Advance tickets - reliability of availability indicators

[Leogilbert007]

trying to book a GTR advance single for early July on the Southern website, I am warned that “5 [tickets are] Left!”

are there actually only 5 tickets left in that price band* or are they trying to sell tickets by obfuscating actual availability?


* this would seem unlikely given the journey is over two months away

 

[Haywain]

are there actually only 5 tickets left in that price band* or are they trying to sell tickets by obfuscating actual availability?

How many tickets were released in that price band to start with? Unless you know that you cannot possibly say how unlikely it is that there are 5 left.

 

[AlterEgo]

trying to book a GTR advance single for early July on the Southern website, I am warned that “5 [tickets are] Left!”

are there actually only 5 tickets left in that price band* or are they trying to sell tickets by obfuscating actual availability?


* this would seem unlikely given the journey is over two months away

There probably are five tickets at that price band, right now. The lowest tiers of advances are often released only in pretty low quotas.

 

[alistairlees]

trying to book a GTR advance single for early July on the Southern website, I am warned that “5 [tickets are] Left!”

are there actually only 5 tickets left in that price band* or are they trying to sell tickets by obfuscating actual availability?


* this would seem unlikely given the journey is over two months away

It is accurate: There really are only 5 tickets left at that price.

Some factors could change that:
- some people changing their journeys to another date, releasing cheap (or even cheaper) tickets back into the pool
- the TOC releasing more cheap tickets (but it is not supposed to do this, and it used to be a written retailing rule in industry guidance, but disappeared many years ago)

On the whole though neither of these happens

 

[Leogilbert007]

How many tickets were released in that price band to start with? Unless you know that you cannot possibly say how unlikely it is that there are 5 left.

Is there any way for me (U18, gen public) to know this??

It is accurate: There really are only 5 tickets left at that price.

Some factors could change that:
- some people changing their journeys to another date, releasing cheap (or even cheaper) tickets back into the pool
- the TOC releasing more cheap tickets (but it is not supposed to do this, and it used to be a written retailing rule in industry guidance, but disappeared many years ago)

On the whole though neither of these happens

ok thanks

And on a related note: I tried to book the same journey on the forum’s website but the tickets were much more expensive for exactly the same journey — £15 vs £4.65 on Southern’s website (no special options or filters applied). Does anyone know why this is?

 

[Haywain]

Is there any way for me (U18, gen public) to know this??

No, which is why it is strange for you to suggest that the number is unlikely to be correct.

 

[Leogilbert007]

No, which is why it is strange for you to suggest that the number is unlikely to be correct.

Ok noted. It seemed strange at first given how far away the journey is but I was mistaken. Thanks for the clarification

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is accurate: There really are only 5 tickets left at that price.

Some factors could change that:
- some people changing their journeys to another date, releasing cheap (or even cheaper) tickets back into the pool
- the TOC releasing more cheap tickets (but it is not supposed to do this, and it used to be a written retailing rule in industry guidance, but disappeared many years ago)

On the whole though neither of these happens

(3) someone having a ticket in their basket and not purchasing it so it goes back on sale. This does happen a fair bit.

 

[alistairlees]

(3) someone having a ticket in their basket and not purchasing it so it goes back on sale. This does happen a fair bit.

This is transient though - if you get the same availability result (e.g.) an hour later then this won't be happening.