Regarding overall fairness of pricing, my opinion is that multi-day badges and discounts should be removed entirely; just single day badges should be sold.
Totally sold on this idea
While I agree that being insensitive is an issue, so is being oversensitive.
I also disagree with the "if you lose one you still have others" argument in favor of single-day passes. I'm fully fine with only being able to order single-day passes because I think that's just a fair thing to do (even though it might make the con more expensive), but if they had a little checkbox on the order page that you can click to convert your single-day passes for every day of the convention to one convention badge I'd do it in a heartbeat. Having only one badge to keep track of is more helpful to me, especially because carrying all of them together all the time on my lanyard just so I won't forget where I put the ones for future days is a pain.
They have to factor in budgeting for every con. They know they'll make xx amount of money from 3 day passes and xx amount of money from selling day passes. Having a "convert" button would really screw that all up.
They have to factor in budgeting for every con. They know they'll make xx amount of money from 3 day passes and xx amount of money from selling day passes. Having a "convert" button would really screw that all up.
Not if no discount was associated. Not really.
Edit: hell, you could have them coded separately in the computer. "All Day" and "Three Day" for instance. Just to keep the tally accurate.
They have to factor in budgeting for every con. They know they'll make xx amount of money from 3 day passes and xx amount of money from selling day passes. Having a "convert" button would really screw that all up.
I never said anything about getting a discount for a multi-day pass
The only thing that could be problematic is that they would have to produce the final badge numbers after most of the orders came in (they could assume a minimum number of either single day or multi-day ones though) instead of in advance, and that may be logistically problematic and may cause them to produce unnecessary extra badges of either type.
Donno, it's just an idea. I think a lot of us are at least in agreement that the situation with the discounted 3-day passes vs. the expensive single day passes is non-ideal and moving toward some kind of equalization in price would be better.
Is there a site to legitimately resell BYOC Passes? I got 2, friend cancelled, wife going instead and obviously sitting in a computer area for hours watching me play video games not her idea of fun. Not looking to profit, just recoup costs.
Is there a site to legitimately resell BYOC Passes? I got 2, friend cancelled, wife going instead and obviously sitting in a computer area for hours watching me play video games not her idea of fun. Not looking to profit, just recoup costs.
Unfortunately there is no official channel through which to do that. You can try contacting pax_questions@paxsite.com
Is there a site to legitimately resell BYOC Passes? I got 2, friend cancelled, wife going instead and obviously sitting in a computer area for hours watching me play video games not her idea of fun. Not looking to profit, just recoup costs.
Even if you don't bring a computer or play games, at least you'd have a somewhat secured area to leave your swag bags and whatnot as well as an official 'base' to call home at the convention center. It might be worth keeping just for that.
I'm a big fan of eliminating the 3-day badge discount.
There could be a checkbox asking if you'd prefer 3-day badges at checkout. That way, when the order goes in, they can just print however many 3-day badges they need instead of having a set amount.
That way, customers won't be overtempted to get the weekend badges 'just in case' they're staying for 3 days (instead of just Fri-Sat for example), and everybody will have a fair shot to get the days they want (if they're watching twitter like a hawk.)
Example:
How may badges (up to five) would you like for each day?
DAY QUANTITIY
Friday ..........[ ]
Saturday.........[ ]
Sunday...........[ ]
Would you prefer 3-day passes? ( ) Yes ( ) No
If yes, how many? [ ]
Is there a site to legitimately resell BYOC Passes? I got 2, friend cancelled, wife going instead and obviously sitting in a computer area for hours watching me play video games not her idea of fun. Not looking to profit, just recoup costs.
Even if you don't bring a computer or play games, at least you'd have a somewhat secured area to leave your swag bags and whatnot as well as an official 'base' to call home at the convention center. It might be worth keeping just for that.
That would be a terrible use of the badges, if there is a way that they can be gotten to people that want them. If there isn't, well, that's something else.
I'm a big fan of eliminating the 3-day badge discount.
