Ten dollars to mail a badge, really?
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Posted by qwaserity lord thrifty the cromulent

lord thrifty the cromulent wrote:
I think it's really weird that after paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars for badges, event tickets, travel, lodging, and food, it's a $10 shipping charge that breaks you.
I have to laugh at your last statement. I told some friends how much I spend at Gen Con and they are like "Oh, $800 seems like a LOT of money..."

I think I lost them when I told them I get four days of parking for $65...

Posted by andrewj.rager qwaserity

qwaserity wrote:
lord thrifty the cromulent wrote:
I think it's really weird that after paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars for badges, event tickets, travel, lodging, and food, it's a $10 shipping charge that breaks you.
I have to laugh at your last statement. I told some friends how much I spend at Gen Con and they are like "Oh, $800 seems like a LOT of money..."I think I lost them when I told them I get four days of parking for $65...
Our annual Gen Con expenses, all things paid comes out to around $3,500 for 3 people.

Posted by traveller

Sounds about right, mine come in around $2,700 for 2 but that includes VIG badges.

Posted by andrewj.rager traveller

traveller wrote:
Sounds about right, mine come in around $2,700 for 2 but that includes VIG badges.
Yeah mine includes VIG as well. Its roughly $1000 in badges, $1,300 DT room and parking, and $1,200 in games and food. Luckily we live in Detroit and it doesn't cost much gas to get back and forth to Indy.

Posted by buffythecatslayer

I think I lost them when I told them I get four days of parking for $65...

I've paid more than that to park in NYC for a few hours...

Posted by aspalek

i just want to update this for people for next year to say it's absolutely worth it to have a badge mailed. Thursday morning lines were 1 hour plus for me because i didn't pay the $10. And aside from a couple of times in the late afternoon, they were always that long. This was my first year, but i couldn't believe how bad it was.

Posted by monkeydragon andrewj.rager

andrewj.rager wrote:
traveller wrote:
Sounds about right, mine come in around $2,700 for 2 but that includes VIG badges.
Yeah mine includes VIG as well. Its roughly $1000 in badges, $1,300 DT room and parking, and $1,200 in games and food. Luckily we live in Detroit and it doesn't cost much gas to get back and forth to Indy.
Hey, I live near Detroit!  Hieeeee!  (It cost me $64 in gas to get from home back to home.  I can stuff a lot of stuff in my little blue hatchback, and she is small but mighty.)

Posted by funny-shaped dice aspalek

aspalek wrote:
i just want to update this for people for next year to say it's absolutely worth it to have a badge mailed. Thursday morning lines were 1 hour plus for me because i didn't pay the $10. And aside from a couple of times in the late afternoon, they were always that long. This was my first year, but i couldn't believe how bad it was.

Its all relative, I suppose.  Lines were definitely slower this year than the previous 2 - but an hour wait isn't that long all things considered (I waited an hour on Wednesday to grab mine). The Gen Con team is pretty damn efficient.

I've stood for longer in amusement park lines for roller coasters than I've ever stood in a Will Call line at Gen Con. As much as I don't like standing in lines anywhere, you do have to factor in the time and costs associated with getting your badge delivered and signed for - did you have to leave work early? Did you have to make a special trip to the Post Office because they didn't catch you at home? Etc.  

And then, of course, you don't want to end up like this guy.

I've never had the badges mailed to me - I'm considering doing it next year to see what the experience is like...but my assumption is that standing in Will Call for an hour is way less stressful than constantly worrying that I left my badge at home.

Posted by monkeydragon

My friend and I choose will call, not because ten bucks breaks the bank (though I did get laid off the Friday before, so that's awesome) but because of the paranoia that something would happen to the packets or they'd be lost or forgotten if we had them shipped.  

I have to say, the lines every single morning were longer than I have personally ever seen.  I wasn't surprised on Wednesday, or even really Thursday, but that the line being all the way to the end on Sunday was a bit of a shocker.

That said...maybe...quitcherbitchin?  It took me 1 hour and 7 minutes to get through a line that started outside past the statue thingie.  There must have been over a thousand people in it.  Not even exaggerating.  That means they're processing someone every four seconds.  Those people were FLYING.  And still pleasant.  Can you imagine getting through any grocery store, coffee shop, or other line that fast?  Try to get there on Wednesday.  Or super early/late.  Hunker down and wait.  We made chit chat with our line neighbors and invented a board game (It's called Con Crud, you have to infect the whole con, it will be great.)  It took me less time to get through that line than it took to get through one fifty foot construction zone.  

