Cinema Booking Fees, Party Transaction Fees, SMS Delivery Fees? How Are These Legal

immrnonamehello on 17/12/2023 - 01:54
Last edited 17/12/2023 - 01:54

So I was just getting a party ticket on Moshtix and realised that there are a couple of fees. Yes booking fees are nothing new, but an SMS fee is definitely a new one to me! Not sure if these are from Moshtix or the event organisers.

*Total price is in AUD and includes GST and service fees.
For this event, a delivery fee of $2.00 will apply if you elect to receive your tickets via SMS
For this event, a Transaction Fee of $2.10 will apply to the total order value of your purchase.

Anyway, if shop owners and merchants are not allowed to charge card and eftpos fees more than what they're getting charged by the banks (1-2%), why are ticketing mobs and cinemas allowed to charge something like $3 for a booking fee? $3 for a movie ticket is probably more than 10%!

Entertainment

Comments

  • franco cozzo on 17/12/2023 - 06:57
    +3

    they forgot the 'Additional Fees Administration Fee"
    lost opportunity!!!

  • blighst on 17/12/2023 - 09:02

    SMS fee is somewhat common, though $2 is crazy. TBH as long as I can easily opt out, doesn't bother me.

    The TX fees are stupid though, especially if I can't opt out (though for ticketek, the transaction cost actually spreads across all the tickets in your basket)

  • Trance N Dance on 17/12/2023 - 10:13
    +3

    This is the sort of crap that happens when you have a monopoly. There's nothing stopping shops from charging a service fee either (cafes and restaurants already do for large groups and weekend/public holiday surcharges are a type of service fee as well), it's just that if retail shops start doing it customers just walk to someone else.

  • JordanM on 17/12/2023 - 10:33
    +1

    An SMS fee doesnt bother me if theres a fee free alternative (usually email)

  • AustriaBargain on 17/12/2023 - 11:38

    Should just be incorporated into the cost of a ticket, but I bet they do it this way so they keep more money because whatever split they organise with artists booking the venue don't get a percentage of those fees.

  • JimmyF on 17/12/2023 - 18:21

    Anyway, if shop owners and merchants are not allowed to charge card and eftpos fees more than what they're getting charged by the banks (1-2%),

    And if shops are card only, they can't add the 'fees' at the checkout too, thats illegal. You have to offer a way to pay the price on the 'menu' as such.

    So yeah, 100% agree on these ticket scams, it will directly fall under drip pricing. which is a no no.

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