iTunes users furious over botched ticket promo
A large number of Apple Computer's iTunes customers, who paid in advance for rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' new album "Stadium Arcadium" in order to receive a Ticketmaster code that would allow them to purchase advance tickets for the bands upcoming tour, did not receive those codes before ticket pre-sales began on Tuesday and are now enraged with the iPod maker.
Hundreds of the angry iTunes customers are convening on the company's support forms, demanding to know why they did not receive their Ticketmaster pre-sale code Monday evening as Apple had led them to believe.
In an April press release advocating the promotion, Apple said: "Red Hot Chili Peppers fans who pre-order the album on iTunes will also receive an email with a code that they can use at Ticketmaster.com starting May 9 to purchase concert tickets before they go on sale to the general public on May 13."
A large majority of the customers still had not received their codes by Tuesday afternoon, despite the fact that pre-sales for many of the band's shows had already begun. Some of these customers reported receiving blank emails or emails about the promotion that lacked the special code, while others say they received no correspondence from Apple whatsoever.
One customer looking to purchase tickets for the Chili Peppers' Toronto, Canada show had not received his ticket code on Tuesday when he was informed that floor seats for the show had already sold out.
"I don't have my code yet either. This is the whole reason I pre-ordered Stadium Arcadium in the first place," said another disgruntled customer who plunked down $20 to participate in the promo. "Will someone at Apple please give us a shout?"
Apple has made no official comment on the issue, though several customers who contacted the company's various telephone hotlines were informed "Apple is aware of the problem" and that it is "working to get the emails [with the codes] out as soon as possible."
Hundreds of the angry iTunes customers are convening on the company's support forms, demanding to know why they did not receive their Ticketmaster pre-sale code Monday evening as Apple had led them to believe.
In an April press release advocating the promotion, Apple said: "Red Hot Chili Peppers fans who pre-order the album on iTunes will also receive an email with a code that they can use at Ticketmaster.com starting May 9 to purchase concert tickets before they go on sale to the general public on May 13."
A large majority of the customers still had not received their codes by Tuesday afternoon, despite the fact that pre-sales for many of the band's shows had already begun. Some of these customers reported receiving blank emails or emails about the promotion that lacked the special code, while others say they received no correspondence from Apple whatsoever.
One customer looking to purchase tickets for the Chili Peppers' Toronto, Canada show had not received his ticket code on Tuesday when he was informed that floor seats for the show had already sold out.
"I don't have my code yet either. This is the whole reason I pre-ordered Stadium Arcadium in the first place," said another disgruntled customer who plunked down $20 to participate in the promo. "Will someone at Apple please give us a shout?"
Apple has made no official comment on the issue, though several customers who contacted the company's various telephone hotlines were informed "Apple is aware of the problem" and that it is "working to get the emails [with the codes] out as soon as possible."
Comments
Boy, am I glad that I did not pre-order the download with the expectation that I would get a priority code.
Anyone else think they rushed the promotion? I don't recall they ever did this sort of thing before, so I wouldn't be surprised.
We want Chili Willie!
Originally posted by Eduardo
Eck!
Boy, am I glad that I did not pre-order the download with the expectation that I would get a priority code.
Glad I don't like them.
Originally posted by crees!
Glad I don't like them.
What do you have against priority codes?
Originally posted by wilco
What do you have against priority codes?
Well, first...
NO, the dude complaining about floor seats was NOT screwed by Apple. Members of the RHCP fan club were able to order tickets even before the iTunes crowd, and I'm sure that's where the floor seats went. I think the fan club had a two day lead over the iTunes pre-order, and the iTunes crowd had a couple day lead over the general public. You can complain about not getting codes, but not about lack of stage-side seats if you aren't an RHCP fan club member.
Originally posted by Ringo
Not good publicity at all.
Anyone else think they rushed the promotion? I don't recall they ever did this sort of thing before, so I wouldn't be surprised.
They did this For Depeche Mode. I got the code- the only problem was the tickets they offered were awful. I ended up not going - I have over 200 Depeche Mode CD's and have seen them 12 times - so I was very upset at the time (although I did not blame Apple).
Originally posted by peanut brittle
I wonder when the lawsuit will be.....
Ha!
Yup, that's what I was thinking.
Originally posted by wilco
What do you have against priority codes?
Absolutely nothing. Priority codes are great. RHCP are not great. Maybe once back in the day, but not now. Personal opinion of course from a fellow rocker.
Bad show Apple.....
Originally posted by FreeState
..... I have over 200 Depeche Mode CD's......
Them dudes is scary prolific.
Ticket availability and selection is not controlled by Apple. They just hand the codes out.
Basically it sounds like artist management screwed up but it makes Apple look really bad. Apple should have hounded them for the codes sooner and been very clear about how it doesn't guarantee a ticket or that tickets will be for good seats. In the end this will probably blow over, but not without leaving a bad taste in many iTunes customers' mouths.
Originally posted by FreeState
They did this For Depeche Mode. I got the code- the only problem was the tickets they offered were awful. I ended up not going - I have over 200 Depeche Mode CD's and have seen them 12 times - so I was very upset at the time (although I did not blame Apple).
I think the awful seats they were offering was a subtle suggestion that you need help. 200 Depeche Mode CDs? My god man. that is sick. 1 would be bad enough.
[B]A large number of Apple Computer's iTunes customers, who paid in advance for rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' new album "Stadium Arcadium" in order to receive a Ticketmaster code that would allow them to purchase advance tickets for the bands upcoming tour, did not receive those codes before ticket pre-sales began on Tuesday and are now enraged with the iPod maker.
The best way to get tickets is to wait till the day of the show and buy them at the box office. The front row seats are usually reserved for press and whatnot, then those seats unused are released the day of the show. If you are stupid enough to wait in line or preorder via Itunes, you are not getting any better seats than if you bought them a week later.
I feel for the people though. It's not the first time presales from any group through the fan club or a vendor have gone awry.
Originally posted by 4metta
It's not the first time presales from any group through the fan club or a vendor have gone awry.
Understatement of the year!