Features
Sistic Raising Fees
Sistic, a major ticketing provider in Singapore, has announced it is raising its booking fees for some tickets for the first time since 2008.
Starting Sept. 1, tickets priced beyond SGD$40 ($32) will cost an extra $4. Service charges for cheaper tickets will remain at $3. In an email received by the Straits Times, Sistic cited “the significant increase in manpower” as the reason for the increase.
It has been “difficult for us to maintain our current fee structure” with the service charge as it is. The increase will allow the company to invest in better ticketing technology. Public reaction, according to the Straits Times, has been mixed.
Some have said the increase is “reasonable,” while others have pointed out that $4 is 10 percent of a $40 ticket.
Moreover, they are worried that Sistic will launch a precedent. Other ticketing companies like TicketMash and EventCliQue may end up raising theirs, as well.
One consumer even questioned the manpower explanation, saying that “with other vendors, you can print the ticket out yourself, scan it at the venue and enter, or even use a QR code. It’s a lot more convenient, too.” In any event, no one thinks the increase will actually affect ticket sales.