Ticket etiquette??

[Ticketsarenotfree]

So my husband and I had tickets to an event but he can't go because he's got COVID. I said on my group chat that if anyone wanted they could buy it off me at £10 discount. A 'friend' then put a laughing emoji and said I must be joking.

I don't want to go on my own, but I also don't want to lose money. What's the etiquette here, am I supposed to just give the ticket away?

I would have laughed too. You want someone to pay to keep you company.

You've offered to sell a ticket at a reduced price, someone either wants it or they don't. You've don't nothing wrong. You're 'friend's comment is odd.

Your friend was rude but it kind of depends whether there would be demand for the ticket and how much it cost in the first place.

£10 off a ticket that cost you £30 in the first place and you’d struggle to get anyone to go it, you’d be better off giving it away.

"Ticketiquette", surely

Agree your friend was rude but in your shoes I’d have given the ticket away.

Did she maybe mean, 'you must be joking, can't believe DH is ill and can't make it. That's really unfortunate'?

It depends what the tickets are for and what the demand is like.

Oasis concent = good deal
Sally Ann's book launch = bad deal

I think it’s was perfectly normal. It’s not asking someone to pay you to keep you company, it’s offering someone the opportunity to attend the event. The only thing that would be strange would be if it was a niche event that no one in the chat would be interested in.

I don't think there is a specific etiquette here, but the 'friend's comment is weird! Depends on what the ticket is for, what demand there is etc.

Either sell both your tickets back to the company you bought them from, but if you still want to go, you've done nothing wrong but asking friends. If none of them are interested, would a family member go along?

The ticket was £60. I couldn't have returned it, t & c quite strict.

You’ve already spent the money though. So you can either go alone and waste his ticket or ask a friend so you have company. In the circumstances with friend not really wanting to go just being a last minute stand in I wouldn’t expect them to pay. It’s just husband passing on a ticket he can’t use.

How much was the ticket?

£10 off a £20 ticket is fair.

£10 a £40+ ticket is hardly a bargain because if they wanted to go they would have bought their own ticket already.

If you were selling the PAIR of tickets that would be different as someone can then take their person of choice with them, and not having to go with you.

Why can't your DH just go and wear a face mask?

I agree. Anyone coming is doing you a favour. It's not like they thought "I'd have gone to that for 50 quid but 60 is pushing it."

Surely the money is lost anyway.. if you can't find anybody to go, you don't get the money back.. if you DH goes, you don't get the money back.. if you go by yourself, you don't get the money back.. I would've offered the ticket to the group for free, and maybe expected to be bought a drink or something at the event as a thank you but nothing ore than that. Having said that, your friends comment was still rude, there was no need for her to comment like that, she could've just ignored if it didn't interest her.

I think in these circumstances you have to offer the ticket for free - unless it was a sell out event and you know others would have paid but couldn't get a ticket .

Fine to sell two tickets on the open market, fine to sell one, but if it's that you want a friend to accompany you so you don't go alone then you give them the ticket for free . Chances are they may offer you something towards it - but don't count on it.

I agree with PP for a really in demand event like Taylor Swift or Oasis or even something that you knew your friends wanted to attend but couldn’t get tickets then selling makes sense. But for something that - had they been interested - they could very easily get tickets then I don’t think selling, even for a £10 discount, works. They clearly weren’t interested enough to fork out £60 to go, so unlikely to want to spend £50. I would offer it for free if I cared more about company, if I cared more about money I would offer it for sale on a local fb page.

Unless it was an oasis/eras tour type event I would give away for free

"Ticket" is the English version of the French word "etiquette" which means... ticket. Or literally sticker (which also comes from the same root).

I would have offered it for free. The money's already spent so it makes no difference.

But maybe the event is something outlandish and they were laughing at the idea anyone else would fancy it!

£10 isn’t much of a discount, you’ll probably be going alone.

I'd have offered it for free too. It's paid for already.

I wouldnt have offered it for free to a wide group (you would likely end up with the unpleasant and rude emoji woman for the night).

Its not rude to offer it out at a cost - your 'friend' as outed herself as rude.

If it was to be free - I would approach who I would like to spend an evening with.

I have seen loads of people offer a ticket at a discount and have on occassion willingly taken up the opportunity.

Dont let others try to shame you.

I think it’s an odd offer. Come to an event you had no intention of buying a ticket to, at short notice because I don’t want to go alone. Oh and it will cost you £50.

i wouldn’t have laughed at a friend - rather privately rolled my eyes and ignored

I can't see you've done anything wrong to be honest

Giving/selling tickets to friends is a tricky one and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on how to go about it.

I think it depends very much on your age profile, financial position and the precedent in your friend group.

In my 20s, I would have probably tried to sell the ticket. In my 40s with a bit more financial freedom, I just offer spare tickets to people I think would be good fun to experience it with. I would however be quite surprised if the stand-in didn’t offer to pay for dinner or get the first round. A reciprocal thanks feels more appropriate now rather than exchanging cash.