There could be a checkbox asking if you'd prefer 3-day badges at checkout. That way, when the order goes in, they can just print however many 3-day badges they need instead of having a set amount.
That way, customers won't be overtempted to get the weekend badges 'just in case' they're staying for 3 days (instead of just Fri-Sat for example), and everybody will have a fair shot to get the days they want (if they're watching twitter like a hawk.)
*snip*
I really like this idea, it allows PA to save on costs of manufacturing additional badges (possibly even more than now) and it eliminates the 3 Day discount so everything is fair.
It's honestly a win-win for attendees and Penny Arcade, since even the cost of three single days at a time isn't really cost prohibitive to most attendees.
Is there a site to legitimately resell BYOC Passes? I got 2, friend cancelled, wife going instead and obviously sitting in a computer area for hours watching me play video games not her idea of fun. Not looking to profit, just recoup costs.
Even if you don't bring a computer or play games, at least you'd have a somewhat secured area to leave your swag bags and whatnot as well as an official 'base' to call home at the convention center. It might be worth keeping just for that.
That would be a terrible use of the badges, if there is a way that they can be gotten to people that want them. If there isn't, well, that's something else.
Eh, when I did BYOC, there were rarely more than 10 people in the room during the day, and it's nice to just get away from crowds.
Is there a site to legitimately resell BYOC Passes? I got 2, friend cancelled, wife going instead and obviously sitting in a computer area for hours watching me play video games not her idea of fun. Not looking to profit, just recoup costs.
Even if you don't bring a computer or play games, at least you'd have a somewhat secured area to leave your swag bags and whatnot as well as an official 'base' to call home at the convention center. It might be worth keeping just for that.
That would be a terrible use of the badges, if there is a way that they can be gotten to people that want them. If there isn't, well, that's something else.
Eh, when I did BYOC, there were rarely more than 10 people in the room during the day, and it's nice to just get away from crowds.
I don't think that's a scenario for which people should be striving. I would argue that striving for the precise opposite is what people should be doing. If you see BYOC at prime (or the first couple easts), you'll know it's worth it to get people involved in actually using BYOC for BYOC.
Seriously, there's even a bag check at the BCEC. Using it as a dumping ground, if you have other options, is crap. That's like buying a PAX badge just to be able to "hang out" at the BCEC on pax weekend without doing a single pax related activity.
Well, like I said, if there's nothing to be done, you're absolutely right... but if there's a chance of doing something better with the badges, I think that's an improvement
@Gaus I find the thought that they are scamming you out of money to be truly laughable. That's one more vote for having all single day badges all the time.
If you don't think Reed would assign fewer 3 day passes just so they could make more money on 1 day passes, I think you drank too much of the Kool-Aid.
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@Gaus I find the thought that they are scamming you out of money to be truly laughable. That's one more vote for having all single day badges all the time.
If you don't think Reed would assign fewer 3 day passes just so they could make more money on 1 day passes, I think you drank too much of the Kool-Aid.
If that were true there wouldn't be any 3 day passes at all. And the single day passes would cost twice as much.
Gaus I find the thought that they are scamming you out of money to be truly laughable. That's one more vote for having all single day badges all the time.
If you don't think Reed would assign fewer 3 day passes just so they could make more money on 1 day passes, I think you drank too much of the Kool-Aid.
I don't think you understand what scam means. Are you not getting your expected value out of the amount you are paying for your badges? If you are not, you should not be buying them at all. The multi-days are a bonus discount for being first in line. That doesn't make the "normal price" a scam. Let me know if you think it's a scam if they do away with the multi-day badges altogether and don't change the price of the singles. If so, you should stop going. It's not good to keep paying people that you think are scamming you.
I don't think you understand what scam means. Are you not getting your expected value out of the amount you are paying for your badges? If you are not, you should not be buying them at all. The multi-days are a bonus discount for being first in line. That doesn't make the "normal price" a scam. Let me know if you think it's a scam if they do away with the multi-day badges altogether and don't change the price of the singles. If so, you should stop going. It's not good to keep paying people that you think are scamming you.