There are SO MANY things that can go wrong with a trip that's as big and complicated and expensive as Gencon that can really negatively impact the overall experience.  I don't think that "I had to exercise patience for an hour" should make that list.

And if your schedule is super tight and you don't want to wait?  That's cool.  Pay the ten bucks.  Neither choice is wrong, just make the one that works best for you.

As to taxes and fees, I end with an anecdote, circa 2010, Michigan.  Caribou Coffee has a dollar coffee promotion and, like EVERY BUSINESS that has locations in multiple states with multiple tax rates, it's before tax.  A known irritable customer asks WHY it's a dollar six, not a dollar.  My boss, at the register, explains it's with the tax.  

"I bet you voted for OBAMA," he sneered.

She just smiled angelically at him.  "Yes, I did.   But I believe Michigan has had sales tax for quite some time."

He pays for his coffee.

Posted by andrewj.rager monkeydragon

monkeydragon wrote:
andrewj.rager wrote:
traveller wrote:
Sounds about right, mine come in around $2,700 for 2 but that includes VIG badges.
Yeah mine includes VIG as well. Its roughly $1000 in badges, $1,300 DT room and parking, and $1,200 in games and food. Luckily we live in Detroit and it doesn't cost much gas to get back and forth to Indy.
Hey, I live near Detroit!  Hieeeee!  (It cost me $64 in gas to get from home back to home.  I can stuff a lot of stuff in my little blue hatchback, and she is small but mighty.)
Yeah, it is a pretty cheap drive from here to there and back. We stuff our car as well. Takes about 5 hours with a good stop for food.

Posted by squirecam aspalek

aspalek wrote:
i just want to update this for people for next year to say it's absolutely worth it to have a badge mailed. Thursday morning lines were 1 hour plus for me because i didn't pay the $10. And aside from a couple of times in the late afternoon, they were always that long. This was my first year, but i couldn't believe how bad it was.
An hour of my time is worth far more than the $10. My advice is to just pay it.

Posted by arcus

Gone to GC 11 of last 12 years.

Took wife for first time this year and spent $1500. Drove from Philly area. No hotel costs - covered by points.

Never thrilled by possibility of losing tickets in mail so I always do will call. Arrive on Wed afternoon and it takes about 20-30
min. 12 years ago that easily would have been an hour plus.

GC has gotten dramatically better at processing people and they are open 24 hours a day starting at 12 on Wednesday. Plan accordingly and one can easily avoid long lines and the cost so many complain about. Line time will probably be even less once a full e-ticket system is implemented.

I believe ticket prices have doubled over the last 12 years which stinks, but if that is the cost to attend then so be it. It would be nice if they gave a discount bases on the number of years you attended for loyalty; I think that would be kinda cool.

Posted by nlgplayerone

The point of this post is not "should I get my badge mailed to me?" because you kinda HAVE to get it mailed unless you want to spend hours in line. The point is that, as ticket prices continue to rise each year, and every events costs more and more, and the Gencon machine continues to make more and more profits, they could, and should just allow a mailing option for free. 

I love Gencon, but I really don't like the feeling of getting squeezed more and more each year.

Posted by austicke nlgplayerone

nlgplayerone wrote:they could, and should just allow a mailing option for free.

It’s something Gen Con is considering. But not free, as much as included in the cost of every badge (even if you use Will Call).

Posted by squirecam austicke

austicke wrote:
nlgplayerone wrote:they could, and should just allow a mailing option for free.

It’s something Gen Con is considering. But not free, as much as included in the cost of every badge (even if you use Will Call).
Then why not charge every badge holder X and have a shuttle service? Or charge badge holders X and have waiter/catered food service....

If you want the badge shipped to avoid the lines (I do) then pay for it. If you want to use a shuttle service (I would) then pay the $50 for the pass. I dont see why Gencon should charge everyone for shipping. 

Posted by grtbrt

Never forget that Gencon is in the business to make money - and that is all.

