How far in advance would you purchase an Advance Ticket (if available)?

[Dungrange]

As part of the committee organising a new Model Railway Exhibition (ie we have no previous year's data available, so there is lots of uncertainty). I'm wondering how much demand there is from exhibition attendees to purchase tickets in advance.  It's an option we have made available.

 

https://elmrc.org.uk/elmrc-exhibition/

 

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/elmrc

[JeremyC]

For me it depends on the show. I would be less likely to advance book for a new show and for a local show I would just pay at the door anyway. For a major show; Doncaster, York etc I would be likely to purchase in advance to avoid the queues, but would leave it, if possible, to the previous evening. My wife and I intended to do this for the York show and it paid off because two days prior to us leaving for York the caravan site we had booked into cancelled our reservation because their pitches were water-logged and being Easter everywhere else was full.

 

Edited May 10 by JeremyC

[Edwin_m]

Agree with the above - I don't see the point of booking ahead other than to avoid the queue.  There's always the possibility of something going wrong and not being able to go, and unless there's a refund option the money is then wasted.  

[RJS1977]

The only show I've ever booked in advance for was Warley (and occasionally I think Ally Pally), partly to avoid the queues but also to get in half an hour earlier.

 

TBH at the moment with the rail unions liable to call a strike at two weeks' notice, I'm quite reluctant to purchase an advanced ticket for anything.

[woodenhead]

Before Covid when everything seemed that much more reliable, I might book a few weeks in advance book train tickets at the same time when the price was at it's lowest.

 

However, now with the general unreliability of train services, the endless strike action that can impact services beyond the strike days and a general lack of interest in being bothered with making journeys, I am more likely to use the advance ticket option late on and to avoid queuing on the day.

 

That said I was in a massive queue for GETs last year and a big one to get into Warley as well, seeing as everybody appears to buy in advance for the same reason lol.  Smaller shows and ones like York where I go on the Sunday I will pay on the door, I do like though the card facilities that most shows have which speeds entrance.

[Hibelroad]

I only once booked an advance ticket, that was for York, and it was nice to beat the queue and have a chance to get a quick look around before the crowds came. However there is little monetary advantage in booking ahead and there is always a risk that life will get in the way and prevent you from going on the day. Perhaps we are lucky that shows are not fully booked out as soon as tickets are released as seems to happen with so many entertainments these days. 

[woodenhead]

2 minutes ago, Hibelroad said:

I only once booked an advance ticket, that was for York, and it was nice to beat the queue and have a chance to get a quick look around before the crowds came. However there is little monetary advantage in booking ahead and there is always a risk that life will get in the way and prevent you from going on the day. Perhaps we are lucky that shows are not fully booked out as soon as tickets are released as seems to happen with so many entertainments these days. 

That would be a difficult one to apply, though with some shows you could imagine a cap on Saturday morning entrants, it did happen I recall just after covid restrictions began to lift to keep us all apart.

 

Such a cap might encourage more advance bookings earlier, maybe variable pricing to encourage more people to attend later on a Saturday or even on a Sunday to spread the crowds

[Michael Hodgson]

Advance tickets are only worthwhile if

• There is a discount against the door price and/or
• They give priority access vs the queue at the door

I only buy advance tickets if I know I'm going to be able to go to the event, and often I'm only 80% confident beforehand that I will be going.  The level of confidence deteriorates as the  the period in advance gets longer.  So I see no point in buying an advance ticket very far in advance.

56 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

That would be a difficult one to apply, though with some shows you could imagine a cap on Saturday morning entrants, it did happen I recall just after covid restrictions began to lift to keep us all apart.

 

Such a cap might encourage more advance bookings earlier, maybe variable pricing to encourage more people to attend later on a Saturday or even on a Sunday to spread the crowds

 

Any such restrictions would suggest to me that the event will be overcrowded, and I don't enjoy shows where you can't move about freely - so I just would not attend at all.  I have arrived outside a few shows, taken one look at the length of the queue and got straight back into the car. 

[woodenhead]

2 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Any such restrictions would suggest to me that the event will be overcrowded, and I don't enjoy shows where you can't move about freely - so I just would not attend at all.  I have arrived outside a few shows, taken one look at the length of the queue and got straight back into the car. 

I know how you feel, but seeing as I've either travelled for a couple of hours or driven I am not inclined to go all the way home again, but it makes me dubious about going again.

 

Typically I go to the back of the show and work towards to the entrace, avoid the retail elements and see the layouts whilst I can.  For a lot of people the initial rush is to find 'bargains' I think so the RTR box shifters are full of people hunting elusive items at knock down prices and I am more concerned with the layouts.

[Dungrange]

1 hour ago, Hibelroad said:

Perhaps we are lucky that shows are not fully booked out as soon as tickets are released as seems to happen with so many entertainments these days. 

