Don't Be Mislead by Sistics

[Minority]

Hi

Like to share an experience with everyone here. I am not sure how many of you out there are aware that SISTICs when selling concert tickets would sell the tickets from the back?

Actually that is fair practice but provided SISTIC staff at the counters are honest abt it. I recently went down to purchase a pair of tickets for my parents. The staff repteally told me that the front row seats are all sold out and only the far back are left. I repeatly asked them if the front row seats are reserver or relased later or they are ticketing from the back. Asked them 4 times and I was told Its SOLD. Only the back seats are left. Unless I purchase the more expensive ones and guess what those are also at the back or the expensive blocks (front are all sold).

And Guess What when I logged on to check the online system the front seat are actually offered to me online. SO they are actually ticketing from the back. Frankly its fine with me but to mis represent the infomation , it to me forced me to purchased the more expensive tickets. While I could have take my chances waiting for the seats to fill up.

I find such practices by sistics are very unfair to the consumers. As it mislead the consumer on purpose. I hope All you people are more aware of your options when you buy tickets from SISTICS. You don't not have to believer what the SISTIC personal tells you.

I am actually writing in to file a complain on their practics. Lets See what happen.

cheers.

 

[Wai]

have u tried insist on looking at their monitor?

or u can try note down the seats number available online, then quickly go to SITIC counter and specific that u want that seats

if u have a laptop and wireless card even better...can show them on the spot

 

[Minority]

have u tried insist on looking at their monitor?

or u can try note down the seats number available online, then quickly go to SITIC counter and specific that u want that seats

if u have a laptop and wireless card even better...can show them on the spot

Well basically You can't see the monitor coz its under the counter in an awkward position. Unless I climb over the counter. Well you assumed that the person selling the tickets are at minimum truthful right coz when I asked the question she would look at the monitor type something and tell me all the front seats are all SOLD. You would have to take the back. Really give u the impression that the show is near sold out. I repeatly asked if those seats are reserved or on hold or they are ticketing from the back. Answer was they are all SOLD OUT. So its really not being truthful and mis leading the consumer on purpose.

BTW looking at the poor conusmer rights in singapore what do you think I will get going back to them.. I expect zero from them. So I hope my experience can help educate other consumer and not be forced to part with the $$$ unwitingly.

 

[chaotic]

have you considered that the pool of tickets for sale on internet and over the counter might be different? i don't think the SISTIC counter personnel would lie to you on purpose because it does them no good in the long term.

this situation happens frequently on airlines too. you can call the agent and he has no tickets left but the online store might have.

 

[pcwe68]

Sorry just to be sure of what you are saying- you can buy it online and get the front rows? If so, then I guess the lesson here is always to check the internet first, if online don't have front row then go to Sistic counter to try your luck to buy front row.

like what the rest say above, its possible that they may want to reserve some seats for the internet booking (to encourage this practice). Also not all system are well linked and programmed, so it may be easier for them to set seats aside rather then have all seats available both online and over the counter concurrently.

 

[KNIGHT ONG]

Hmmm .. my experience is always get it from the internet online. You know where you will be sitting and can try to choose your seat by using a few email accounts to "FOOL" the system .... and you may get the seat you want. But not always work depending on how fast the seat is selling, can give it a try anyway.

 

[Parchiao]

Hmmmmmm :think: Doesn't the whole thing sound like how aircraft tickets are allocated?

 

[vince123123]

good idea to just write in for clarification.

 

[ckiang]

Hmmm .. my experience is always get it from the internet online. You know where you will be sitting and can try to choose your seat by using a few email accounts to "FOOL" the system .... and you may get the seat you want. But not always work depending on how fast the seat is selling, can give it a try anyway.

Dun need to. Just refresh that page several times and it will give you a different seat from a "pool".

Regards
CK

 

[Minority]

Yeah I wrote in. so I am asking for an explanation. I could have use the web to get a some front seat. But decided to go down to the counter instead as I thought thos guys there would be able to explain more accuratly if the seats are on hold or taken. Well Guess I was wrong.....

 

[Astin]

Actually my experience with Sistic was quite reasonable. I would only go to the sales office at Kallang Stadium, normally on weekend morning early hours so there is no queue. The salesgirl would turn her monitor to me, and showing me "every" available seats. I always get good seats, or seats that I like.

I have tried those Sistic outlets in shopping centres, but ended up very frustrated, now I always go back to Kallang for bookings. I dont like the online booking system either.

 

[James_T]

Minority,

If I'm not wrong, the different sistic counters are allocated tickets in batches. I'm not sure whether they have upgraded but my impression is they still use a system with green monochrome monitors dating back 10-15 years?

I had the experience of queuing up to buy concert tickets on the morning they were released and found out that different people managed to get different sections at different counters.

I'm not too sure about allocation over the internet. Hope this clarifies.

By the way, the counter staff handling sistic ticketing are not employed by sistic, so they may actually know quite little of the whole system.

 

[Minority]

Actually my experience with Sistic was quite reasonable. I would only go to the sales office at Kallang Stadium, normally on weekend morning early hours so there is no queue. The salesgirl would turn her monitor to me, and showing me "every" available seats. I always get good seats, or seats that I like.

I have tried those Sistic outlets in shopping centres, but ended up very frustrated, now I always go back to Kallang for bookings. I dont like the online booking system either.

Yeah I bought my tickets from the Raffles City Counter. She didn't show me the monitor and just told be flat all front seats are sold my options are only the rear seats and each option given makes you end up paying more for nearer seats.

Anyway Lets see if the customer service will reply to me.. but I an't expecting too much given the local post sales service level in Asia.

 

[di0nysus]

Sistic sucks, yes they do, really sucks big time.

As an avid concert goer, there's little choice but to tolerate their XT computers with ****ty seat allocation.
most cinemas allow consumers to choose the EXACT seat while booking online, sistic shows only 'available','filling fast' , 'full' crap.

And when you go to a counter to ask, and crank your neck over the coutner to see the pathetic screen to choose your seat. The poor counter staff have to tell you which row,seat belongs to whichever price category.

And yes the same system is at our 'world class' esplanade theatre. And no, the counter staff is usually unhappy if you peer over to see the screen. And one bad incident of my friend who lost some tickets.she showed up with a credit card to get replacement tickets. some manager had said that this was the procedure to replace cards, yet when she arrived 30mins earlier before the show, she wasn't allowed in until 45mins after the show started.

and sistic is earning big bucks, if u organise a concert and ask sistic to help u sell tix, they'll take a hug cut! and there's the +1buck 'handling' fee...
they shld seriously consider upgrading the ticketing system, to those that we can select the seats online. and collect tix via credit card, or via AXS or some other way.

ticketcharge aint doing much better too, their computer's have a few more colours (what a laff) than those at sistic, but overall, it's the same lousy system.


OT: for airline tix, why sometimes the airline says no tix but the agent say yes tix, reason is prolly coz agents will block book tix, esp for hols season.

as for seating arrangement on the plane, the check in counter staff wil allocate, from the front to the back, you can state the exact seat /row number if you know the layout of the plane, its unlikely that the staff will those you the layout on the spot. you can check it online, for the aircraft type. Some airlines like SIA allow you to collect the bording pass way ahead of time, >24hrs?, so you can choose 'good seats'.

may the new yr be better!