Question on Avoiding Race Fees
KateRunsColorado
Posts: 407 Member
Question -
There's a race I want to do in July. It's pretty expensive ($95), but I've gotten over that...so I go to register, and on top of the $95 registration, Active.com wants $8 in fees!!!
I can understand paying a few bucks, but $8? Really. Just to process my registration...that seems a bit high.
So I went to the individual race website and they have, readily available, a hard copy registration form, that you can download and mail in.
So, I'm getting ready to mail it in, but realize it doesn't say who to make a check or payment out to. So I contacted the race director, asking who I can make my check out to and this was their reply:
"We are really encouraging everyone to register on Active.com. I helps us administratively to keep track of all of the paperwork and ensure we are not missing information."
After that, I replied once again and said, money was tight and I wanted to save on the $8 registration fee, and never got a response (this was over a week ago).
So my question is this - would it be rude to send in my hard copy and just make the check out to the race name? Should I try and ask again? Or should I just suck it up and pay the $8?
I guess I just don't understand why, if it's that much of a problem, do they even have the hard copy available on their website?
There's a race I want to do in July. It's pretty expensive ($95), but I've gotten over that...so I go to register, and on top of the $95 registration, Active.com wants $8 in fees!!!
I can understand paying a few bucks, but $8? Really. Just to process my registration...that seems a bit high.
So I went to the individual race website and they have, readily available, a hard copy registration form, that you can download and mail in.
So, I'm getting ready to mail it in, but realize it doesn't say who to make a check or payment out to. So I contacted the race director, asking who I can make my check out to and this was their reply:
"We are really encouraging everyone to register on Active.com. I helps us administratively to keep track of all of the paperwork and ensure we are not missing information."
After that, I replied once again and said, money was tight and I wanted to save on the $8 registration fee, and never got a response (this was over a week ago).
So my question is this - would it be rude to send in my hard copy and just make the check out to the race name? Should I try and ask again? Or should I just suck it up and pay the $8?
I guess I just don't understand why, if it's that much of a problem, do they even have the hard copy available on their website?
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Replies
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I work for a race company and we have been known to issue coupon codes to offset the registration fees (we don't use active btw and that is expensive!) to keep our runners happy AND loyal! It's unfortunate that they haven't even responded to your last communication. That would not be acceptable to us at 3WRaces! Good luck! ????0
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I agree, if they don't want people to submit paper entries, they shouldn't provide the paper entry form! Send in the form, and keep a copy of the cancelled check. If you notice a couple months out from the race that you are not receiving any email updates about the race, then send them another message verifying that your registration is all set.0
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Active is the DEVIL! I use paper forms whenever available (less and less these days).
That said, some races are now charging extra for paper entries so it ends up about the same.
I just wish they could price "all in" rather than adding fees. Instead of $75 with an $10 active extortion fee, just charge me $85 and call it a day. How you allocate the funds is up to you.0 -
At first glance, I thought this topic was about avoiding "race faces" and I was very curious
Race fees? Yeah, Active is the Ticketmaster of the sporting community. They suck hard. I'd make the check out to the "event production" organization - not the race name.0 -
Active is the DEVIL!
Just quoting because it is worth repeating.0 -
Active is the DEVIL!
Just quoting because it is worth repeating.
At issue is their shady business practices of tricking unsuspecting runners into signing up for their bullsh!t add-on services. This then goes on your credit card for eternity. You have look VERY carefully to realize the race registration is complete and they are now trying to trick you into signing up for active advantage (or whatever it's called).
This is so lame, if your service is worth buying (and perhaps it is to some?) then why trick people into signing up?
F you active, bunch of crooks!0 -
Haha, glad to know I'm not the only one who hates paying race fees!
And yes - I probably wouldn't even think twice if they just added it to the race cost...in fact, I'd probably be stoked thinking they didn't have fees, and be more likely to sign up.
And I would agree, Active is the devil! Haha...I too almost signed up for it at the end of registering - it is very sneaky!0 -
Oh I HATE those fees... like SonicDeathMonkey, I thought you were trying to avoid entry fees and was also intrigued. I agree with a previous poster - they should just charge a bit extra for the entry - hide the cost so I don't get so annoyed.
I would also send a check if that is your preference.
Getmeregistered.com has fees too - but they're only about half of what Active charges.0 -
Just seeing the bit about Active Advantage... I better go check and make sure I didn't accidentally sign up for that... *sigh*
*whew* It says I have a "free" active.com account. 0 -
One thing I do is register as far as advance as possible once I know I will run the event.
I also look for marathon maniac discounts, or some running clubs offer discounts. And I actually emailed a race director here about a month ago, and asked if they had any discounts. He set me up with a $10 off code.
I agree Active sucks.0 -
For the race I ran last weekend, there was an extra $2 charge to register online, so even though that was a very small amount, I still sent in the paper form (what can I say, I'm cheap!). It was a small, locally organized race to benefit a charitable organization and it didn't occur to me that it might make the race administrators' jobs more difficult... I hope it didn't and I imagine if it was that big of a problem, they wouldn't have offered the mail-in option. I am definitely in favor of saving a few dollars and then you can always donate it to the organization (assuming it's a charity race) if you wish!0
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argh $8 in fees is just ridiculous! The last couple races (registered at a different website) the fees were only a couple bucks. I wish more races would use other websites other than active because it is such a rip off.0
