Burning issue around ticket Tiers

[droid]

Hi

Not sure who to address this to, I will be attending Africa Burn for the first time this year and I am a little put of by the Tiering system with tickets, I have just purchased three Tier 3 Tickets at R550 each and I understand that ticket sales only began yesterday. Is the only qualification for cheaper tickets the fact that you were able to get online ahead of everyone else yesterday and make the purchase?

I think as a supposed non commercial venture this system sucks and that everyone who does not qualify for Low income tickets should pay the same rate! This is especially irritating as the window to buy tier 1 and tier 2 tickets was less than 24 hours. Such a huge difference in the different tiers ticket price is also crazy!

I would appreciate if someone could explain the logic behind this system?

[Ranger Bob]

Hello

are you the droid we've been looking for?

on a more serious note have you had a look at http://www.afrikaburn.com/tickets
there is a small FAQ about ticketing

the tire system is also an incentive to get people buying tickets early

[Travis]

Hi droid –

I think it’s important to know that low-income tickets were widely publicised last year, with applicants invited through all of AfrikaBurn’s communications channels. That process takes place well in advance of the ticketing go-live online, and provided ample opportunity for anyone to motivate for a lower-priced ticket.

As far as online ticketing goes, notification was similarly sent out through all channels again, only this time it was stressed (and remains so in the info any ticket purchaser will see) that people should buy the tickets they can afford, as lower tier tickets are specifically designed to enable access for those who cannot afford higher prices. The result of this is that some people have bought at R550 and even higher, on principles.

Unfortunately the reality is that times are hard, and people are feeling this, as is obvious from the surge to buy cheaper tickets. It’s unfortunate that many people feel that the system doesn’t work well for them. But then we learn from experiences like this, and if you have any input on ways to improve the ticketing system, please speak up, input and feedback is welcomed.

Thanks,

Travis

[LeeJay42]

Woohoo!!

I am disappointed too that I was too slow to get the R350 tickets - but have very willingly bought and paid for the R550 tickets! Where else can one go to an event such as this for 5 days - with all that is to offer for a piddling R100 plus change for a day. Hope you calm down soon Droid and just get into the vibe...

[Monique Schiess]

To answer some of the questions that have bandied bandied about, I just posted this on Facebook

As yesterdays mayhem shows, things have changed in the AfrikaBurn ticketing landscape somewhat: in 2010 it took 2 months to sell out the lowest tier, in 2011 it took 2 hours (and there were fewer available). Yesterday it took less than an hour to sell the two lowest tiers. Things have changed.

When we first started AfrikaBurn we figured that if we made a small amount of tickets available at a price lower than what it costs us to have people in Tankwa, then made the higher levels a little higher than what it costs us, it would be a good thing. It would even out; early adopters would get tickets at a lower price, latecomers would pay a bit more. By no means a perfect system, but one that we felt provided opportunity and spoke a bit to the ideal of radical inclusivity. We took our cue from Burning Man on that one. They have a similar system.

So, there are two main reasons behind the tiered pricing system. Firstly, releasing some tickets at a price below the base cost makes it more affordable for those of us who are not so flush - but this difference has to be made up somewhere else, or there would not be enough money to cover the event costs. This is why we appeal to people to "please always buy the highest priced ticket that you can afford" The other reason is that the tiered structure encourages people to buy their tickets earlier rather than waiting till later. Ticket sales are (pretty much) our sole source of income and, as we are a not-for-profit, our reserves are nowhere near enough to cover the costs of the infrastructure needed to create AfrikaBurn out of all that empty space. If the income doesn't come in early, the background work can't start when it must.

This is the budget plan we made for ticket sales this year:
Based on this year's event budget for running AfrikaBurn Creative Projects and the running of the event itself (which is still very heavily subsidised by donated services and volunteer work) we calculated it will cost us approximately R474.27 per person to have 4250 paying participants in Tankwa. This excludes any contingencies and unforeseen expenses, so it truly is a base price. We worked out our budget on 4250 tickets because
this is a sensible (and prudent) quantity to expect, in line with the trajectory of ticket sales over the years.

We made 500 tickets available at R350, and 500 tickets available at R450. We have also allocated 300 low-income tickets at R250. So 30% of the tickets to AfrikaBurn are sold below cost. The lion's share of tickets are available at R550, and the balance are made available at R700. We burned through a lot of brain cells, batteries and take-away food working out all the possible permutations and scenarios, and this is the solution we thought best represented the spirit of AfrikaBurn (and a good dose of the reality, nitty gritty stuff that we have to deal with).

