With prices for concerts, sporting events, and other popular tickets constantly rising, many consumers are tempted to use third party sellers to find better deals. However, the question remains – are these third party ticket sellers legit? There are pros and cons to using third party sellers that consumers should consider before purchasing tickets from them.
The pros of using third party ticket sellers
There are some potential advantages to using third party ticket sellers:
- Access to sold out events – Third party sellers often have access to tickets even after events have officially sold out through the primary seller.
- Potentially lower prices – In some cases, third party sellers may offer tickets for in demand events at prices lower than the primary seller.
- More options – Rather than being limited to what’s available through the primary seller, third party sites aggregate inventory from many sources.
- Convenience of comparison shopping – You can easily compare ticket prices and seating options across multiple resellers in one place.
For high demand events that are sold out or expensive through primary channels, third party sellers can offer consumers more choice and potentially better deals on tickets.
The cons of using third party ticket sellers
However, there are also some significant drawbacks to consider when using third party ticket sellers:
- Higher prices – In many cases, tickets purchased through resellers end up being more expensive than face value.
- Counterfeit tickets – There is a risk of getting scammed with fake or invalid tickets when using third parties.
- No refunds – Most third party resellers have strict no refund policies, while primary sellers often allow refunds or exchanges.
- No customer service – Dealing with third parties can mean you lose access to assistance from the primary seller.
- Additional fees – Resellers often add high service fees, delivery fees, and other charges on top of the ticket price.
Due to the higher costs and risks, consumers need to be very careful when considering third party ticket purchases. Scams and counterfeit tickets are a big problem in the industry.
Are ticket resellers legal?
The legality of ticket reselling varies by state and jurisdiction. Here are some key factors regarding the legal status of third party ticket sales:
- Reselling event tickets is legal in most states, as long as the sellers are not falsely representing themselves as the primary ticket provider.
- Some states prohibit resellers from selling tickets above face value or adding excessive fees, although enforcement is spotty.
- Websites like StubHub and Vivid Seats operate nationwide and represent legal, regulated ticket marketplaces in most areas.
- Individual resellers may violate local laws by selling large quantities of tickets primarily for profit rather than personal use.
- Using bots or unfair methods to buy up ticket inventory ahead of the general public is prohibited under anti-scalping laws in some jurisdictions.
In general, the resale market operates in a legal gray area, although outright ticket scams are always illegal. Consumers should research state laws before using third party sellers.
Are tickets sold on StubHub, Vivid Seats, and similar sites legitimate?
Large, well-known online ticket marketplaces like StubHub and Vivid Seats are generally safe and legitimate to purchase from. Here are some things to know about their business models and reliability:
- These platforms serve as intermediaries connecting individual sellers and buyers, similar to eBay.
- Policies are in place to verify ticket sellers and listings, flag suspicious posts, and mediate disputes.
- Listings usually provide details on ticket locations and seller ratings to help buyers make informed purchases.
- Guarantees are offered so that buyers get refunded if tickets end up being invalid or unusable.
- These sites deal in such high ticket volumes that counterfeits and scams make up a very small fraction of overall sales.
While no secondary marketplaces are 100% foolproof, consumers have much better odds purchasing through large, reputable sites compared to unknown resellers.
Tips for safely buying tickets from third party sellers
If you do choose to purchase tickets from a third party site or reseller, here are some tips to avoid problems:
- Buy only from well-reviewed, high volume sellers with a track record of satisfied customers.
- Avoid buying tickets on Craigslist, social media, or other platforms with no seller vetting or buyer protection.
- Check ticket details carefully to confirm the event name, date, section, row, and seat numbers.
- Understand the ticket marketplace’s policies on refunds, cancellations, and handling invalid tickets.
- Pay using a credit card whenever possible to guard against fraud.
- Allow enough time to receive either mobile tickets or physical tickets by mail.
- Register purchased tickets with the event provider when possible as an extra validity check.
Following these tips can help consumers buy third party tickets more safely, although scams are still possible even on reputable sites.
Are tickets on Craigslist legitimate?
Craigslist offers an unregulated marketplace for ticket resales with high risks of scams. Some key concerns with Craigslist event tickets include:
- No verification of sellers or postings – Anyone can list any tickets real or fake.
- Common scam tactics like requesting wire transfers then failing to deliver tickets.
- Impossible to guarantee tickets are valid or honored for entry.
- No protections or guarantees for buyers against fraud.
- Minimal ability to identify, locate, or prosecute scammers if you are defrauded.
While legitimate ticket transactions do occur, Craigslist’s anonymity and lack of safeguards make it a very risky platform for ticket purchases. Consumers are strongly advised to avoid buying tickets on Craigslist that cannot be independently verified as authentic.
Warning signs of a third party ticket scam
To avoid getting duped by counterfeit tickets, watch out for these common signs of a ticket sales scam:
- Prices that seem too good to be true for high-demand events.
- Sellers using a generic event image instead of photos of the actual tickets.
- Sales requiring cash, wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency payments.
- Seller cannot provide official ticket registration details or serial numbers.
- Seller pushes for urgent purchase before scamming other interested buyers.
