Do touts still hang around outside venues?

Toast · 21-06-2022 9:44am #1

As a few of you know I'm a founder and admin of toutless.com which we setup back in 2008 to help fans sell tickets to each other at face value. Back in the day it was not uncommon to have touts hang outside venues and buy low and sell high and the idea of Toutless was to cut out that middleman.

Since then things have changed quite a bit. Tickets are on their way to going entirely digital, so is money somewhat. We've had a pandemic that shut down events for near 2 years and we've also seen legislation brought in to make it illegal to tout (except apparently if your name is Ticketmaster).

I've only been at a few small gigs in Whelan's and the NCH since the post pandemic return and I didn't see any touts but it's questionable if they would have attracted touts even in the past so I am curious if any of the above changes in the landscape have removed the "on the ground" touts.

Has anyone seen the lads outside shouting "anyone / buying or selling tickets?". Are they still there but more subtle? If they're still around how do they handle the digital ticket messing?

As a bonus question do people still assume if they needed to go to a sold out show if they threw enough money at the problem they'd be assured they'd get in?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[Deleted User] · 21-06-2022 9:51am

I’ve gone to a few gigs of different sizes this year and not seen any touts at most. I saw some outside the Olympia for one gig but that was it.

Personally I wouldn’t buy from a tout. I’ve seen too many people get scammed into buying fakes over the last few years. Some touts get the tickets printed and sent out to them, then resell digitally on Ticketmaster.

They keep the paper copies, sell them on again and can at least double their money by selling the same tickets twice. The paper tickets won’t work though so those people are out loads of cash and left gutted.

Dial Hard · 21-06-2022 9:53am

Not gigs per se but there were touts outside the Aviva and the RDS for the Heineken Cup semi final and URC final. Not sure why they bothered, neither game was sold out.

billyhead · 21-06-2022 10:18am

There were some outside the train station before the Killers concert.

o1s1n · 21-06-2022 10:25am

I've been at quite a lot of shows since everything started opening back up and have still seen them at some venues alright. Specifically the Three Arena (just as you get off the Luas) and Vicar Street for some reason - they really seem to love those venues.

Saying that, there are still a tiny amount of them, you're talking about maybe 3-4 maximum. Nothing when compared to how many there were at venues back in the day.

delbertgrady · 21-06-2022 10:40am

I'm sure there were a few outside Billie Eilish in the 3Arena, which I suppose was not surprising, given her popularity, but strange, given that they were all phone tickets.

I didn't see any at either of the St. Anne's Park shows I was at, or at Phoebe Bridgers last night in Fairview Park, but the latter was exclusively phone tickets as well, so little scope for them there.

I did witness a moment where one of them - possibly on his way to Vicar Street to hang around outside the Mitski gig - saw the considerable queue for Lucy Dacus at the Olympia and asked who was on, clearly worried that he had missed a trick, given the obvious interest in her.

Celtise · 21-06-2022 12:01pm

Yes some outside My Chemical Romance in Kilmainham and The Killers in Malahide recently. I've never bought from a tout or even second hand tickets though.

fluke · 21-06-2022 12:20pm

Hopefully they are a dying breed, but I did also see one tout outside the Mitski Vicar St. gig.

By the way @Toast thanks so much for setting up Toutless. It's great.

Toast · 21-06-2022 5:02pm

Thanks for all the replies. Interesting they're still operating openly in some places.

BruteStock · 21-06-2022 5:22pm

They hang around toutless now where they offer non existent tickets for Revolut Payment then disappear.. Users are warned to not make electronic payments to the filthy rats

Shank Williams · 21-06-2022 7:42pm

Few outside 3arena for war on drugs- gig wasn’t sold out and tickets were only 50 to begin with so doubt they were getting much interest

dublingreen · 21-06-2022 7:55pm

Seen them around malahide dart Station recently before gerry cinammon and killers gigs, these large gigs often don't sell out and there are always tickets for resale online, so I wonder how they can make a profit.

L1011 · 21-06-2022 8:00pm

Have seen/heard them at the 3Arena when passing (worked nearby), nearly every gig.

fallen01angel · 21-06-2022 8:19pm

Maybe I've been going around with my eyes closed but feel like I haven't seen a tout in absolute yrs thankfully. Absolute dregs of society and would definitely rather miss a gig than hand over money to them. By the way,never knew that Toast,genuine thanks for Toutless.ie It's been a lifesaver on a number of occasions :)

hynesie08 · 21-06-2022 8:42pm

Solid half dozen outside the point before alanis morisette.

Nigel Fairservice · 22-06-2022 12:50am

There were some at the Europe/Foreigner/Whitesnake gig at the 3 Area. Only saw 2 or 3 of them.

Strumms · 22-06-2022 2:33am

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/71f1a-new-law-banning-ticket-touting-comes-into-force/

might be why there are less of them or they are less obvious.

id imagine some of them might have a bit of ‘previous’ with the law… if my reading of their demographic is accurate… so not worth their while I’d imagine standing too openly or obviously in front of X venue looking for 70 quid for a 40 euro ticket…part of their strategy was to be seen, visible and loud, not these days.

lordgoat · 26-06-2022 9:22pm

The subhuman scum are still knocking around alright. Vicar St gigs this year had plenty.

