With the rise of online ticket sales through websites like Fandango and Ticketmaster, buying tickets at the physical box office may seem antiquated. However, there are some potential benefits to skipping the convenience of online sales and heading to the box office to get your tickets.
The potential savings
One of the biggest potential perks of buying tickets at the box office is avoiding the fees that come with online sales. When you buy through a ticketing website, there are usually a variety of service fees, processing fees, and convenience fees added to your order. These can quickly add $5, $10, or even more to your total. When you buy at the box office, you only pay the base ticket price.
For example, let’s say you want to buy two tickets to a concert with a ticket price of $50 each. If you buy online, your total might look something like:
Item | Price |
---|---|
Ticket 1 | $50 |
Ticket 2 | $50 |
Service fee | $5 |
Processing fee | $10 |
Total | $115 |
Whereas if you buy those same two tickets at the box office, you’d simply pay $100 total ($50 x 2 tickets). That’s a potential savings of $15 by avoiding the extra fees.
Availability of tickets
Another advantage of buying at the box office is access to tickets. For very popular shows or events, tickets may sell out quickly online as resellers and other customers snap them up. However, box offices will often hold back some tickets for in-person sales. So you may be able to score seats even after online inventory shows sold out.
Box offices can also access inventory that is unavailable online. For example, they may have access to VIP packages, special promo seats, or seats held specifically for walk-up sales. So checking at the box office could give you access to a wider selection of ticket options.
Personal service
Visiting the box office also gives you the advantage of personal service. The staff can answer questions about seat locations, venue layouts, and other details that can be hard to discern when shopping online. They can offer recommendations based on your specific needs like the best seats for small children or wheelchair accessibility. And you have someone to discuss any issues with face-to-face.
Box office staff are also skilled at suggesting add-ons you may not have considered when buying online. For popular shows, you may want to arrive early for merch shopping or dinner at the venue’s restaurant. Or if you’re buying sports tickets, ask about deals on parking passes. The human touch of a box office agent can uncover upgrades and perks you could miss out on with purely online ordering.
Discounts and promotions
In addition to avoiding fees, buying at the box office opens the door for discounts and special promos you can’t access online. Box offices will sometimes run special deals for walk-up customers such as:
- Senior, military, or student discounts
- Special low-price rush tickets for same-day sales
- Deals for early arrivers like the first 50 customers get 20% off
- Bundled packages with food, parking, merchandise, etc.
These kinds of promotions incentivize buying directly from the venue. And they can add up to great savings compared to paying full-price online. Just be sure to ask what deals may be available when you walk up to the ticket window.
Avoiding scams and fakes
There’s always a risk of buying fake or scam tickets from resellers online. Shady sellers may duplicate real tickets and sell them multiple times over. Or they could sell tickets they never actually had in the first place. When you buy directly from the official source, you eliminate that risk. The box office will only sell legit tickets, so you can buy with confidence.
Downsides to consider
Of course, buying tickets in person isn’t always smooth sailing. Here are some potential downsides to keep in mind:
- No guarantees on availability – If an event is sold out online, there’s a good chance box office inventory is low too. So you could make the trip and still not get tickets.
- Rush hours cause lines – Right before showtime, box office lines can get long. That means you have to budget extra time and may still end up missing the start.
- Inconvenient hours – Unlike 24/7 websites, box offices have limited hours. So you have to plan your visit when they’re open.
- Travel required – To buy at the box office, you obviously have to physically go there. Depending on the distance, that costs you time and gas money.
Weighing these factors against the potential perks can help determine if a box office trip makes sense for your needs and schedule.
Tips for saving money at the box office
If you do decide to buy tickets at the box office, here are some tips to maximize your potential savings:
- Ask about fee waivers – Some venues will waive processing fees if you pay in cash at the box office.
- Inquire about discounts – Don’t be shy, ask the ticket agent what special deals might be available for walk-up customers.
- Go on weekdays – Box offices are less likely to have rush hour lines on weekdays so you can avoid wait times.
- Get tickets well ahead of time – If you know far in advance that you want tickets, buying early at the box office increases your inventory choices.
- Buy add-ons – Take the chance to also get parking, food, and merchandise bundles that may be cheaper than buying separately.
When online ticket sales make sense
Despite the perks, there are still plenty of cases where buying online makes more sense than a box office trip. Here are some examples:
- The event is sold out online – Don’t waste a trip if all tickets are gone across channels already.
- You need accessible seating – Buying online may give you more time to select specific accessible seats.
- It’s a last minute purchase – For spur of the moment decisions, the convenience of online outweighs box office benefits.
- You want premium delivery – Getting paperless tickets instantly via email or your smartphone app saves time.
- You have discounts online – If you have access to special promo codes or discounts only on certain websites, use them.
Essentially, if convenience outweighs the perks of personal service and avoiding fees, online can be the smarter way to go.
The bottom line
Buying tickets directly at the box office still has its merits in the internet age. The potential savings by avoiding fees along with personal service and access to discounts can make it worthwhile. But it depends on your specific event, schedule, and convenience priorities. With very popular shows that sell out quickly, online may be your only option. For last minute purchases or far away venues, the ease of online also wins out.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Evaluate the pros and cons against your needs to decide if a trip to the box office is your best bet for saving money on event tickets.