- Communications come from a free webmail account instead of official organization.
- Language errors, typos, or other signs communications are not from a native English speaker.
Use great caution if any of these red flags are present when interacting with a third party seller. Scammers use slick tactics to create convincing but fake ticket sales.
Are bots buying up all the tickets?
The use of ticket bots has become a major issue in recent years. Ticket bots are software programs designed to quickly buy up event tickets online ahead of sales to actual fans. Key facts about ticket bots:
- Bots can flood ticket sites and purchase high volumes of tickets within seconds before regular buyers can get them.
- Tickets are then resold by scalpers at often vastly inflated prices.
- Bot traffic creates huge strain on ticket seller websites, causing crashes and glitches.
- Anti-bot laws have been passed in many states but are difficult to fully enforce online.
- Primary sellers use limits, CAPTCHAs, and other measures to try to restrict bot activity with mixed results.
There is no question that ticket bots are severely limiting consumer access to in-demand tickets. But policing bot activity across the whole internet remains a daunting challenge for both lawmakers and ticket sellers.
Are season ticket holders allowed to resell tickets?
It is generally legal for season ticket holders to resell individual game or event tickets from their season ticket package. Some key considerations on season ticket resales:
- Most pro sports teams allow and even encourage season ticket holders to post tickets for resale through official team marketplaces.
- Limits may be imposed on resale prices or the number of tickets that can be posted.
- Some state laws make enforcing limits difficult against individual non-broker season ticket holders.
- Buyers may lose out on benefits like fan loyalty programs when buying resold season tickets.
- Season ticket holders can still violate anti-scalping laws by reselling primarily for profit rather than personal use.
Teams aim to balance providing season ticket holders flexibility while still protecting access for average fans. But the lines are sometimes blurry on what resale limits can be imposed under the law.
How can venues and artists combat improper ticket resales?
As the secondary ticket market has grown, primary event providers have implemented various strategies to deter mass resales and keep more tickets directly available to fans. Some of these anti-scalping tactics include:
- Ticket Limits – Restricting the number of tickets that can be purchased per customer.
- captcha Verification – Using CAPTCHA tests to block automated bot purchases.
- Ticket Registration – Requiring ticket buyers to provide identifying information.
- Paperless Tickets – Issuing tickets electronically tied to the purchaser for entry.
- Dynamic Pricing – Adjusting ticket prices higher for high demand sections or dates.
- Cancellation Policies – Allowing primary sellers to cancel suspicious bulk purchases.
These countermeasures have proven somewhat effective, but committed resellers find ways around them. Ultimately, consumer awareness remains the best protection against getting caught up in the murky ticket resale market.
Should I use a ticket reseller as a last resort?
Using third party ticket sites is reasonable if done carefully and strategically. Factors to consider include:
- Verify the seller ratings and purchase protections available. Avoid unknown sellers.
- Compare prices across multiple sites to identify the best deal.
- Weigh the total costs including fees against just buying from the box office.
- Only buy as a last resort for must-attend events you can’t get tickets to otherwise.
- Set a firm maximum budget and don’t get caught up in bidding wars.
While still risky, well-informed purchases through major resellers may offer access to sold out events. But don’t use them as primary ticketing source, only as a carefully considered last option.
Should ticket reselling be illegal?
There are good arguments on both sides of whether ticket reselling should be made fully illegal:
Reasons to allow ticket resales:
- Reselling provides consumers more options to access events.
- A blanket ban would be difficult to enforce online.
- Some limited resales can be reasonable for personal schedule changes etc.
- Primary sellers still benefit from initial ticket sales revenue.
Reasons ticket resales should be illegal:
- Mass resellers snatch up tickets using unfair methods like bots.
- Excessive markups and fees price regular fans out of events.
- Scams and counterfeit ticket sales would be reduced.
- Performers and venues lose control over distribution and pricing.
Overall there are good arguments on both sides. A balanced approach may be to allow limited resales while prohibiting clear scalping activity. But enforcing even limited bans poses challenges in the digital marketplace.
Are other countries cracking down on ticket resellers?
Many countries recognize the problems with unauthorized ticket reselling and have implemented stricter laws and penalties, including:
Country | Anti-Scalping Laws |
---|---|
United Kingdom | Resale of soccer tickets prohibited. Touts can face unlimited fines. |
Italy | Ticket reselling carries fines up to €10,000 and 1 year jail time. |
Germany | Reselling entertainment tickets above face value is illegal. |
China | Ticket scalping can result in 5-10 years in prison. |
These strict anti-scalping laws demonstrate a commitment to maintain integrity and access in ticket distribution. But even abroad, enforcement challenges remain with sophisticated online reselling operations.
Conclusion
The risks and reliability issues around third party ticket resellers underscore the importance of purchasing directly through primary event channels whenever possible. But for high demand events, third party sellers offer a secondary option with some buyer protections if used carefully. Consumers should be very wary of unregulated sites like Craigslist and social media for ticket purchases. Large, reputable resellers mitigate but don’t eliminate the risks. Ultimately, attending events is never guaranteed – but knowing the risks allows consumers to make informed decisions and avoid ticket scams.