 

Yes, Taylor Swift is playing in Edinburgh the week after our show and sold 200,000 tickets in less than an hour, nearly 11 months in advance.  ☹️  If just 1% of that number were to attend our exhibition, our treasurer is likely have an ear to ear grin. 😁  I'm targeting half of that number.

 

It's obviously not wise to draw too many conclusions from small sample sizes, but the results so far are reassuring and align with my expectations.  I don't disagree with anything that has been said and I don't think I've ever booked in advance for a Model Railway Exhibition.  That said, I find in this post-COVID world that I'm more used to the idea of having to book in advance for some things that I wouldn't have in the past, but rarely far in advance unless I know numbers are restricted.

 

Show time is just over three weeks away and if the only people who attend are those who have bought advance tickets, it will be a disaster, but from this small sample, it looks as though perhaps only 1 in 12 people who are aware of and intend to come to our show are likely to have bought a ticket.  That's more reassuring, albeit it still points to needing to raise further awareness to meet our break even point. 

[Michael Hodgson]

3 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

I know how you feel, but seeing as I've either travelled for a couple of hours or driven I am not inclined to go all the way home again, but it makes me dubious about going again.

 

Typically I go to the back of the show and work towards to the entrace, avoid the retail elements and see the layouts whilst I can.  For a lot of people the initial rush is to find 'bargains' I think so the RTR box shifters are full of people hunting elusive items at knock down prices and I am more concerned with the layouts.

Yes, that's why I've been going to fewer of the big shows recently.  I've had quite enough of rucksacks in my face on the Underground during my working life not to be prepared to put up with similar conditions in a hobby.  If I've travelled say to York, I'd take the line that I'd rather visit the NRM or walk round the CIty Walls.

 

I agree that going to the back of the hall on arrival and working forward is usually best and I ignore the box shifters and second hand tat.  It would be unusual for me to buy more than a paint point or two and couple of wagon kits, and in any case I can always get those mail order.

[MarkSG]

As others have said, it depends on several variables:

 

1. The size of the show.

2. How soon in advance I know I'm definitely going.

3. What benefits I get by booking in advance.

4. How reliable and user-friendly the ticket booking system is.

 

For smaller shows, I typically don't bother.  For big shows, I will book in advance once I know I'm definitely going (which usually isn't until a few days before) provided I get a worthwhile discount for doing so, and the ticketing platform is one I trust (eg, SeeTickets or EventBrite). I won't book in advance online via a ticketing platform that I don't trust, and I certainly won't if they expect to post the tickets to me rather than allowing me to print them off at home! (Although tickets by post is, now, pretty much a thing of the past, and rightly so).

 

On the topic of benefits for booking in advance, the one that matters most to me is getting a discount. I don't live close enough to the big shows I go to for the early admission to be useful - even if I could be out of the house early enough to be at the NEC for 9.30am, the chances of dragging my teenage daughter (who usually comes with me) out of bed that early are close to zero. Equally, queue-jumping isn't a huge benefit as by the time I do get there (which is more likely to be around 11am) the initial queue will mostly have dispersed. 

[Dungrange]

2 hours ago, MarkSG said:

and the ticketing platform is one I trust (eg, SeeTickets or EventBrite). I won't book in advance online via a ticketing platform that I don't trust,

 

Interesting point.  We went with Ticketsource (https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/elmrc).  Would they be in your don't trust category?

 

2 hours ago, MarkSG said:

As others have said, it depends on several variables:

For smaller shows, I typically don't bother. 

 

I had expected (hoped) that more people would say that they'd only pay on the day.  However, I suppose the distribution may be skewed by the responses of those who book for the larger shows, but don't book for the smaller shows, as I've worded the question such that it favours a response to how far in advance, in which case such individuals are likely to give their response in relation to the larger shows.

[31A]

I have never paid in advance; mainly in case I don't go for whatever reason.  Apart from sometimes the possibility of getting in a bit earlier, I struggle to see much advantage.  The big shows I've visited, e.g. Doncaster, Glasgow and Warley, are so well organised these days with contactless payment etc. that the queuing time to pay on the day has usually been very short.  Smaller local ones, there's hardly any queuing involved anyway.

[Gwiwer]

Currently I have to say 1 - 2 weeks. 
 

Not within the control of any event manager but given the ongoing industrial disputes and the notice legally required to be given for such action I am unwilling to commit any funds - whether that be for admission, travel or accommodation, until I can be reasonably certain of actually getting there and back. 
 

Obtaining refunds is not always as easy nor as fuss-free as it should be. If I booked admission for an event which took place but I was unable to get there because of railway politics would the event refund me?  Not all would.
 

