We all have heard it and seen it. On the radio, on TV and online. Advertisements from hotels, parks, airlines, attractions, restaurants, and even from local concerts. Everyone asks us to buy tickets and make reservations online. The question most people ask is, "why should we?" It makes sense to ask because, why spend money ahead of time if you can buy tickets on the day of the event? Why not pay for your hotel room at the hotel front desk? Why not pay for your restaurant bill after ordering and eating the food you have ordered?
To some, the answers to most of those questions are clear. But a vast majority of people are still not sure why should they buy tickets and book reservations online. We used to be one of them, and we used to think we know all of the pros of buying tickets online, but we were completely wrong. Thus, we provide our list of reasons why you should buy tickets and book your reservations online so you don't have to do the same mistakes we did when we just started traveling.
DISCOUNTS
This is probably the most obvious reason why you should buy online. Most people think that this is the only reason to buy online. TV and radios ads announcing "save 10% when you book online", and internet banners in bold letters that reads "save online" is what's stuck in people's mind. But have you ever asked why they provide those discounts online? The main reason is that companies save money too when they get their tickets sold online. Event organizers doesn't have to pay sidewalk vendors to sell tickets with the same discounted online price. Restaurants doesn't have to hire people handing out coupons with the same discounts just to get their place packed. In the case of hotels and airlines, they get a chance to earn more money if a lot of people buy tickets online. It's a way for them to know the demands for flights and hotel rooms at certain time so they can charge for more on later bookings.
AVOID THE LINE
Most people, including yours truly, overlook this as an advantage of buying tickets online. When we were in Top of the Rock NYC, we stood in line behind a long queue while we watch other people going to the "will-call" line and straight to the ticket booth since there's hardly other people in that line. We learned our lesson the hard way so we said never again. We bought our tickets for the Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum the night of that visit; and we were so glad we did because we ended up saving half an hour of time avoiding the slow moving long line in the ticket queue for to museum.We bought our tickets to Universal Studios Florida online as well and how glad we were to avoid the kids rioting in the ticket queue.
UPGRADES
During these hard times, more and more people care less about the extra comfort they can get by paying more. I can still say I saw the show even if I saw it from the balcony. I can deal with a cramped legroom if I can save a few bucks. I don't need a lavish suite if all I do in the hotel room is sleep. The thing is, at times, you can still get all these comfort without paying extra.Companies sometimes offer these free upgrades if you buy your tickets online to test the market. Again, a way to make them more money in the future. If you are at the right site at the right time, you can avail of this more comfort for less money offers.
GUARANTEED SEATS AND RESERVATIONS
You will be in New York for only a couple of nights and want to watch a Broadway show but when you went to the box office to buy your tickets, they've already been sold out for the rest of the week. You promised your husband to watch a concert of his favorite band with him but before the day of the concert, you heard on the radio that tickets have already been sold out. You want to get to the head or the torch of the Statue of Liberty but when you got there, you found out that the allowable tickets for that day to get to the head or the torch has been sold out long ago. A highly anticipated new ride opens in a theme park so locals with season tickets flocked the gates during opening time that the park reached it's maximum allowed guests that day before you even got the chance of buying a ticket. We can think of a hundred more scenarios but the ones above are more than enough to relay the message.
PERKS AND FREEBIES
Planet Hollywood New York offers VIP priority seating if you made your reservations online, which means you get to get the next available table regardless of the number of people waiting outside to get seated. Disney and Universal Studios at times offer early entry and even free 2nd day ticket on theme parks for people buying their tickets online. Los Angeles food tours offer free tote bags for online reservations. Running tours in Washington, DC give complimentary photos, t-shirt and souvenir bag. Some of them offers the same perks and freebies whether you buy your tickets online or not but some only have limited freebies on hand so they prioritize giving it first to the ones who booked online with the promise of the freebie. Why not secure the perks and freebie now instead of hoping it's still there when you get there?
