I have been in contact with the culture department who are responsible for dealing with the problem of ticket touts

Something maybe done, but enough apparently

If you are selling tickets, but no intention of going, you would be classed as a business, and in doing so, you will have to do somethings before you can sell tickets on ebay,







At this time, these are only considerations, but maybe its a start

The obvious solution, I feel, would be the widespread implementation of the photo ID system which Glastonbury started using a few years ago, which has now started to be used for a few others gig and festivals, too.

In the case of not being able to go after buying a ticket, perhaps there should be a certain date by which you must claim a refund by, and then on that date a second sale of tickets takes place with the tickets which have been refunded (also using the photo ID system). After this point, there can no longer be refunds and if you find you can't go, then tough basically. I think the elimination of the touting industry to the benefit of every gig-goer in the country is worth the loss to the odd person who finds they cannot attend at the last minute and loses their money.

Photo id tickets could be part solution, presale of tickets at venue, 1-2 tickets per person, photo id on tickets, and you only buy these ticket if really intending to go, and if it seels out, then great no tickets for touts. Tickets dont get issued right away, tickets issued 3 weeks before date, and if you cant go, get refund

If tickets left after presale these get sold online, as public sale

Most of these points are relevant now.

Presales at venues mean anyone who can't be there on the day, i.e. most people, would not be able to go.

How would the refunds work? Venues and artists could be left with unsold tickets, plus prices would have to go up to pay for all the administration.

Purveyors of misery is what they are... What's to like about these Vultures!

Exactly. Vultures is what they are.

I wish they'd stop acting as if there's nothing that could be done, and the demise of ticket touts wouldn't change anything, or even more absurdly, make it worse!

Puh-lease, like sunshine_tube said,

When the Arctic Monkeys sold tickets for their first few shows for the last album they were onto something that only fell flat with the purchasing cardholder having to be one of the ticket holders... all they needed to do to fix this was to have an option to put a different name in for the primary ticket holder and everything would be right in the universe.

I actually blogged about this situation if anyone's interested, Hopefully I don't get booted for adding a link.

It's in 2 parts

http://www.insidenokiamusic.com/2009/08/stamped-tout/

http://www.insidenokiamusic.com/2009...d-tout-part-2/

For the attention of a moderator: I only posted these links because I felt they contributed to this thread, please show mercy and don't ban me.

Thanks

Part of the solution I think should be more fan pre-sales.

Muse for example did a fan pre-sale on it's website for their stadium shows this year. You had to have registered on their site before a certain date (to prevent all the ticket tout's signing up when they announced it) and they provided all the fans with a special code or link (can't recall) to use on the day when the tickets went on sale.

From what I read on the forums everyone who wanted a ticket got one easily. It didn't stop some ticket touts, some were up on ebay shortly afterwards but it was a lot less than normal.

Of course the problem with this it means fans need to make sure they are signed up on websites all over the place. Not the best solution but it's one that works a bit at least.

Touts can join fansites too.

Before ticketmaster took over the general sales of ticket, you had to go to the venue to get tickets, and if a concert would sell out, this meant an overnight stay at venue

I went to see simple minds at SECC, and live & kicking tour, I went up to the secc at 5am and already was a few hundred people queuing for tickets, by 9am the queue was round the block, and tickets went on sale at 10am.

By 12 pm the concert was sold out, and following week a second date was added, and you got a proper ticket

It didnt prevent ticket touts getting tickets, but more fans got there tickets and went to the concert

Amen!

Yes what a great idea. Let's take back all the technological advances we've ever had and make people take 2 days off work and camp out just to get a ticket.