PAX PRIME 2012 Information and FAQ (READ THIS FIRST, THEN ASK ALL QUESTIONS HERE)

Complexity

Whaaaaaattttt I just got home from school and 3 days are already sold out .___.
There must be a huge number of remaining one days. Pa makes more on one days XD

tsrblke

@Zerzhul,

Fair enough, my apologies for drifitng OT. Discussing pecularities is in my nature regardless of any real world import.

zerzhul

tsrblke wrote: »

@Zerzhul,

Fair enough, my apologies for drifitng OT. Discussing pecularities is in my nature regardless of any real world import.

No worries, It could just become a long debate/discussion

WeeEvil Eevee

Complexity wrote: »

Whaaaaaattttt I just got home from school and 3 days are already sold out .___.
There must be a huge number of remaining one days. Pa makes more on one days XD

lol yeah i got lucky i got home in time to get mine.YAY EARLY DAY. and I think everyone was sitting around WAITING for the reg to come back up.lol i know i was.I even went and got myself a twitter account so i'd be notified when it was.lol.

Complexity

WeeEvil Eevee wrote: »

lol yeah i got lucky i got home in time to get mine.YAY EARLY DAY. and I think everyone was sitting around WAITING for the reg to come back up.lol i know i was.I even went and got myself a twitter account so i'd be notified when it was.lol.

I was going to write a program to check the pax page every hour and text me when it came up when I got home.

mcdermott

Complexity wrote: »

WeeEvil Eevee wrote: »

lol yeah i got lucky i got home in time to get mine.YAY EARLY DAY. and I think everyone was sitting around WAITING for the reg to come back up.lol i know i was.I even went and got myself a twitter account so i'd be notified when it was.lol.

I was going to write a program to check the pax page every hour and text me when it came up when I got home.

I'll keep point out that Twitter can do the same for you.

Follow @Official_PAX. Turn on SMS notification (just for @Official_PAX) right after East. Boom.

OysterPrime

I can't believe the 3 Day passes sold out that quickly. That is absolutely insane. Oh well, I got my individual passes, so all is good.

hobbseltoff

Complexity wrote: »

I was going to write a program to check the pax page every hour and text me when it came up when I got home.

Just subscribe on Twitter and use text message updates. The reg link was actually on Twitter several minutes before it was on the site.

Complexity

Yeah, I know twitter works, but I wanted to be special.

NeuralLink

Any news on PAXDev?

CaptainTapole

I believe someone on Twitter said info on PAXDev will be posted either the end of this week (which is soon) or sometime next week.

Eticket109

So am I reading the other stickied thread right?

There is going to be no second hand thread for passes on the forums this year?

Cultural Geek Girl

Eticket109 wrote: »

So am I reading the other stickied thread right?

There is going to be no second hand thread for passes on the forums this year?

Yeah, it's a rule change they made after last year. A while ago, people sold (or tried to sell) counterfeit passes in this forum's thread. There's no way to guarantee that anyone who posts here isn't a counterfeiter, so it's safer for everyone involved to not have the thread.

I know it's sad, but it's for a good reason.

Eticket109

Cultural Geek Girl wrote: »

Eticket109 wrote: »

So am I reading the other stickied thread right?

There is going to be no second hand thread for passes on the forums this year?

Yeah, it's a rule change they made after last year. A while ago, people sold (or tried to sell) counterfeit passes in this forum's thread. There's no way to guarantee that anyone who posts here isn't a counterfeiter, so it's safer for everyone involved to not have the thread.

I know it's sad, but it's for a good reason.

That makes sense. It's a shame though since most were legit and at face value opposed to the 3x+ prices out in the wilds.

zephusdragon

I'm very glad that we snagged our passes. This is a first time PAXer worrying that I'd miss it for the 3rd time.

Esoom

Sorry if I'm not asking in the correct area, but I'm just wondering if this is happening this year? I couldn't seem to find a thread for it

sanovah

Do you have to pay upfront with onpeak? Since two of my hotel choices are already gone I want to book at the Westin and make sure I won't be broke for the next 2 weeks

Cultural Geek Girl

Edit: whoops, thread got merged. This is in regards to the guy who asked about Triwizard.

Thread isn't posted yet. People who arrange it are likely drunk. It will appear when they stagger into consciousness long enough to remember bbcode.

(That is to say, apparently that thread goes up at a semi random time each year. Keep watching the forums.)

whypick1

I've booked with OnPeak with a credit card 6-7 times now and not once have they charged me before my stay.

Wormdundee

Information for anyone wanting to book hotels for any PAX. Book a hotel as soon as the OnPeak system is up, even if you think you won't need, or have no idea if you'll need it. Your card doesn't get charged and it's extremely easy to change or cancel your booking since it's all held by OnPeak until they pass it on to the actual hotel systems a couple weeks before PAX.

JamieOD

Wormdundee wrote: »

Information for anyone wanting to book hotels for any PAX. Book a hotel as soon as the OnPeak system is up, even if you think you won't need, or have no idea if you'll need it. Your card doesn't get charged and it's extremely easy to change or cancel your booking since it's all held by OnPeak until they pass it on to the actual hotel systems a couple weeks before PAX.