I don't want to get into a fight, and I'm sorry that I upset you. But the 'normal price' for going for three days is 75 dollars, but I had to pay $120 because I checked the website at 12 when the tweet said to check the website. I think the technical term for this scam is Bait-and-Switch. I know you work there and have to defend it, but it's still crappy.
Professional assassination. It's the highest form of public service. - Chiun
I don't actually work for PA or Reed, and I am not required to defend anything. I'm not upset at all. I just think it's an odd choice to continue giving money freely to people you actually think are scamming you.
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Moe FwackyRight Here, Right NowDrives a BuickModeratormod
This is not a bait and switch. The price for single-day passes is well advertised and it is very well known that passes sell out quickly, starting with 3-day passes. If you aren't comfortable paying for all single-day passes, you are free to not do so, at the expense of not going to PAX.
Please keep in mind that other popular conventions sell out even faster than PAX, and many are much more expensive. If I'm not mistaken, I believe San Diego ComicCon sells out before the previous year's event even ends.
Since Reed never releases numbers, I guess we'll never know if they reduced the number of 3 day passes available just so they can sell more 1 day passes. Oh well..
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My only gripe with the system is that the PAX East website advertised the prices $5 lower than the actually site where the transaction took place. So when I got linked to the website I thought it was a scam because I saw a tweet from someone one non-official (which is my fault) but I did think it was a little fishy that there was a price discrepancy.
At the end of it all I am in a position and a willing to pay for 3 single day, and I actually got a BYOC pass this year too. So I am excited either way, I will now know for next year what to do and hopefully be more effective in doing so.
4 days would be great and probably prevent the issue that is on the front page now, Saturday sold out and Friday and Sunday in stock. People don't want to go one day and don't want a day in the middle off. 4-days would allow people a ton of options for being able to get 2 consecutive day passes.
Prime moving to 4 days means Thursday - Sunday or Friday - Monday?
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whypick1PAX [E] Info Booth Manager~2' from an LCDRegistered Userregular
Prime is Firday-Monday.
Keep in mind that Prime has the benefit of Monday being Labor Day, a day (most) people have off. East doesn't even have a weekend it consistently falls on, let alone a national holiday.
4 days would be great and probably prevent the issue that is on the front page now, Saturday sold out and Friday and Sunday in stock. People don't want to go one day and don't want a day in the middle off. 4-days would allow people a ton of options for being able to get 2 consecutive day passes.
Prime moving to 4 days means Thursday - Sunday or Friday - Monday?
This doesn't make sense to me. What are you looking at where you see saturday sold out and friday and sunday in stock?
Also prime moved to 4 days this past year, it was Friday - Monday. I do agree with the sentiment that 2 consecutive days is nice, but I don't think they have an issue selling out badges.
This doesn't make sense to me. What are you looking at where you see saturday sold out and friday and sunday in stock?
Not sure if it's what he meant, but Fri/Sun badges lasted longer than Sat badges by a decent amount and FAR longer than 3-day badges. So in his mind, if there was a Monday as well, then people would be snatching up Sun/Mon badges as a combo on how to go to the con at all.
Unfortunately, if there was a Monday, then Sunday would most likely end up being a longer day (maybe even have concerts that night as well?), meaning for con purposes, Sunday would basically be another Saturday, meaning Sunday badges would probably have sold out almost as quickly as Saturday ones.
Basically, the only days which last any time at all are the shorter days, as people aren't as delusional as to think they can do PAX in one of those days. For some reason, they think they can do PAX in one long day.
yeah, the sellout pattern for prime was Saturday -> Sunday -> Friday -> Monday, exhibiting exactly what you are describing (sunday being another saturday)
I am one of the people who bought 4 passes by himself... not everyone who does this is "a scalper". Every year we have a group of 10+ people who drive 7+ hours to go to Pax East for all 3 days... we've been to every single one since they started. Every year it has been getting harder and harder to get passes, so we all said in advance that if you get in, then buy all that you can, and we'll sort it out later. 1 of my extra 3 has already been claimed by someone in our group. Once the dust settles, maybe I will have an extra, maybe we won't. It looks currently like I will have two extra. My current plan is to auction them on eBay and give profits to charity.
