It’s a familiar scenario for many concert and event goers – you buy tickets months in advance for a show you’re excited to see, but when the event date finally rolls around, you can’t make it due to an unexpected change of plans. Since you already paid for the tickets, you’re now wondering if you can sell them and at least recoup some of your money. The short answer is yes, you can sell tickets you can’t use, but there are some caveats to keep in mind depending on where you purchased them.
Can you sell tickets purchased directly from Ticketmaster?
For tickets bought directly through Ticketmaster, the company’s policy allows you to resell them through their official ticket exchange. Here’s how it works:
- Log into your Ticketmaster account and access your order history to find the event you can no longer attend.
- Select “Sell” instead of “Transfer.” This lists your tickets for resale on Ticketmaster’s exchange platform.
- Set your asking price, keeping in mind Ticketmaster adds a surcharge to the final sale price (typically around 10-15%).
- Once sold, Ticketmaster emails you to confirm and removes the tickets from your account to transfer to the buyer.
The major benefit of reselling through Ticketmaster is convenience – everything is handled seamlessly through their website. As long as your event is not approaching its start time, you should have success offloading tickets this way.
One downside is that Ticketmaster charges higher fees compared to other resale sites. You have no control over the final sale price either, just the initial asking price. Overall though, it’s a straightforward way to recoup some money on tickets you can’t use.
What if I bought tickets from a third party like StubHub?
If you purchased through a resale marketplace like StubHub, Vivid Seats or SeatGeek instead of directly from Ticketmaster, the process is different. Most resale platforms have their own ticket transfer/relisting options, so you’ll need to follow their specific policies.
For example, on StubHub:
- Log into your account and select the Tickets tab to manage your orders.
- Find the order with the event tickets you want to resell. Choose “I can no longer go” from the dropdown menu.
- Pick the ticket(s) you need to relist and set a new sale price. StubHub adds on their commission fee.
- The tickets are posted to StubHub’s marketplace. If/when they sell, proceeds (minus fees) are credited back to your account.
The benefit with StubHub is their marketplace sees heavy traffic, so you stand a good chance of connecting your tickets with buyers seeking that particular event. StubHub also tends to have lower final fees compared to Ticketmaster.
The only downside is it requires a few extra steps versus reselling directly on Ticketmaster if that’s where you made the original ticket purchase. But overall, sites like StubHub make it fairly easy to resell tickets purchased through their platform.
Are there other options for offloading tickets?
If for whatever reason you don’t want to relist your tickets through the original ticket seller or a resale marketplace, you do have other options:
- Sell through Facebook – Search for event-specific buy/sell groups and post your tickets there. Many active fan communities exist on Facebook. This method requires more effort but can connect you directly with interested buyers.
- Try Craigslist – You can create a ticket resale listing in the Tickets section, just be sure to take precautions when meeting potential buyers for exchanges.
- List on eBay – eBay has a dedicated event ticket category. You’ll want to price competitively and include clear event/seat details in your listing.
The main drawback to these alternative resale methods is less buyer protection. But they do provide additional options beyond Ticketmaster or StubHub that may appeal to some sellers.
Factors That Can Prevent Reselling Tickets
While you typically can sell unused tickets, there are certain scenarios where reselling may be restricted:
Event is non-transferable
Some venues or artists place strict limits on ticket transfers to cut down on scalping. If an event has a non-transferable policy, details should be visible during the initial ticket purchase. This means you can’t legally resell or even give the tickets to someone else.
Non-transferable tickets must be used by the original purchaser. These restrictions are more commonly seen for high demand shows where scalping is rampant. But it’s something to be aware of as you may forfeit the ticket value if unable to attend.
Tickets are “credit card entry”
Similarly, credit card entry requires the ticket purchaser to present the credit card used for buying tickets along with photo ID. This matches the name against the cardholder to confirm they are the original buyer.
Like non-transferable tickets, this system aims to limit scalping and ensure fairness in ticket access. But it also prevents you from reselling to someone else if you can’t make the event yourself.
Event date is very near
Most ticket resale platforms impose restrictions on reselling tickets as the event date approaches. For example, Ticketmaster only allows ticket transfers until 5 hours before showtime. Other sites may cut off resales up to several days out. This is to ensure smooth entry for buyers and prevent last-minute unloading of tickets.
So if you realize close to showtime that you can’t go, you may be out of luck getting any value back for unused tickets. Always try to relist as soon as possible if you know you can’t make it.
Tickets are partially used
Many multi-day festivals or concert series issue tickets that are valid for the entire run. So if you attend the first day but can’t make the rest, the ticket has already been partially redeemed. This likely prevents you from reselling it on official platforms. Some may allow transfers in this scenario but will require communication with the venue or box office.
The lesson – be upfront in any resale listing about exactly which event access the ticket covers to avoid buyer complaints. Ethics aside, partially used tickets may be difficult to resell.
Tips for Safely Reselling Tickets
Whenever you’re reselling event tickets, it’s wise to take precautions for a smooth transaction:
- Research event policies – Does the concert venue or festival place any restrictions on transfers or resales? Know the rules before listing.
- Act quickly – Start the resale process promptly to allow sufficient time to connect with buyers.
- Price fairly – Check comparable listings to gauge the current market value. Price gouging often backfires.
- Include details – Note the exact seats/section, date, venue rules in your listing to set expectations.
- Require secure payment – Never accept just cash. Use PayPal, Venmo, etc for buyer protection.
- Meet publicly – If exchanging in person, choose a safe, busy location.
- Follow resale platform policies – To avoid complications, carefully adhere to their listed rules.
With some prudence taken during the reselling process, you can often recoup a fair portion of your initial ticket investment.
Ethical Considerations
Reselling event tickets you can no longer use is generally ethical and often expressly permitted by venues and ticket agents. However, there are some ethical gray areas to keep in mind:
- Don’t resell tickets just to profit – Buying tickets solely to scalp them at a higher price is frowned upon. Only resell tickets you yourself purchased with the intent to attend.
- Be fully transparent in listings – Note any defects, obscured views, etc that may diminish the ticket value.
- Avoid price gouging – If an event is sold out, price according to fair market value, not based on desperation.
- Limit numbers – Mass buying tickets to resell is prohibited on many platforms to give everyone a fair shot.
So long as you are essentially acting as a consumer advocate – reselling tickets you can no longer use at a fair and transparent price – then you are likely behaving ethically.
Conclusion
For most events, nothing goes to waste if you can resell tickets for dates you ultimately can’t attend. Platforms like Ticketmaster and StubHub make it fairly simple to recapture some of your initial ticket investment, deducting modest fees in the process. Just be aware of non-transferable tickets, approaching event dates, and other factors that can limit your ability to resell. With proper precautions taken during resale, both buyers and sellers can have a safe and satisfactory ticket exchange.