Ticketmaster.com and the Rate of Web Requests Limit
December 13th, 2005Well, as I was trying to buy some tickets on ticketmaster.com today and after clicking through a couple links I was greeted with the following message:
Please note.
We limit the rate of web page requests that can be made by individual users in any given time period. Your web page requests have exceeded these limits and your access has been temporarily disabled. We impose these limits to protect the web site from automated programs, as part of our efforts to promote fair access to tickets. Please allow several minutes and then try again.
I must be a Robot. After waiting 5 whole minutes I clicked back and was able to proceed searching, but it happened again. This is when I started to get a little frustrated. And by “a little frustrated”, I mean pissed off. After waiting another five agonizingly long minutes to use a website (while reminiscing on days of dial-up Internet service in disgust) I was able to click a link without being told to stop. Now it was time to get prepared. I tried to stop myself from browsing the Internet at my normal speed and wait a few seconds before clicking through again (so as to seem like a normal human being). To aid in this endeavor I opened the Windows clock and watched as the seconds ticked off - that’s right I timed my web surfing. Even with 10 seconds between web requests (yes, 10 seconds is a long time) I was told that I was browsing too fast, which is ridiculous. Imagine if Google implemented the same thing. Ha! They charge a $5 to $10 “convenience fee” for every ticket you buy there, but I am not seeing any convenience!
Wow, this really is ridiculous. I’m having this problem RIGHT NOW trying to buy Tool tickets. They just went on sale and I’m blocked out… Nice…
Yep, it’s happening to me too. I followed a link to Ticketmaster to buy tickets, the page comes up. I click a link on the Ticketmaster page, and bam! I get the page saying I’ve been hitting their page too much.
This is ridiculous
This problem isn’t because you are browsing “too fast” but because you probably share an IP address with your block/condo/apartment/etc.
The web page requests are usually over a set time period of an hour or a day. The problem is that ticketmaster failed to consider the fact that in this day and age a lot of customers are shut out of this system mainly because of this automatic blocking.
Their site still has this error… They must not care too much about the customer… Of course, they are Ticket Master. *&*&^ them….