Booking fees
Frequently asked questions
Why have CSU introduced booking fees?
We've introduced a booking fee on selected Students' Union event tickets to help cover the costs of processing online payments and to improve your online booking experience.
Over the past few years we've received a significant number of complaints and support requests relating to our previous payment system. Common issues included payment verification problems, transactions failing during checkout, and the lack of support for payment methods such as Apple Pay. These issues often resulted in customers having to retry purchases or abandon transactions altogether.
To address this, we're investing in a new payment platform that offers a faster, more reliable checkout experience, including Apple Pay and other modern payment methods.
As payment provider costs have also increased, we've chosen to introduce a separate booking fee rather than increasing the advertised price of every ticket. This helps us keep ticket prices as low as possible while being transparent about the costs involved.
What improvements will I see?
Our new payment platform has been introduced to make buying tickets quicker and easier.
Benefits include:
- Apple Pay and other modern payment options.
- Fewer payment verification issues.
- A simpler checkout process.
- Reduced likelihood of failed or abandoned transactions.
- An overall smoother booking experience across all transactions.
Is CSU profiting off the booking fee?
As a not-for-profit charity, CSU is not introducing booking fees to generate additional profit. We continue to absorb a significant proportion of the overall payment processing costs, with the booking fee helping to offset some of the increased costs associated with providing a more reliable payment service.
Why don't you just include the fee in the ticket price?
We considered this option carefully. Instead of increasing the advertised price of every ticket, we've chosen to show the booking fee separately so you can clearly see what you're paying for. This approach is more transparent and means the event ticket itself can remain at the lowest possible price.
Current consumer legislation also requires mandatory charges to be displayed clearly before purchase.
Why don't you just include the fee in the ticket price?
At present, booking fees apply to tickets sold directly by Cardiff Students' Union.
We have deliberately not introduced booking fees for student group ticket sales while we continue to review the operational and financial arrangements. This helps minimise the impact on student-led activities while we develop a longer-term approach.
Are booking fees charged on every ticket?
Booking fees apply where shown at the point of purchase.
The fee will always be displayed before you complete your purchase, so you'll know the total price before checking out.
How are booking fees calculated?
Booking fees are calculated automatically based on the pricing model in place for that event.
The fee is shown alongside the ticket price before you complete your purchase.
Why can't the Students' Union absorb the cost?
Like many organisations, we've seen significant increases in payment processing costs in recent years.
Rather than increasing the price of every event ticket or reducing the number of events we deliver, we've chosen to recover part of these costs through a transparent booking fee while continuing to absorb a proportion of the overall payment processing costs ourselves.
How does this compare with other ticket providers?
Many ticketing platforms, including those used for concerts, festivals, theatres and other live events, charge booking or service fees to cover payment processing and ticketing costs.
We've designed our approach to be transparent and proportionate while continuing to keep ticket prices as affordable as possible.
Who can I contact if I have a question?
If you have any questions about booking fees or your ticket purchase, please contact [email protected] and we'll be happy to help