Does that mean I could book with a debit card and then change it to a credit card shortly afterwards? My credit card will expire next month and I cannot book a hotel on the system with it until it is renewed. If I could use my debit card to at least guarantee my booking, then change to my new credit card as soon as I get it then I might just do that.

mcdermott

JamieOD wrote: »

Wormdundee wrote: »

Information for anyone wanting to book hotels for any PAX. Book a hotel as soon as the OnPeak system is up, even if you think you won't need, or have no idea if you'll need it. Your card doesn't get charged and it's extremely easy to change or cancel your booking since it's all held by OnPeak until they pass it on to the actual hotel systems a couple weeks before PAX.

Does that mean I could book with a debit card and then change it to a credit card shortly afterwards? My credit card will expire next month and I cannot book a hotel on the system with it until it is renewed. If I could use my debit card to at least guarantee my booking, then change to my new credit card as soon as I get it then I might just do that.

@JamieOD Yes. You can absolutely edit the credit card through the OnPeak page. Just looked.

Now go!

JamieOD

Done and done. Thanks, @mcdermott. Thanks too to everyone for all of the advice given throughout the forum.

2spock

nvm did not see other thread about buying/selling tickets

AlphaTwo

NeuralLink wrote: »

Any news on PAXDev?

They've said this week, but some details:
Same as last year in terms of prices.
Same timeframe (Wednesday/Thursday)

tsrblke

JamieOD wrote: »

Wormdundee wrote: »

Information for anyone wanting to book hotels for any PAX. Book a hotel as soon as the OnPeak system is up, even if you think you won't need, or have no idea if you'll need it. Your card doesn't get charged and it's extremely easy to change or cancel your booking since it's all held by OnPeak until they pass it on to the actual hotel systems a couple weeks before PAX.

Does that mean I could book with a debit card and then change it to a credit card shortly afterwards? My credit card will expire next month and I cannot book a hotel on the system with it until it is renewed. If I could use my debit card to at least guarantee my booking, then change to my new credit card as soon as I get it then I might just do that.

Also, if you forget you can usually just swap the card at the hotel too. (The Preauth might end up on your debit card so be warned, but it should drop off eventually. This shouldn't be a problem if you swap in onpeak.)
The Hyatt offered to let us swap Credit Cards last year both arriving and departing.

CodeMonkey76

JamieOD wrote: »

Wormdundee wrote: »

Information for anyone wanting to book hotels for any PAX. Book a hotel as soon as the OnPeak system is up, even if you think you won't need, or have no idea if you'll need it. Your card doesn't get charged and it's extremely easy to change or cancel your booking since it's all held by OnPeak until they pass it on to the actual hotel systems a couple weeks before PAX.

Does that mean I could book with a debit card and then change it to a credit card shortly afterwards? My credit card will expire next month and I cannot book a hotel on the system with it until it is renewed. If I could use my debit card to at least guarantee my booking, then change to my new credit card as soon as I get it then I might just do that.

We had that issue last year. For us, the solution was to simply call up our bank/credit union and ask that they update our cards early.

onekick

I am having a problem. I bought 3-day passes yesterday, had the charge pending on my account but today the money wasn't withdrawn and the charge is no longer pending, it's just gone. I still have my confirmation number, how do I give you guys my money?

zerzhul

onekick wrote: »

I am having a problem. I bought 3-day passes yesterday, had the charge pending on my account but today the money wasn't withdrawn and the charge is no longer pending, it's just gone. I still have my confirmation number, how do I give you guys my money?

email pax_questions@paxsite.com

also, we don't represent PA. This is first and foremost a community forum, not a customer service forum. Any info here unless given by someone with "PA STAFF" in their forum title (or @heels) is unofficial info.

tsrblke

onekick wrote: »

I am having a problem. I bought 3-day passes yesterday, had the charge pending on my account but today the money wasn't withdrawn and the charge is no longer pending, it's just gone. I still have my confirmation number, how do I give you guys my money?

I would give it a few days before I panicked. Our Pre-auths were slightly different than our actual charges (looks like the vendor made the pre-auth then Reed actually dropped the charge.) You may be witnessing some cross over wierdness called "modern banking."

Merlinzero

Is anyone from PA monitoring Ebay or is that something that isnt going to happen? There are already tickets selling for 200+ out there. I'm thinking you sold out so quick because ebay companies bought all your tickets to sell at an increased rate online.

Same with Saturdays!!!

zerzhul

Merlinzero wrote: »

Is anyone from PA monitoring Ebay or is that something that isnt going to happen? There are already tickets selling for 200+ out there. I'm thinking you sold out so quick because ebay companies bought all your tickets to sell at an increased rate online.

Same with Saturdays!!!

This isn't a customer service forum, "you" doesn't mean anything here

Also, read the reg thread, PA is pretty confident that it's not mass scalpers (not saying it's not /some/ scalpers, but they don't think it's a large percentage).

jaberwockynmt

zerzhul wrote: »

tsrblke wrote: »

zerzhul wrote: »

tsrblke wrote: »

zerzhul wrote: »

sanovah wrote: »

no one can probably answer this, but I'll ask anyway. Why does PA make it cheaper to buy a 3-day at the 2nd instead of the 3rd day? While i got mine I know a few people that didn't and have to wonder how many of the people with 3-day passes are leaving town Saturday night

Yeah, there's no good answer for that. Probably to incentivise buying 3-days.