This is not a bait and switch. The price for single-day passes is well advertised and it is very well known that passes sell out quickly, starting with 3-day passes. If you aren't comfortable paying for all single-day passes, you are free to not do so, at the expense of not going to PAX.
Please keep in mind that other popular conventions sell out even faster than PAX, and many are much more expensive. If I'm not mistaken, I believe San Diego ComicCon sells out before the previous year's event even ends.
That's not true.. SDCC 2014 has not started selling yet, I know cause I want to go to that too... SDCC though does this "VIP priority" thing. If you were a SDCC attendee in 2013, you get first dibs on 2014. So by the time the passes are sold to the public, they are few and far between. I am glad PAX does not do this because I do not like this system, give other people a chance to go.
Yeah, if you are going to BYOC, bring a computer and use it, IMHO. I don't bother playing games much at all at BYOC. I prefer it as a place where I can relax and use the internet for a bit of surfing. I know there are some lucky ones who found internet great at the BCEC and even got great cell service there too, but for me, every year it's been worse than useless (it's just a tease). BYOC internet works great.
I don't think trying to get everyone at BYOC to play games is going to work because frankly, you need not only for everyone to show up at the same time (really unlikely) but you'd also need to find a game everyone enjoys, that will run well even on crappy systems, works great with LAN networking, and is free so you can give it to everyone to play since some of us don't bring a bunch of our paid games to BYOC. That's a tall order.
So the site says they are selling all three days again, and I got excited because my friend really wants to go with us. But when you click on the link it says only Fridays. Our friend really wants to go with us. =(
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So the site says they are selling all three days again, and I got excited because my friend really wants to go with us. But when you click on the link it says only Fridays. Our friend really wants to go with us. =(
It is indeed looking like Friday passes are back in stock. I suppose they got around to reselling the passes they managed to recover from scalpers. If 3-day sold out again, you are likely out of luck. Keep watching in case more passes do go up though. That said selling of passes through the forums is prohibited, so you'd need to find another way to get one for your friend =/
So the site says they are selling all three days again, and I got excited because my friend really wants to go with us. But when you click on the link it says only Fridays. Our friend really wants to go with us. =(
It is indeed looking like Friday passes are back in stock. I suppose they got around to reselling the passes they managed to recover from scalpers. If 3-day sold out again, you are likely out of luck. Keep watching in case more passes do go up though. That said selling of passes through the forums is prohibited, so you'd need to find another way to get one for your friend =/
Oh sorry, thanks for letting me know. I can understand why. I just found out a min ago another friend of mines lady friend will not be joining him, so maybe he will help out another friend. Again thanks for reply. Have an awesome day!
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Not if no discount was associated. Not really.
Edit: hell, you could have them coded separately in the computer. "All Day" and "Three Day" for instance. Just to keep the tally accurate.
I never said anything about getting a discount for a multi-day pass
The only thing that could be problematic is that they would have to produce the final badge numbers after most of the orders came in (they could assume a minimum number of either single day or multi-day ones though) instead of in advance, and that may be logistically problematic and may cause them to produce unnecessary extra badges of either type.
Donno, it's just an idea. I think a lot of us are at least in agreement that the situation with the discounted 3-day passes vs. the expensive single day passes is non-ideal and moving toward some kind of equalization in price would be better.
Even if you don't bring a computer or play games, at least you'd have a somewhat secured area to leave your swag bags and whatnot as well as an official 'base' to call home at the convention center. It might be worth keeping just for that.
There could be a checkbox asking if you'd prefer 3-day badges at checkout. That way, when the order goes in, they can just print however many 3-day badges they need instead of having a set amount.