The provisional limit we have set for this years event is 5000 tickets for sale (children under 14 are free). This is a generous but, we feel, responsible capacity increase based on our organisational capacity. The additional income we could possibly generate through selling any more than 4250 tickets creates a small but respectable safety net and any surplus would ultimately go towards creative grants next year, which helps some artists and in turn enhances the experience for everyone who makes the journey to the Tankwa. You know you love those big burning sculptures!

The enthusiasm is exhilarating ... and a little bit scary and definitely exciting.

[Joeyspell]

Hi there

I agree with Droid! My boyfriend and I are also attending AfrikaBurn for the first time this year and have just bought the R550 tickets.. OUCH!! I heard that the tiers are to encourage people with more money to buy the more expensive tickets - STUPID! Why would they buy the more expensive ones if they can get the cheaper ones?!?!?! We are getting ripped off hectically!!!! The fact that you don't get any special treatment no matter which ticket you buy is insane! And as the cheaper tickets were sold out in a day, the poorer people don't have a chance and end up either not being able to go or saving all their money to buy the more expensive tickets... It's ridiculous! I think if you are going to force people to buy expensive tickets by making tiers, you should at least offer them something for it.. So, what can you offer me?

[metastofasis]

hi there joeyspell. i think that as tickets and afrikaburn as an event is all your choice. there is no reason why you or anyone else needs to be offered anything more other than the experience. i am also pissed that i missed the cheap tickets, but such is life. you cannot honestly tell me that the extra R200 for the ticket is the difference between being able to attend or not. with all the other expenses, that amount can probably be shaved off just in alcohol or whatever else is being taken. also, people have known about the event for an entire year, and if you save just an extra R17 per month, that is already the difference.
we are all priviledged that afrika burn exists. and yes, it is us that make it what it is, but it is those folk that are so dedicated that make it possible. i do not think that you have any concept of how hard these people actually work to put this event together. sure they make mistakes, but don't you or any of us.
each year it improves, and this year is going to be awesome, as people have to plan ahead. it is a brilliant idea not to have ticket sales at the gate, as everyone has to plan ahead, not just pitch on the spur of the moment.
as to your last comment, have you considered volunteering and perhaps instead of having stuff offered you, finding out what you can offer afrika burns.

[Joeyspell]

Hi Metastofasis, I understand that the experience is well worth it, otherwise I would not have bought the tickets. All I'm saying is that if they are advertising "nothing is to be bought or sold" then why are they charging 4 different amounts for the same experience that everyone will be sharing? And, you would be surprised how far R200 goes, when you are part of a community that does not work in the commercial industry, making money only with Fire dancing where we can..
I have no doubt that it will be an awesome experience, I can hardly wait! As for your last comment, I have already organised little gifts to give away to passers by (in the spirit of giving - isn't this what Afrikaburns is partially about?), what will you offer? As for volunteer work, we will see what opportunities arise! See you there

[metastofasis]

hey there. thanks for the reply. i hear what you say and believe me i was there at 12 to get the best prices too, but missed out due to not getting online in time (hanging pc, as i was trying from 12). i ended up swapping my ticket with my friend that i know is in the poo with money and paying the extra anyhow, so he got the benefit, but that is a thing between friends, and i admit that i am not so altruistic as to automatically buy a more expensive ticket up front.
if tickets were one price, they would most likely be R500, as there are very few cheapies, so in essence it is only R50 saved, not R200 if the tier pricing was dropped.
we are doing mad cow shots, bellydance classes and tatmoos (cow shaped tattoo's). last year we did volunteer, but there should be less needed this year from the main gate point of view, as there are no ticket sales there.
we are also going up early, so should have our camp set up by the time that others arrive. that way we can also lend a helping hand with those that are not so camp wise. some of the bigger tents can be a bugger.
you must pop in and visit our camp. perhaps you can teach us some fire poi moves. we will have ours there, as well as a staff. the bellydancer and her husband do some fire stuff in their routine (he is a bit of a pyromaniac hehe).
we will be in a large blue and white bedouin tent with a pink/blue smaller one up front, as well as a larger green/yellow/orange one. come and join us for some moozic and dancing. if you see the M.A.S.H.E.D truck, we should hopefully be next door, as we have requested to be neighbours on the binnekring. my name is michael, what is yours.