How do I use Seatfrog with Priv?

[The Puddock]

I’d better start this post with the caveat that you could write what I know about ticketing on the back of a stamp with a marker pen and still have room for illustrations. I have looked at the Seatfrog website and some threads on here but I am none the wiser about how it is supposed to work. I really don’t want to jeopardise my travel facilities because of a misunderstanding with this.

I would like to use Seatfrog to upgrade a standard class Priv anytime return to first class on a TransPennine service tomorrow and again on the return journey on Monday. I have checked in the RSTL restrictions guide that this is permitted (it specifically says so in the TPE entry). I have already collected physical paper tickets for the journey from a TVM. Both the outward and return journey will involve travelling on three services but I would only like to travel in first class on the middle leg with TPE.

I have never used Seatfrog before. Can anyone please explain to me - as if you’re explaining to a not particularly bright eight year old - how Seatfrog works and what I need to do to to upgrade? Presumably I start by downloading the app…?

 

[paulmch]

It's pretty simple really - just download the app and set yourself up with an account. Once you've done that, enter the journey details of the particular train you'd like to upgrade on, and then wait for the bidding to open. When the bidding is open, you enter your bid (some journeys have an option to just pay an immediate higher price and get a guaranteed upgrade) and then wait for the bidding to finish. If you're successful, you'll be sent a barcode with details of your upgrade including seat reservation - make sure you keep your original tickets as the upgrade is only valid in conjunction with them.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Basically check on RSTL site to see if you can use it for your journey then just use it like everyone else

 

[MotCO]

I've never used Seatfrog, but there is this entry on Roger French's blog https://busandtrainuser.com/2024/05/30/seen-around-22/#more-60423 about how to win bids at the lowest price:

I’ve commented before about the opaque bidding process deployed by SeatFrog for upgrading to First Class. A recent trip from Paddington to Ledbury offered me the opportunity to “upgrade instantly for £35” (as shown above) rather than make a bid when the minimum price was at £15.

Knowing the hidden SeatFrog trick, I avoided that offer and instead indicated I was prepared to bid up to £21 (as shown above and below)…

.. only to be immediately advised that I’d won the upgrade at a price of £20 …. explained “as you bid over £20 you’ve won instantly”. If that’s the case why did the company try and fleece me for £35?

As Private Eye would say: “I think we should be told”.

 

[The Puddock]

It's pretty simple really - just download the app and set yourself up with an account. Once you've done that, enter the journey details of the particular train you'd like to upgrade on, and then wait for the bidding to open. When the bidding is open, you enter your bid (some journeys have an option to just pay an immediate higher price and get a guaranteed upgrade) and then wait for the bidding to finish. If you're successful, you'll be sent a barcode with details of your upgrade including seat reservation - make sure you keep your original tickets as the upgrade is only valid in conjunction with them.

Thanks, that was very useful and I managed to find and successfully book an upgrade on my chosen train. Personally I found it wasn't a straightforward app to use and it was just like the process shown in the quote from MotCO above - they offered me an instant upgrade for £60 or I could tap here to bid £14. I tapped on that and on the bid screen it actually defaulted to a bid of £20. I tapped confirm and it immediately said I had won because I'd bid more than £19. Checking the receipt showed I had actually won with a bid of £17! Baffling.

Still it's good to know that the patronising marketing copywriters from Virgin Trains managed to get jobs with Seatfrog writing excruciating "How do you do, fellow kids?" style nonsense.

 

[Mark J]

I've never used Seatfrog, but there is this entry on Roger French's blog https://busandtrainuser.com/2024/05/30/seen-around-22/#more-60423 about how to win bids at the lowest price:

The Seatfrog pricing is not transparent.

You have the option to 'buy now' for £xx, yet is often cheaper to buy on the train.

Yet, if you bid over a certain a lint, you automatically win the upgrade.

Agree with blog regarding trying to ask for more to begin with.

Then the 'platform fee', why not just include this in the bidding prices, rather than a hidden fee later?

I now tend to purchase any 1st upgrades on the train.

Certainly will not bid more than a few pounds less than on train price, due to the 'platform fee'.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

The Seatfrog pricing is not transparent.

You have the option to 'buy now' for £xx, yet is often cheaper to buy on the train.

Yet, if you bid over a certain a lint, you automatically win the upgrade.

Agree with blog regarding trying to ask for more to begin with.

Then the 'platform fee', why not just include this in the bidding prices, rather than a hidden fee later?

I now tend to purchase any 1st upgrades on the train.

Certainly will not bid more than a few pounds less than on train price, due to the 'platform fee'.

The Buy It Now price can be higher than buying on-board (Weekend First) because it applies for A-Z even if your journey is only A-B.

You ideally want to discourage short upgrades. If a customer wants to upgrade from say, London Euston to Glasgow, you don't want the situation where a cheaper Crewe to Preston upgrade prevents that.

Some people do chose to pay the higher amount anyway (usually not significant differences, a couple of pounds) - because it gives them a guaranteed seat reservation and confirmed upgrade, which on some TOCs like Avanti, is quite important as Standard Premium has a tendency to be full / at capacity.

Automatically giving a guaranteed upgrade above a certain bid price also does not work that way - it's dynamic and depends on the particular service and capacity/allocation.