Similarly with accommodation which I am going to need if travelling for a day-long event more than a couple of hours from home. The cheapest deals are sometimes “non-refundable” but I am unwilling to pay more for the same product just in case I don’t get there. 
 

 

[MarkSG]

17 hours ago, Dungrange said:

 

Interesting point.  We went with Ticketsource (https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/elmrc).  Would they be in your don't trust category?

 

Yes, that would be fine. I don't have a an exhaustive list of trusted ticket vendors, if I came across one I hadn't seen before then I'd assess it based on how professional it looked.

[Wheatley]

Never booked in advance. I've no interest in joining the scrum for bargains, and im rarely there at opening time anyway. 

[Crantock]

Never booked in advance. I travel a long way to shows so am never going to be beating the queue. I would rather go on Sunday but for a 2 day show would want to go on a day when I can do a show and a summer evening walk - (Bristol and 4 hrs along the canal from Sharpness) so a ticket for a specific day is no use as might want to go Saturday rather than Sunday. 
 

so must be valid either day. Must be electronic. 
 

But what’s the point for the organisers?

[ColinW]

The only shows that I get pre ordered tickets for are Ally Pally (I get our club members tickets) and Scaleforum, otherwise I am happy to pay on the day.

 

Colin

[Dungrange]

22 hours ago, Crantock said:

But what’s the point for the organisers?

 

I suppose for some it could help with cashflow to get some ticket income in advance of paying the final instalment on the hall?  

 

In our case, we won't get the money until after the event, so it's just providing another payment option for our customers. The fact that we've sold some advance tickets means that at least some people know about our show, which is reassuring.  While we haven't sold all that many advance tickets so far, it appears from the result of this poll that for every advance ticket we have sold to date, we can probably expect to sell two more advanced tickets before the event, with a bit of a rush in the last few days and as many pay on the day customers as our ultimate advanced sales figures.

[DaveF]

I have a definite dislike for booking in advance for any event except theatres where numbers obviously are limited.

 

My reason is simple, I keep a note of things - railway exhibitions, National Trust, English Heritage events etc - which I may want to go to.  Then on the day I decide to go or not depending on the weather and how I feel, now I am 74 there is the odd day I simply don't want to go out.

 

Many years ago I set out to go to Glasgow show and had to turn back as the road was blocked by snow.  I am glad I hadn't booked in advance.

 

To be honest I don't like planning the details of my life in advance now I'm not working - if I fancy a holiday I just pack and go if/when I feel like it and often find a hotel when I get to somewhere.

 

I sometimes get the impression that booking ahead is required/encouraged to give organisers a sense of control over their vistors.  Why would one need to book ahead if there is not a limit on the number who can attend?

 

David

[BluenGreyAnorak]

Myself and the group of friends I usually go with have booked in advance for the likes of Warley and Ally Pally for years. The former always involves a hotel anyway, which has to be booked well in advance to guarantee the number of rooms we take, and both give a modest discount and early entry. The last we find particularly nice as it's typically less crowded for a while.

 

Whilst I've ticked the 'book in advance' option on the poll, local shows are different though, as there's rarely any advantage to booking in advance.

[Modelrailwayquest]

I do an advance booking system, giving early access for the shows I run, which are all one day and not big events with about 18 /20 layouts and 15 traders  and a footfall of about 800 people throughout the day.  If it helps anyone, the ticketing source I use provide great indications on ticket movements before a show and my last show in Dec had 793 attend,  625 actual tickets sold for the show (mix of family and individual tickets)

 

Total pre sales were 176 tickets of which 97 of these were family tickets

 

Most of these tickets sold in the week prior to the show and also  21 sold in the week of announcing the show about 5 months prior.  Interesting fact that the night before the show  62 tickets sold and massive rush at last minute before I  took them off sale at midnight. 

 

I think pre selling tickets works and especially those not directly involved in the hobby such as general visitors and families, it works with pre media marketing as they will impulse buy when a marketing campaign is announced such as a local paper article of an announcement in a local community Facebook group. 

 

Advantages of pre booking for visitors and exhibition managers

1.  Less cash handling and carrying larger floats on the day

2.  If tech goes wrong like I witnessed at a show recently, and the card machines failed or a there is a wifi outage,  The show had no cash machines visitors could get to with ease and I felt for them.  Pre booked tickets meant at least say 176 ticket holders could gain access on my last show, if the same tech problems arose. 

3.  If doing own catering you can pre plan, certain stock levels

4.  In the event of heavy rain,  often those with pre booked tickets attend, where others who would have bought on the door, think twice about attending

5.  Quicker through flow on the  door at opening and also if raining, better customer experience that takes away the need to queue in the rain while people ahead are buying tickets.  I personally never understood why clubs like to see long queues at the start of the show outside their doors as how is this helping the visitor experience. 

