of those may be disgruntled burners trying to play tricks.

[uncle sticky]

Laughable it may be, but that won't stop me from posting them on xxxx***** for that much. Because, really, if somebody was willing to pay that much for a ticket, shouldn't I get a free art car out of it?

[9ah]

Laughable it may be, but that won't stop me from posting them on xxxx***** for that much. Because, really, if somebody was willing to pay that much for a ticket, shouldn't I get a free art car out of it?

Well if that's the case, I'd be willing to provide someone's transport to and from their home (in the Continental U.S.) and ticket if they'd be willing to pay off my mortgage. Any takers???????

[mode-of-operation]

Most of you guys have no idea how the scalping market works. The ones who does this for a living, has this event already knocked out. There is always a way to make a dollar no matter how the much in demand there is for the tickets. My take on this is, the price will climb to around $800.00. 2 years ago it climbed to nearly $1000.00 per ticket as time was running out. Last year the profit margin fell to near face value about a month prior to the event. Tickets will be a little harder to come by than last year as time draws closer to the end.

BMORG finally found a way to cut into the scalping market and instead of leaving some profit on the table for the scalpers, they decided to take that profit for themselves. All professional and collegiate sports programs figured this out several years ago.Why charge $240.00 when you can get $380.00. That's about $4.2 million more in profit for BMORG. Not that I care if they make more, just don't hide behind some self righteous posturing that you're helping to eliminate scalpers and helping burners.

The pre-sale was pretty smooth. Not real sure how an extra 1000 tickets dumped in the market at the last minute will affect prices, but I expect it would be minimal. I don't expect tickets to fall below face value until the very last minute and by last minute, I mean the week of. Now there will always be some smart ass thumping his chest because he got face value tickets early from a scalper or less than face value. That is the exception and not the rule.

[BBadger]

Whoa dude, I think the conspiracy thread is in the Year Round Connections forum.