How to Find the Best Prices on Concert, Theatre and Sporting Event Tickets
Finding the Best Prices on Concert, Theatre and Sporting Events is Easier Than You Think
If you have ever shopped online for event tickets then you know that there are literally thousands of brokers and companies interested in your business. Where do you even begin? Companies spend tens of thousands a dollars a month just to be able to market their tickets to you. I’m here to show you where to find the best deals and cheapest prices on tickets to all concerts, theatre, and sporting events.
Not all Tickets Are the Same - Or Are They?
The secondary ticket market is a $10-$12 million dollar a year business. There are a lot of tickets being sold every day in many different markets. That means that businesses are competing with each other and are constantly adjusting their prices. As a consumer, you have the right to shop for the best price. This is no different than shopping for a product from 2 different merchants. One merchant may charge more for the exact same product. When you’re considering spending $400 on NFL tickets, the difference in prices between vendors can be worth the extra 10 minutes it takes you to find out who is selling the cheapest tickets.
What many consumers may not know about the secondary ticket market is that a ticket reseller or a broker could have their same tickets in many different markets. The same exact ticket that you see on Stubhub will likely be the same ticket that you see on TicketsNow, TicketLiquidator, and hundreds of other broker websites. The only difference could be the price. Most brokers post their tickets to multiple markets. Betcha didn’t know that. If you’re willing to take a few minutes to do a little comparison shopping you will be able save in many cases a substantial amount of money. There could be differences in guarantees, service fees, and delivery charges, and ultimately the price.
There are 3 main players in the secondary tickets market: Stubhub/eBay, Ticket Liquidator, and TicketsNow. They make up the bulk of all tickets in the secondary market. If it’s not on one of those sites, it’s likely that it doesn’t exist.
- Stubhub/eBay are household names and generally offer some of the lowest prices in the secondary market. I personally believe that the prices are lower here because anyone can sell tickets on their sites. You do not have to be a professional ticket broker to list with them. They also have a good customer service when you can get a hold of them. One of the major complaints with StubHub is that you could be on hold for quite some time before talking with a customer service rep. Stubhub also offers a Fan Protect Guarantee. You will pay a 10% service charge. eBay is also a great place to find deals. The trade-off is that if you are not dealing with a reputable seller with a good feedback, you don’t have the peace of mind that a traditional broker can give you.
- TicketsNow was recently purchased by Ticketmaster. They are a major player in the industry and offer excellent customer service. The prices may be a bit higher on TicketsNow, but your tickets will be coming from a professional ticket broker. You will also be linked to TicketsNow if you ever try searching a sold out event on Ticketmaster. There has been recent speculation that Ticketmaster holds back some of its inventory and moves it straight to TicketsNow, but this isn’t the time or the place for that conversation. If the price is right, I have no problem recommending their services. If the price is the same, I always choose another market. TicketsNow charges a 15% service fee. See TicketsNow coupon code below.
TicketLiquidator is the last of the big boys. They provide an extensive inventory and excellent customer service. When you buy tickets from TicketLiquidator your tickets will be coming from a professional ticket broker. I feel very confident that you will have a professional and positive experience when ordering tickets from this online retailer.
- Craigslist can also be a good resource to find tickets locally, especially close-term events. You will likely be able to find the best deal here, but there are some risks as well. Most of the people that post on craigslist are individuals and not professional ticket brokers. If you are willing to meet someone in person and only buy hard copy tickets, I would say that this is a good option. Personally, I would never buy e-tickets from someone on craigslist. There are just too many dishonest people out there. I have noticed that there are a few brokers that post on craigslist. Although, this is against the craigslist terms of service, I’m familiar with all of the names and can reccomend them. Some of them even offer No Service Fees which is a bonus.
There are hundreds of other broker websites on the web, but there is about a 90% chance that their inventory is tied to one of the exchanges above. However, many of these brokers will not have a Service Fee. You will want to check their prices against the 3 sites above to find the lowest TOTAL cost.
Don’t Take My Word For It - Compare Tickets and Prices Yourself
- Lower Prices Than Many Online Brokers.
- Fan-Protect Guarantee.
- 10% Service Fee + Shipping
- Slower Than Average Customer Service.
- Generally, Higher Prices but Better Quality Inventory.
- 15% Service Fee + Shipping.
- Good Customer Service.
- Generally, Fair Pricing.
- Expansive Inventory.
- 15% Service Fee + Shipping.
- Great Customer Service.
Hard Tickets vs. E-Tickets
One of the questions that I get nearly everyday is “Is it safe to buy e-Tickets?” The short answer is a resounding yes IF you are buying your tickets from a professional marketplace like the ones listed above. A professional broker is not going to put their business on the line by selling fake or duplicated tickets. With Stubhub, they have the seller’s credit card on file so that if any problems arise the seller will be responsible for the proof that the tickets were in fact legit. That said, I would not buy e-tickets off of Craigslist or eBay unless that person is a professional ticket broker or they have an outstanding feedback.
There are many things you can do to protect yourself from a run-in with a dishonest seller.
- Always pay with a credit card or PayPal so that in the event of fraudulent activity you will be protected.
- Deal with a professional ticket broker.
- Stay clear of scalpers on the street. This is where the ticket consumer has the most issues. These people give the entire industry a bad name. What are you going to do once you hand over $200 for tickets and you get to the gate and can’t get in? Most ticket brokers are typically small business owners and are respected in the communities in which they have their businesses.
Want to learn how to become a ticket broker? Check out my other free article.