6.  A quick cross in pen on the front of the ticket when they arrive shows it has been used and they keep it as their entry ticket.  No need to give them a entry ticket and makes calculating total visitor numbers easier at end of day.

7. It is a extra service we provide which some people may prefer, those that don't it is not something we are forcing them to use

8.  It gives visitors via a tick box a chance to go onto your mailing list for future shows if they want to.

9. In the unlikely event of the show being cancelled, one press of  button and all monies instantly returned

10.  Often the ticket source will promote the show on their own and associated web platforms increasing marketing awareness.

 

Disadvantages 

1.  It usually means giving 10% of your ticket price to the ticketing company (I personally don't add the booking fee on top as that stops people buying, instead take it from the full face ticket price.

2. Some one can print the ticket twice giving someone free entry (The ticket company we use have a bar code which once scanned using a basic phone, makes that ticket bar code unusable and so impossible for someone to print numerous tickets.)

3. You don't get the funds until a few days after the event.

4.  Pre booked tickets, if someone wants to cancel, they have to go it via the ticket source. 

5. Not everyone has a printer, lucky the ticket source we use allows it to be scanned from a phone. 

 

For my next show in Sevenoaks in July which went on sale in March, So far by mid May,  22 tickets have been pre sold  of which 15 of these are family tickets.   Most of the family tickets sold when a local quarterly council newspaper came out where we placed an advert a few weeks ago.  I know  for a fact, we would have lost most of those sales as people would have forgot about the show if they didn't impulse buy on seeing the advert. 

 

One big tip if attending shows, bring cash for the entry fee as not all shows have card machines (I do at my shows)  however these can go down and also some traders still don't take cash. 

 

Hope the above info helps with making your decision.   I for one,  think improving the visitor choices make a better experience for them and for me pre selling tickets is a must.

 

I use a company called WeGotTickets

 

 

Edited May 19 by Modelrailwayquest
updating

[Dungrange]

On 19/05/2024 at 15:12, Modelrailwayquest said:

Interesting fact that the night before the show  62 tickets sold and massive rush at last minute before I  took them off sale at midnight. 

 

That's definitely a last minute rush.  If I'm understanding you correctly, you'd only sold 62 tickets (35% of your advanced sale tickets) 24 hours before the show and sold 114 tickets (65% of your advances sale tickets) in the final 24 hours.  That doesn't really align with the results of this poll at this point in time.  I wonder if that's because people tend to book further in advance for the large shows (because they may be booking trains and accommodation as well) and very much last minute for the smaller shows (because it's the only thing they are booking).  A lot of people seem to have indicated that they only book advance tickets for the larger shows, so the results of this poll are perhaps biased to the booking timescales for larger shows.

 

On 19/05/2024 at 15:12, Modelrailwayquest said:

Total pre sales were 176 tickets of which 97 of these were family tickets

 

Unfortunately almost all of our advanced tickets are just single adult tickets.  I'm not sure if that means that our marketing efforts have fallen short on reaching the family market, or if they are more inclined to take part in the last minute rush.  Losing the cost of a family ticket is greater, so perhaps they prefer to wait until the night before when there is less chance of one of the kids feeling sick.  However, the quote below seems to indicate that we're not hitting the family market as well as you seem to have.

 

On 19/05/2024 at 15:12, Modelrailwayquest said:

22 tickets have been pre sold of which 15 of these are family tickets. 

 

On 19/05/2024 at 15:12, Modelrailwayquest said:

I personally never understood why clubs like to see long queues at the start of the show outside their doors as how is this helping the visitor experience. 

 

I suppose seeing a long line of people at opening time would make me think, 'great the advertising has worked', but I agree that we want everyone in the door as quick as possible, because seeing too large a queue will put some people off coming in.

 

 

[Dungrange]

On 15/05/2024 at 22:18, DaveF said:

To be honest I don't like planning the details of my life in advance

 

That's one thing I now dislike about this post-COVID world, where there seems to be an increased need to book a specific timeslot in advance.  In the past you could just arrive when you liked, but increasing there seems to be a need to book a 12:15 arrival slot, which makes life less flexible.

 

On 15/05/2024 at 22:18, DaveF said:

Many years ago I set out to go to Glasgow show and had to turn back as the road was blocked by snow. 

 

That was presumably around 1995.  I recall all was well on Friday and then it started to snow in the evening.  By the time I woke up on the Saturday there must have been six inches of snow on the ground and none of the buses were running.  However, as I was one of the layout operators that day, I ended up with a 60 minute trek through the snow to arrive at the SEC (although I think it was still the SECC in those days) ready for duty.  At least I was lucky that I lived within walking distance at that time - I couldn't do it now.