I would assume that they as a corporation they weigh the possible benefits of doing something against the loss of income .
In this case waiving the cost of mailing badges .
With that in mind - what gain do they have by making the shipping free ?
The number of attendees that they might lose by continuing to charge is statiscally insignificant .
It is likely that they will do something like Austicke wrote and charge everybody a "convenience fee" of $8-$10 and make more money. 
Which is what they are in business for .

Posted by nlgplayerone

Gencon has always been more than just another money-sucking corporation. At least it used to be. That's the point. They're supposed to be about a lot more than just squeezing money out of us.

When I become convinced that all they are is another corporation trying to suck every dollar they can from us, I will absolutely be done with them and spend my money at one of the many other options.

Posted by brotherbock

Gen Con is currently in no danger of losing attendees, measured by numbers, over something like shipping. If some people decide not to come, then the other people who weren't able to buy badges this year because the con sold out will come instead.

I would also hesitate before I started talking about how much GC's profits are increasing. Just given that I know absolutely nothing about their costs, which I imagine are not remaining stagnant.

Posted by tdb

I view the whole $10 "cost" a different way.  I'm local, and I don't get a hotel room for the con.  I stay at home.   I'd prefer to have my badge no later than Wednesday evening, so I can get to my Thursday morning events on time, and as stress-free as possible.  So to hit the will-call line on Wednesday, I have to make a special trip downtown.  It's about a 35 mile round trip.  The IRS (not known for their charity) allows you to write off $0.58 per mile traveled for business expenses.  This isn't a business expense, but let's assume 58 cents/mile is a reasonable rate. Heck, just for easy math, let's say it's 50 cents per mile.  So to drive 35 miles, I've spent $17.50.  If I spend $2.50 parking, I've paid for the shipping for both my and my wife's badges.  And not had to spend an hour and a half driving, plus heaven knows how long standing in line.  Seems like a solid win to me.

Posted by garhkal buffythecatslayer

andrewj.rager wrote:
It's been $10 for years. This isn't a new cost, nor do I expect it to go up like you unreasonably suggested. I take it as a "Processing and Handling" fee more than "Shipping" fee. Lots of extra work must go into sending out all of those packets of badges and tickets. This isn't an outrageous price.
Also, yes at times the line can be slow, but as long as you aren't there Thursday morning you should be more than OK. Lines go pretty quick on Wednesday even when they look long. The staff at the Will Call work hard to get to everyone as quick as possible.

I agree.  Every year for the past 5 or so, i've been there on a wednsday afternoon, and though the line was long, it still didn't take more than an hr to go through it..
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Simple solution to forgetting the badge at home: When the packet arrives, open it to check for accuracy, then immediately pack it in your carry-on, unless you have other trips planned before Gen Con.

Even doing that, i've still known some folk who STILL forgot their stuff, as they grabbed the 'wrong carry on'..

irontk wrote:
ascantla wrote:
Now we've covered the "shipping too much $" thread this year. What is the next one that comes up? Is it housing next? or moving cities? or was strollers in the dealer hall supposed to be next? I can't keep track of the order these always come in.
Housing/Outgrown Gen Con
Backpacks 
Attendees without badges 
Cosplayers I think it's somewhat in that order 
 

Don't forget the always popular "Wash yourselves, avoid con crud".
qwaserity wrote:
lord thrifty the cromulent wrote:
I think it's really weird that after paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars for badges, event tickets, travel, lodging, and food, it's a $10 shipping charge that breaks you.
I have to laugh at your last statement. I told some friends how much I spend at Gen Con and they are like "Oh, $800 seems like a LOT of money..."I think I lost them when I told them I get four days of parking for $65...

Part of it may be, cause they budget that say "800$", so that extra 10, puts them over budget...
BUT i agree, with a convention you can easily spend a grand or more going to, quibbling over 10 bucks is a little off..
funny-shaped dice wrote:
Its all relative, I suppose.  Lines were definitely slower this year than the previous 2 - but an hour wait isn't that long all things considered (I waited an hour on Wednesday to grab mine). The Gen Con team is pretty damn efficient.I've stood for longer in amusement park lines for roller coasters than I've ever stood in a Will Call line at Gen Con.

And a roller coster is generally OVER in maybe what, 5 minutes.  GENCON Lasts 4 (maybe even) 5 days!

 

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