Toutless is superb Toast. Big love.

mondeoman72 · 26-06-2022 9:26pm

They are everywhere. I have seen them outside the Olympia, 3 Arena and Vicar St. You only have to look at the history of purchasers on online sites to see who they are. Either that, or they are buying for a football team.

skinnyfries · 30-06-2022 9:51am

Yes, there was one outside Trinity last night

ryaner777 · 30-06-2022 10:20am

First of all, a massive thank you to toast. Toutless is an amzing website/community that I've used for years and have never had a problem with it or any of the people using it.

Secondly, and I know this will be controversial but I don't think the 4-6 usual lads touting at the Dublin gigs are the bad guys here.

I've seen the same ones at gigs/sporting events for the past 20 years and they've never been anything but pleasant. Compared to the online re-sellers I these these guys provide a valuable service to regular gig goers. Dozens of times over the years I bought and sold tickets to them and very rarely has this been over face value. If it has, it's the price of a few drinks max.

If you are willing to wait to the very start of a gig, you'll always get a ticket from them at face value or lower.

I'd always use fan-2-fan ticket sales whenever possible, but I wouldn't put anyone off going to a sold out gig (especially mid week in Dublin). You'll normally always get a fan selling a spare and if not, these lads will sell you one. Plus if you've any sort of negotiating skills, you can sometimes get a great bargain.

head82 · 30-06-2022 10:33am

Slightly off topic but the question of touts reminded me of an encounter I had with one many years ago. This was way before mobile phones, digital etc. All tickets at this time were paper only. Anyway, Bob Dylan was playing the RDS and I decided at the last minute I wanted to go.

Not having a ticket wasn't going to be an issue I figured as I was bound to find a tout outside the venue. Sure enough the first tout I came across offered me a ticket.. at less than face value! Naturally I was suspicious and the tout sensing my wariness offered to walk me up to the venue entrance to reassure me it was legit. We get to the gate where the ticket checker duly accepts my ticket and I gain admittance. While passing thru the gate I thought I sensed a 'wink and a nod' exchange between the checker and the tout so I glanced over my shoulder and sure enough.. the checker was handing back my ticket to the tout!

No doubt that ticket was sold on many times over. Nice little earner for the pair of them.

The concert was crap BTW!

The Davestator · 30-06-2022 1:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119270482#Comment_119270482

Something similar going to Chelsea matches in London over the years. I pay £50 for a £10 kids ticket and get told to go to a specific entrance where his mate was working. Worked everytime!

mondeoman72 · 01-07-2022 9:22pm

There is one tout who hangs around outside vicar St, who advertises online legitimately. His game plan is he says hes delayed when you get there, if he thinks he may still tout it. Then if he doesn't he says he just arrived now, so sells it to you at face value.

I was outside the pub next to vicar street and he texted me to say he was delayed. I rang him back and could see him answer the phone outside the door.

He was puzzled when his access to the website was pulled.

Ferris_Bueller · 01-07-2022 10:33pm

Was a few outside Marlay Park for the chilli's the other night. Haven't noticed them other than that but they probably tend to be at the bigger events.

On a related note, what way do people genuinely buy or sell tickets now with so many being etickets? Is there not a much higher chance you could be scammed? Was actually selling a ticket recently and was wondering what I'd do if anyone came forward, thankfully someone I knew bought it off me so not an issue.

mondeoman72 · 02-07-2022 1:34pm

Toutless is good. Adverts is good, Facebook is the wild west, they dont give a crap. Gumtree the same. I had 4 weekend passes to Longitude and couldnt get rid. I did a woman a cracking deal on condition she took the 4. I cut my losses. I see on Adverts today, the longitude tickets are dropping big time. It is interesting to see the sellers with 5, 6, 7 or 8 tickets. They must have bought for a football team or something and it fell through.

This guy seems to have fierce bad luck getting stuck with tickets when his friends pull out. https://www.adverts.ie/member/1274325/ads/sold and https://www.adverts.ie/member/1274325/ads/withdrawn

Electric Nitwit · 02-07-2022 1:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119278212#Comment_119278212

As loath as I am to praise ticketmaster, the new transfer system they have is really good. If someone transfers you tickets that way you know they're yours and there's no chance they've been duplicated (at least, I think that's true)

mondeoman72 · 02-07-2022 1:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119280262#Comment_119280262

They can still be printed.

Electric Nitwit · 02-07-2022 3:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119280276#Comment_119280276

Are the old barcodes not invalidated if they're transferred?

I don't actually know, I just assumed they were

Hello 2D Person Below · 02-07-2022 3:44pm

I think a lot of them have evolved and now buy up the likes of new iPhones/PlayStations/etc.

Wheeling and dealing online is much more hospitable than hanging around in the cold, wind and rain.

Much safer investment too.

pjcb · 04-07-2022 8:15pm

I see a few offers of Caribou tickets on toutless and the 1 genuine looking offer and sale on facebook, I wonder why they aren't reselling via ticketmaster?

Also how would people have hard copies and not also have a digital copy?

Some events may not allow reselling via ticketmaster, how do you know who does and doesn't.

If it lists the event as limited tickets (vs sold out) does that indicate they do allow reselling via tickemaster. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/caribou-tickets/artist/960381

Do touts still hang around outside venues?

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