StubHub is one of the largest secondary ticket marketplaces, allowing buyers and sellers to trade tickets for sports, concerts, theater, and other live entertainment events. As with any online marketplace, buyers naturally have questions about legitimacy, reliability, and trustworthiness when purchasing from StubHub.
Is StubHub Legitimate?
Yes, StubHub is a legitimate company and website for buying and selling event tickets. StubHub was founded in 2000 and acquired by eBay in 2007, so it is an established business with almost 20 years of experience in secondary ticket sales. StubHub sells millions of tickets per year and provides certain guarantees to protect buyers and sellers using its marketplace.
When you purchase tickets on StubHub, your transaction is processed through secure servers using encryption technology. StubHub offers a FanProtect Guarantee, which provides a full refund if your event is canceled and you can’t find replacement tickets, you bought counterfeit tickets, or you are denied entry to an event for any reason. The company backs this guarantee with insurance policies.
StubHub also has clear policies and procedures in place for buyers and sellers using its marketplace that promote fair practices. The company has dedicated customer service teams available by phone, email, and chat in case any issues come up with an order.
Are StubHub Tickets Reliable?
For the most part, yes, StubHub tickets are reliable thanks to the company’s policies for sellers. Sellers on StubHub must have a valid credit card on file and are not paid out for ticket sales until after an event takes place. StubHub also has limits and review processes in place for frequent or high-volume sellers.
These policies help deter fraudulent activity on StubHub. Sellers have an incentive to provide authentic tickets that will scan successfully at venues because they will not get paid otherwise. StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee provides assurance that if any issues come up with invalid or fraudulent tickets, the buyer will get replacement tickets or a full refund.
That said, there is still a risk of ending up with invalid or fraudulent tickets from some sellers on StubHub, just like any secondary ticket marketplace. Buyers should look for sellers with a history of positive reviews and sales to reduce that risk.
Percentage of StubHub Orders with Issues
Year | Total Orders | Problem Orders | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | 10 million | Less than 1% | 0.01% |
2019 | 12 million | Less than 1.5% | 0.015% |
2020 | 5 million | Less than 1% | 0.01% |
According to StubHub, less than 1-1.5% of orders have issues each year. This includes orders canceled for any reason, not just invalid tickets. The low percentage provides evidence that StubHub tickets are generally reliable for buyers.
Are StubHub Ticket Prices Reasonable?
Ticket prices on StubHub may be above, at, or below face value. Sellers set their own prices, so there is no standard pricing:
- Lower demand events may have tickets priced below face value.
- High demand events will likely have tickets marked up well above face value.
- Last minute tickets may get steep discounts as sellers try to unload them.
StubHub displays price ranges and averages for events to help buyers determine if listed prices are reasonable. Buyers can also look up face value prices for the event tickets originally sold by the venue or promoter.
In general, StubHub tickets tend to be competitively priced compared to other major secondary sellers like Vivid Seats and Ticketmaster. Prices typically align with supply and demand. But prices are set by sellers, so there is no guarantee StubHub will have the absolute cheapest tickets for every event.
Are StubHub Sellers Trustworthy?
Most sellers on StubHub are everyday ticket holders unable to attend an event. However, some power sellers treat ticket resales like a business, so their practices may raise ethics questions. Issues like:
- Using bots to buy up tickets faster than average buyers.
- Grabbing tickets just to resell for profit, with no intent to attend events.
- Manipulating prices by flooding or limiting supply.
StubHub does have seller limits, reviews, and quality control measures in place. But the open marketplace model makes it impossible to fully regulate seller practices. Buyers should be cautious of sellers with no reviews or history on StubHub.
Does StubHub Have Hidden Fees?
StubHub displays all its fees upfront during the checkout process. Buyers will see four possible fees:
- Delivery fee – For digital tickets delivered to your StubHub account, there is no fee. Physical ticket shipments incur a delivery fee based on method.
- Service fee – StubHub charges a 10-20% final value fee on all ticket orders.
- Order processing fee – A small $5-10 fee is added to all orders.
- Facility charge – Some venues add on this charge for tickets sold on resale sites like StubHub.
There are no hidden fees in the checkout process. The delivery, service, and order fees are shown upfront before you place an order. However, sellers can incorporate fees into their ticket prices on listing pages rather than as separate charges.
Average StubHub Fees on a $200 Ticket
Fee Type | Fee Amount |
---|---|
Delivery Fee | $5 |
Service Fee | $40 |
Processing Fee | $5 |
Total Fees | $50 |
Expect to pay about 20-25% above the ticket price in fees on most StubHub orders. Delivery and service fees account for the bulk of the additional cost.
Does StubHub Have Good Customer Service?
StubHub generally provides responsive customer service through the following channels:
- Phone – Customer service agents available 24/7 at 866-788-2482
- Email – Email support form allows sending messages with order details
- Chat – Live chat available during standard business hours
- Social media – Active Twitter and Facebook accounts provide customer service
Average wait times are around 5-10 minutes for phone support and 1-2 minutes for chat depending on inquiry volumes. Email responses may take 6-12 hours. According to reviews, customer service agents are generally friendly, knowledgeable, and able to resolve most issues.
The most common complaints relate to long phone hold times and getting canned responses over email. But overall, StubHub provides satisfactory support through their various customer service channels.
Does StubHub Offer Any Guarantees?
StubHub provides the following guarantees to protect ticket buyers:
FanProtect Guarantee
- Full refund if your event is canceled and you can’t find replacement tickets
- Full refund if your tickets are invalid or counterfeit
- Full refund if you are denied entry to an event for any reason
100% Authentic Tickets
- All tickets sold on StubHub are guaranteed authentic and valid by their FanProtect Guarantee
- Covers issues like cancelled barcodes, duplicated seats, and fake tickets
Full Refund Policy
- Full refund if you can no longer attend an event and resell tickets by a set date
- Guaranteed refunds for orders canceled within 24 hours
These guarantees provide significant protection for buyers against fraudulent tickets, changes in event plans, and personal circumstances preventing attendance. StubHub’s policies make the risks of using their marketplace much lower.
Conclusion
In summary, StubHub is a legitimate and generally reliable website for buying event tickets on the secondary market. The risks of encountering major issues are low thanks to StubHub’s strict policies for sellers, guarantees for buyers, and responsive customer service.
Sellers set their own prices based on supply and demand, so StubHub does not always offer the absolute cheapest ticket prices. Service and delivery fees do add a significant amount on top of ticket costs. And some sellers may engage in questionable reselling practices.
But overall, StubHub takes substantial measures to enable trustworthy ticket transactions for millions of buyers each year. The company’s longevity, large market share, and satisfactory track record with customers indicate StubHub is reasonably safe to use for buying tickets to live events.