Why not have hard tickets instead of electronic tickets?

[erick4cheesysalmon]

Why did PBG move to only providing electronic tickets or will call tickets this year? Or did they start this last year (I couldn't attend last year's 39th)?

While I've heard the argument that it prevents scalping tickets, I don't believe it and don't buy it whatsoever. Instead of being shipped a HARD ticket you purchased, you now are left with the only option of trusting the seller you purchased the PDF electronic ticket from. You are trusting that they will in fact send you a copy of the email, forward you the email directly, or somehow transfer the ticket to you. However, what is stopping them from keeping the email? Nothing...

What is stopping someone from selling multiple copies of 1 electronic ticket? Well really nothing other than someone's conscious...

With HARD tickets, you are convinced once you have the ticket in hand that NO ONE ELSE has your ticket. PBG had holograms printed on the hard tickets they used to send out, so they were hard to near impossible to counterfeit. So why move to paperless tickets?

How can I be convinced the ticket I purchase from someone other than PBG is still valid? This issue makes obtaining tickets more difficult and opens the door for a lot of problems which HARD tickets do not have...

I am open to hear your thoughts on the situation. I'd love to hear PBG perspective on this. Maybe it was just a cost savings?

[HuckinFappy]

How can I be convinced the ticket I purchase from someone other than PBG is still valid?

You can't.   So you should consider that very carefully before buying the ticket from someone you don't know.

Which could, perhaps, help reduce scalping some.  No magic bullets here....but if there's steps the planet can take to make scalping more difficult, less profitable, and less appealing, shouldn't they try it?

[AnythingAtAll]

Why did PBG move to only providing electronic tickets or will call tickets this year?

While I've heard the argument that it prevents scalping tickets, I don't believe it and don't buy it whatsoever.

Because scalping takes two, a buyer and a seller...how attractive are those tickets available on Craigslist now?

Wanna buy some from Ebay only to find out months from now that twelve other folks bought the same tickets?

How many friends (or acquaintances you trust) are likely to try and scalp you?

Instead of being shipped a HARD ticket you purchased, you now are left with the only option of trusting the seller you purchased the PDF electronic ticket from. You are trusting that they will in fact send you a copy of the email, forward you the email directly, or somehow transfer the ticket to you. However, what is stopping them from keeping the email? Nothing...

What is stopping someone from selling multiple copies of 1 electronic ticket? Well really nothing other than someone's conscious...

With HARD tickets, you are convinced once you have the ticket in hand that NO ONE ELSE has your ticket. PBG had holograms printed on the hard tickets they used to send out, so they were hard to near impossible to counterfeit. So why move to paperless tickets?

How can I be convinced the ticket I purchase from someone other than PBG is still valid? This issue makes obtaining tickets more difficult and opens the door for a lot of problems which HARD tickets do not have...

I think you go on to answer your question quite well. 

This is the first year, BTW, so we'll see how it goes.  I hope this doesn't have unforeseen consequences, but so far, I like it better than feeding the scalpers. 

Speaking personally, for tickets that pass thru me, I print 'em, write for whom it is intended in blank space on the page, rescan and send them.  I will keep a copy as a backup, and I let my friends that buy tix from me know that I do this.  This way in case they forget said ticket or laptop gets destroyed, whatever- I can send them another if they need me to or worst case, we print it out at the Telluride Library just before the festival.

[3poppies]

So Anythingatall, because I don't have any friends or family that bought extra tickets, I should just give up on going to tbf this year?   

 Listening to: A song in my head...

[FaceOnMars]

So Anythingatall, because I don't have any friends or family that bought extra tickets, I should just give up on going to tbf this year?   

Just speaking for myself, while I'm not a fan of buying PDF printed tickets I think you can still use your judgment to discern if things are on the level or not.   I know it's not easy sometimes, but try starting up a conversation / correspondence with a seller and see how their story & manner go with you.  Sometimes you just know & ideally that's the situation I'd look for vs. being uncertain.

I think the Telluride Ticket Exchange / Swap section on this site is a great place to stumble into such people who you could trust ... much more so vs. craigslist or ebay.  That's not to say there aren't some who might come here to get away with stuff, but I think you're more likely to find a trusting situation here.

Best of luck & hope you find a ticket!

[thinktoomuch]

I'm just bummed for my ticket collection.  The old PBG tix are definitely the coolest of the bunch. 

[AnythingAtAll]

So Anythingatall, because I don't have any friends or family that bought extra tickets, I should just give up on going to tbf this year?   

No,  not at all. 

First, there are friends of friends, etc...but that is largely dependent on the part of the country in which you live.

There's returned tickets, which may (or may not, we'll see...) get more action this year.

There's also this forum.  There are so many reliable people on this forum and the festivarian way (overwhelmingly) is to sell and buy these tickets for face.  And someone reliable can usually vouch for someone (we're tighter than 6 degrees.)

You can also (I believe) use Planet Bluegrass to your advantage.  I think (please verify this) that even tickets previously emailed can be switched to will-call in your name if buyer and seller get with the Planet.  Will-call tix definitely can.

But never, ever give up.  Are we not smarter than scalpers?  Are we not better than scalpers?

Damn right we are! 

[Ms. Marie]

There is some trust to be had with this system, but there was before too.  If you stick to the forum I doubt you'd have too many issues.  I sold my extra tickets by putting them in the buyer's name for will call.  They called PB and double check it was really in their name and paid me.  So, as the seller I was willing to take the leap of faith they'd actually pay me (and of course they did!).

If you want to buy from a stranger, do a three-way call to PB and have the ticket put at will call in your name (it takes about 1 minute to do this).  Anyone who isn't willing to do that isn't someone you want to  buy from. 

Good luck to all of you still looking for tickets!!!

[snowchick]

I made a terrible mistake in trusting a friend at the time with the recent purchase of Telluride Bluegrass tickets. I spent 2.5 hours waiting online to get 2 tickets. I forgot my planet bluegrass login number as I went to purchase, so I asked my friend if it were a problem I use his email as a log in. I was a lucky one and tickets were purchased. Then I find out the tickets will be e-mailed. Now he wont send me the tickets I purchased over some personal vendetta.  I am out of tickets and out of the cash, so be very careful even if you set up an account of someone you know who you trust at the time. That may backfire as well.

[Greg RR]

I have two 4-day passes I won't be needing, snowchick....are you interested in purchase, or have you already come up with tix? 

 Listening to: Eilen Jewell

[completejohn]

YEOW!  If they don't want those, I would LOVE to buy them.  I have 4 friends who come every year, but got shut out.  They can't make condo reservations until they find some tickets so they're scared that they won't be able to find a place to stay if they have to wait until tickets pop up the week or two before Fest.

and I will make sure that they bring you plenty of New Mexico brewskis to thank you!!!

[Greg RR]

OK!  Will sell to you if I don't hear from snowchick in the next couple of days (or if she already has tix).      And the brewskis sound good! 

[snowchick]

Gregg RR.

Wow!! Thank you so much for your offer. I am going to make one push this morning to call TBG and see what can be done. I will be in touch with you this morning to let you know. Much appreciated. How would I set up getting the ticket from you.  

[completejohn]

Wow, thanks for even CONSIDERING it! 

Aren't Festivarians the best?!?!

[snowchick]

Festivarians are the best. I have some great news. My ticket issue has been resolved. Greg RR, Please send completejohn those Festival Tickets!!! I look forward to TBG. Super excited my situation worked out. A very very ugly situation turned out fabulous. And a very important lesson was learned. Thanks for the step up to the plate to offer me those tickets. Hope to meet you all at the show.