In a move to consolidate some of its operations at its Los Angeles headquarters, RazorGator is preparing to close the eCommerce division at its Phoenix office and move it to L.A., which will result in some layoffs, TicketNews has learned.
The exact number of layoffs has not yet been determined because some employees from the division are considering making the move to L.A. So far, only Mark Wilson, executive vice president of the division, and Roderick Ioerger, who headed up the company’s SEO and affiliate marketing programs, have been dismissed.
Three of RazorGator’s other departments, Procurement, Customer Service and PrimeSport, will remain in the Phoenix office for the time being. And, the company recently hired a former Ticketmaster vice president, Erick Laubach, to head up the revamped eCommerce division.
“The Los Angeles eCommerce organization chart is somewhat different than the Phoenix organization chart,” RazorGator President and CEO Brendan Ross told TicketNews. “Some staff will transition to Los Angeles, others will not based on fit and interest level.”
RazorGator is the nation’s seventh-largest secondary ticket company, according to TicketNews’s exclusive industry rankings. Besides the offices in Phoenix and Los Angeles, the company also has offices in Atlanta and India, and Ross did not say whether any changes are slated for those two locations.
By moving the eCommerce unit and bringing in a new person to head up the operation, RazorGator could be looking at saving money and/or the possibility of a rebranding effort to boost its internet presence.
Ross declined to go into specifics about the change, but he was hired in March of this year in part to shake up the company, which had lost ground in recent years to StubHub and other secondary ticket companies.
Among Ross’s major moves this year was bringing back ticketing veterans Sam Soni and Jason Parker, who were part of the company earlier in the decade but left RazorGator in 2008 during the tumultuous time prior to Ross’s arrival.
Last Updated on December 5, 2009
9 Comments
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Ouch
It makes perfect sense for eCommerce to move back to LA. I sell about a quarter of my inventory to RG and had the pleasure of meeting Brendan Ross, RG’s CEO, at NATB’s trade show in July. He’s a straight-shooter who will always give you a honest response; I like his style and have always enjoyed working with RG. As an eCommerce business owner myself, I rely on my team to drive the business to the next level; this move was necessary since RG’s corporate office is based in LA with Ross.
is this the end of tickco.com?
Is probally their best thing they ever did
Even though I list regularly on Razorgator, I have hardly had a sale in the last 18 months, which means they are not generating traffic.
I also find it strange that they don’t try and tempt sellers back with 10% commission rates. Also, they make little effort to email me promotions, updates etc. All in all, I think Razorgator seems to have given up. Shame because we need a competitor to Stubhub since Ticketsnow is a shell of its former self.
What a sugar coated article. It’s not even telling you half of the story. Looks more like a press release for damage control. Paint a prettier picture so it doesn’t look that bad. They also closed down the entire India office which was actually a very good thing as that was a waste of money. Very well could be the death of TickCo, though. Their web presence is non-existent which shows in a lack of purchases from other brokers. But, hey! They are on Amazon.com now…
Paid Razor Gator $1350 for two SEC tickets in August. They were supposed to be 24 rows up and between the 45 yard lines in a specific section. When they finally arrived, a month after promised & the day before the Game they were on the 25 yard line 4 rows up. Cheap seats for a primium price. I was offered $300 off. That only added insult to injury.
BAD NEWS
RazorGator India office also sold!!
Hi Can you prove that, the “location in india was a waste of money?”. The entire system was builted in india and was supported.