Calling Better Business Bureau!

As of 9.44 AM today, I officially declare two corporate entities that SUCK-ASS big time.

First of, we have the much vaunted Ticketmaster, who has the sheer monopoly on at least 90% of event tickets in the USA. Whether you want to watch a ballgame, attend a concert or visit a museum, Ticketmaster will be there for you.

And therein lies the rub. Since you don't have any options beyond Ticketmaster, you are left to scramble for tickets especially if they notify you in advance. Case in point: U2 at Madison Square Garden on May 21st. Receiving the email receipt over the weekend for the Internet Sale opening on Monday (yesterday), I started checking for tickets as soon as the clock struck 9 AM.

An hour later, nada.

Obviously, if you ever get the chance to even get tickets, they will be for the bad seats, not to mention expensive ones. MSG is not cheap, and neither is U2. Still, what's the point of having only one option to buy your tickets? Everyone is funnelled through the same pinhole, and you will have a crush on the online processing that likely leaves more than 50% of buyers empty-handed. Were there even really tickets? Who wants to waste time checking the Ticketmaster site every 5 minutes? Who??? Not even U2 is worth that, ok?

The whole online purchasing thing is supposed to make our lives easier and convenient. You pay a premium for such a service, but that's fine. I have no problems buying tickets to the Knicks games before (probably because no one wants to watch them, and at the same time no wants to pay Ticketmaster's ridiculous prices). But to leave the buying public's options to only one entity's hands - that's fucking insane. Even AT&T was cut down to size. Pearl Jam had the right idea. Can we start a campaign drive to shut down Ticketmaster?

My disbelieving friend, who thinks he can still score tickets, tries the MSG website. And he is redirected to .... (drum roll please)

Maybe we'll still get tickets, who knows? But the damage is done. Ticketmaster officially makes it on my Hate List.
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The 2nd idiot on my Hate List is Columbia House, whose great promos for DVDs and CDs have now run their course.

As a member, you get certain discounts on email promos, and purchasing from them earns you FunCash, which is like points that accumulate and are redeemable for additional products at the end of a year. The other year, from my FunCash points, I only paid shipping charges for Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor. Not bad.

Last December, I saved up enough FunCash points for a special edition DVD of Saving Private Ryan. Total remaining charges: $9.71. Again, not bad.

Two weeks later, I still didn't have my dvd. That's strange - that's the first time that happened. I emailed their customer support, asking about it. Standard reply comes back: please allow for 4 weeks delivery. Being a reasonable person, I said ok and waited. 2005 rolled in, and I still don't have my DVD.

I emailed them again and requested that they should reship the item again (at no cost), and guess what: the standard reply came back and also stating that they shipped it in December. DUH! If I got it, why would I go to the trouble of asking, and even if I was a malicious person, what's the point of pretending I didn't receive any and asking for another copy of the DVD? Why?? WHY???

To add insult to injury (in a manner of speaking), 3 weeks later I got another email stating my order has been shipped. I was elated even grudgingly, because I thought they finally sorted it out ...

... but woe is my name! I have been charged $24.92 this time! WHAT THE HELL. WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME. WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FRIGGIN' FUCK.

You think I took that sitting down? Oh no. Long email to Columbia House. Fuck 'em. There are other options out there.