After the trending breaking that was this year, I'd imagine this is going to have to change (just MHO, that's all). You can incentivise buying 3 days at $75 and still encourage people to buy 2 days if they are only going to be in town for 2 days.
The one thing the current system does is allow people to buy passes now, without having to have made that choice (i.e. defer planning until later.) That's benevolent, but it fails the Econ101 test.
Of course even at 2X[oneday]+5 (or even +10) you'd still have people buying the 3 days chancing that they'd be in town (or could sell them) but at least you'd lower demand somewhat.

The whole thing fails the econ101 test as the prices are way too low. No reason to go applying arbitrary logic to it

Just because the price is below what the market will bear does not mean you can't tilt the curve still by reworking the incentive structure to change behavior. Whatever you subsidize you get more of. In this case the 3 day passes are heavily subsidized to buy them without concern as to attending all 3 days. Alter that and you can skew the curve (admittedly the outside factors may soften that skew, but it'd still skew.)
Additionally I'd submit that (despite the heavy Seattle/surrounding area attendence) there's still significant pressure fromthe total cost to attend PAX (rather than the mere incrimental cost of the passes.) so changing the incentive structure may also adjust behavior on that end (i.e. I may only stay 2 days and buy a 2 day pass to save on hotel/flight/whatever.)
Admittedly it's hard to apply standard econ to this, (it's a market with very little elasticity) that doesn't mean it should be thrown out the windown entirely.

If you want to debate mathematical methods to predict/price pax passes, there's a separate subforum for that. If you want to write a paper about it and email it to @Robert Khoo, please be my guest.

I'm not disagreeing with anything you're saying, but they aren't making decisions based on how best to capture the value that's out there.

One think I find odd (and have talked with Robert about) is that PAX sells any one-day passes at all during pre-reg. I've worked with lots of other cons over the last 12 years, and PAX is the only one that does that. The others all sell one-day badges only on-site and only if the show's not already full. Robert feels it's very important to have the one-days available for people that can only come for part of the weekend (which I agree is reasonable), but the numbers always end up a little wonky and many people get pushed into buying 3 one-days after the 3-day passes are sold out.

I'm sure they're looking into ways of improving the pricing structure, inventory, and registration system complex for future shows.

Senicks

As many of you here, I'm completely dumbfounded to find out the 3-day and Saturday passes were sold out in less than a day. For previous 5 years, I got 3-day passes weeks after it went on sale and been adverstised on various websites. I only found out about sale selling out through some persons post on a news blog. It's becoming like San Diego Comic-con in terms of popularity.

It's fine that I at least got the Friday and Sunday passes to use. Hopefully, I'll be lucky enough to get the hotel I wanted now

QUESTION: Just out of curiosity, does anyone know how long did the 3-day passes go on sale for until it sold out? My only guess it just a couple hours, I need this to make me feel a little better.

Neo

Senicks, according to what Khoo tweeted 3-day badges sold out in about 6 hours.

Senicks

Neo wrote: »

Senicks, according to what Khoo tweeted 3-day badges sold out in about 6 hours.

Thank you Neo.

If it's anything like last year, I believe that the resell price for badges will go down to something reasonable the week of the convention. Having 2 legitimate badges will help me compare it to a resellers badge. For now I'm at least in, but I'll have to spread to word to friends to buy it before it's too late.

jaberwockynmt

Senicks wrote: »

Neo wrote: »

Senicks, according to what Khoo tweeted 3-day badges sold out in about 6 hours.

Thank you Neo.

If it's anything like last year, I believe that the resell price for badges will go down to something reasonable the week of the convention. Having 2 legitimate badges will help me compare it to a resellers badge. For now I'm at least in, but I'll have to spread to word to friends to buy it before it's too late.

At East 2012, anyone buying a badge from someone on the street could come to the Info Desk (which was right by the front doors) and have the badge verified for authenticity before buying it (assuming the seller would come inside to allow it). We'll probably have something similar set up somewhere near the corner of 7th and Pike at Prime this year (Info Desk is up on level 4 in the bunker, so sellers probably won't be willing to go so deep into the building which is why I suggest somewhere near the street).

(DN)Bow Master

Last year I was watching their broadcast, and since I will be going this year I was wondering, where are they going to located on the convention grounds? For their coverage of PAX Prime?

jaberwockynmt

(DN)Bow Master wrote: »

Last year I was watching their broadcast, and since I will be going this year I was wondering, where are they going to located on the convention grounds? For their coverage of PAX Prime?

I've no idea who you're talking about, but this would be a "map" question, and the map won't be released until mid-August.

cepheus DT

my friend told me that i had to click the fexex option in order to have our passes shipped even though we live in the states. i dident know this at the time of ordering and did not click the box. will they be shipped to me as things stand? if not is there a way i can modify my order so that they are?