That way, customers won't be overtempted to get the weekend badges 'just in case' they're staying for 3 days (instead of just Fri-Sat for example), and everybody will have a fair shot to get the days they want (if they're watching twitter like a hawk.)
Example:
I really like this idea, it allows PA to save on costs of manufacturing additional badges (possibly even more than now) and it eliminates the 3 Day discount so everything is fair.
It's honestly a win-win for attendees and Penny Arcade, since even the cost of three single days at a time isn't really cost prohibitive to most attendees.
Eh, when I did BYOC, there were rarely more than 10 people in the room during the day, and it's nice to just get away from crowds.
Seriously, there's even a bag check at the BCEC. Using it as a dumping ground, if you have other options, is crap. That's like buying a PAX badge just to be able to "hang out" at the BCEC on pax weekend without doing a single pax related activity.
If you don't think Reed would assign fewer 3 day passes just so they could make more money on 1 day passes, I think you drank too much of the Kool-Aid.
If that were true there wouldn't be any 3 day passes at all. And the single day passes would cost twice as much.
I don't want to get into a fight, and I'm sorry that I upset you. But the 'normal price' for going for three days is 75 dollars, but I had to pay $120 because I checked the website at 12 when the tweet said to check the website. I think the technical term for this scam is Bait-and-Switch. I know you work there and have to defend it, but it's still crappy.
Please keep in mind that other popular conventions sell out even faster than PAX, and many are much more expensive. If I'm not mistaken, I believe San Diego ComicCon sells out before the previous year's event even ends.
At the end of it all I am in a position and a willing to pay for 3 single day, and I actually got a BYOC pass this year too. So I am excited either way, I will now know for next year what to do and hopefully be more effective in doing so.
Prime moving to 4 days means Thursday - Sunday or Friday - Monday?
Keep in mind that Prime has the benefit of Monday being Labor Day, a day (most) people have off. East doesn't even have a weekend it consistently falls on, let alone a national holiday.
Also prime moved to 4 days this past year, it was Friday - Monday. I do agree with the sentiment that 2 consecutive days is nice, but I don't think they have an issue selling out badges.
Not sure if it's what he meant, but Fri/Sun badges lasted longer than Sat badges by a decent amount and FAR longer than 3-day badges. So in his mind, if there was a Monday as well, then people would be snatching up Sun/Mon badges as a combo on how to go to the con at all.
Unfortunately, if there was a Monday, then Sunday would most likely end up being a longer day (maybe even have concerts that night as well?), meaning for con purposes, Sunday would basically be another Saturday, meaning Sunday badges would probably have sold out almost as quickly as Saturday ones.
Basically, the only days which last any time at all are the shorter days, as people aren't as delusional as to think they can do PAX in one of those days. For some reason, they think they can do PAX in one long day.
That's not true.. SDCC 2014 has not started selling yet, I know cause I want to go to that too... SDCC though does this "VIP priority" thing. If you were a SDCC attendee in 2013, you get first dibs on 2014. So by the time the passes are sold to the public, they are few and far between. I am glad PAX does not do this because I do not like this system, give other people a chance to go.
I don't think trying to get everyone at BYOC to play games is going to work because frankly, you need not only for everyone to show up at the same time (really unlikely) but you'd also need to find a game everyone enjoys, that will run well even on crappy systems, works great with LAN networking, and is free so you can give it to everyone to play since some of us don't bring a bunch of our paid games to BYOC. That's a tall order.
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It is indeed looking like Friday passes are back in stock. I suppose they got around to reselling the passes they managed to recover from scalpers. If 3-day sold out again, you are likely out of luck. Keep watching in case more passes do go up though. That said selling of passes through the forums is prohibited, so you'd need to find another way to get one for your friend =/
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Oh sorry, thanks for letting me know. I can understand why. I just found out a min ago another friend of mines lady friend will not be joining him, so maybe he will help out another friend. Again thanks for reply. Have an awesome day!
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PAX Prime 2014 Preparations Complete