This is a common question for many concert, sports, and event ticket buyers who use Ticketmaster. The short answer is sometimes you can get the fees back, but often you cannot. There are a few key factors that determine if Ticketmaster will refund fees when a ticket is cancelled or refunded.
Ticketmaster Fees
First it’s important to understand the various fees Ticketmaster charges. There are typically 3 main fees:
- Service Fee – This covers the cost of Ticketmaster providing the ticketing services. It is typically around $5-15 per ticket.
- Order Processing Fee – This covers the processing of ticket orders and is around $5-10 per order.
- Facility Charge – This goes back to the venue to cover their costs and varies widely.
There are also sometimes Shipping Fees, Tax Fees, and other event-specific fees. The fees can add a significant amount to the base price of the ticket. For very high demand events, the fees can even be higher than the ticket’s face value.
Refund and Cancellation Policies
Each event has its own refund and cancellation policy that dictates whether fees are refunded. Ticketmaster’s default policy is that only the ticket face value is refunded – none of their fees are refunded if you return or resell a ticket.
However, many events allow full refunds including fees if you meet certain criteria. For example, some will refund everything if it is at least 24 hours before the event. Others will give full refunds if the event is postponed or cancelled. And some do full refunds if you resell through Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale program.
It is important to closely check the specific event’s Ticketmaster page to see the refund policy details before purchasing.
Getting Fees Back
Here are some of the main ways you can get all or some of the Ticketmaster fees back when returning or reselling a ticket:
- Event allows full refunds – This is the easiest way, but is rare for high demand events unless the event is postponed/cancelled.
- Resell ticket within set time period – Some events allow full refund including fees if resold at least 24-48 hrs before event.
- Sell ticket through Ticketmaster Resale – Their verified resale program refunds fees for resold tickets.
- Ticketmaster coupon or promotion – Occasionally Ticketmaster offers promo codes that refund fees.
- Complain to customer service – You can try arguing with customer service to get fees back due to a reasonable issue.
Outside of those options, there is usually no way to get the fees back from Ticketmaster once they have been paid for an event ticket. Some people try disputing the charges through their credit card company by saying it was an unauthorized purchase. But this often does not work and can get your Ticketmaster account banned.
Avoiding Fees
To avoid paying high Ticketmaster fees altogether, here are some tips:
- Buy directly through the venue’s box office if possible.
- Find discount codes and prepaid fee offers when available.
- Use a Ticketmaster gift card so the fees are pre-paid.
- Buy season ticket packages that waive per ticket fees.
- Purchase through the artist’s fan club presales.
- Buy resale tickets that have fees already included.
While Ticketmaster does dominate the primary ticket sales market, more artists are starting to use alternatives like AXS that have lower fees. There are also secondary resellers like StubHub that include the fees in their ticket prices.
Conclusion
The majority of the time, Ticketmaster keeps their fees even if you cancel or resell a ticket. Only in certain cases like a postponed event, reselling through their resale service, or having a refundable ticket will you get the fees back. Otherwise, the best way to avoid paying their high fees is to buy directly from the venue or find tickets on the secondary market that include fees already.
Ticketmaster fees can add up, especially for popular shows where demand exceeds supply. But those fees are usually set costs that Ticketmaster will not refund unless required under the event’s policies. Check an event’s Ticketmaster info carefully before purchasing tickets to know the requirements to get any fees refunded.
Other Common Ticketmaster Refund Questions
How long does it take to get a refund from Ticketmaster?
Ticketmaster typically processes refunds within 30 days of the refund request being approved. The refund will go back to the original payment method used to purchase the tickets. Debit/credit card refunds usually take 3-5 business days to process, while PayPal refunds can take up to 30 days.
Can you dispute charges with Ticketmaster?
You can dispute charges through your credit card company or bank, but it is not recommended unless the purchase was truly unauthorized. Ticketmaster may ban accounts that do frivolous chargebacks. It is better to work directly with Ticketmaster customer service if you believe you deserve a refund for a valid reason.
What happens if an event is postponed on Ticketmaster?
If an event is postponed, Ticketmaster will allow refunds on tickets including their fees. The event organizer would set a period where refunds are available, usually for at least 30 days once the new date is announced. After that refund window closes, you would only be able to resell the tickets yourself.
Can you get a refund if a performer cancels?
If the main performer or act cancels their appearance at an event, full refunds including fees are generally provided. Ticketmaster will communicate the refund process and timeline when a cancellation is announced. Refunds must be requested before the set deadline passes.
Policies of Major Live Event Companies
While each event can set their own policies, here are the typical fee refund rules for tickets sold directly by the major live event promotion companies:
Company | Fees Refunded? |
---|---|
Live Nation | No, only ticket price (not fees) refunded for resold/cancelled tickets, unless event is postponed or cancelled. |
AEG Presents | No refund on fees unless event is postponed/cancelled or tickets are resold through AXS’s resale platform. |
Bowery Presents | No fees refunded for resold tickets. Full refund if event is cancelled. |
Goldenvoice | Full refunds if event is postponed/cancelled. No refunds on resold tickets. |
As shown above, full fee refunds are rare unless the promoter outright cancels or postpones an event. For individual resold or refunded tickets, you typically can just get the base ticket price back, not any of the fees.
Is Ticketmaster Required to Refund Fees?
No, there is no law requiring Ticketmaster or other ticket sellers to refund their fees when a ticket is cancelled or resold. Their user agreements allow them to keep fees for services rendered even if a ticket goes unused. Some countries in Europe have stricter policies, but in the US and Canada Ticketmaster sets its own rules.
The only times Ticketmaster must provide full refunds by law is if an event is cancelled entirely or considered a breach of contract between the ticket buyer and seller. Outside of those cases, it is up to the event organizers to determine if any fees are refunded above the ticket face value.
How Ticketmaster’s Fees Compare to Other Sellers
Seller | Fees |
---|---|
Ticketmaster | $5-$25 per ticket depending on event. Around 20-25% fees on average. |
AXS | $6-$20 per ticket. Lower on average than Ticketmaster. |
StubHub | Around 25% fees but already included in ticket price. |
VividSeats | Around 20% service and processing fees on resale tickets. |
SeatGeek | Buyer fees of around 20% on ticket cost. Lower seller fees. |
As shown above, Ticketmaster’s fees tend to be higher than competitors on average. They leverage their dominant market position to charge higher fees in many cases. However, some secondary resellers have similarly high fees baked into their ticket prices already.
Tips for Avoiding High Fees
Here are some tips for avoiding getting stuck paying Ticketmaster’s high service and processing fees when possible:
- Check venue box office first – They often have lower fees for direct purchases.
- Find fan club and special presales – These sometimes have discounted fees.
- Buy season ticket packages – Saves on per ticket fees.
- See if artist sells direct – Some bigger acts sell through their website.
- Wait to buy resale – Fees are already included in resale prices.
- Beware “platinum” tickets – These jack up fees on purpose.
While Ticketmaster still has a strong grip on ticketing, there are ways to pay less in fees if you are smart about how and when you buy tickets. Understanding the likely fees for an event before purchasing can help avoid sticker shock.
How Ticketmaster Uses Fees
Ticketmaster charges service fees for the following primary purposes:
- Cover their ticketing software and operating costs
- Fund development of improvements and new features
- Pay employees’ salaries and corporate overhead
- Generate profits for shareholders of Live Nation Entertainment
- Pass along fees to clients like venues and event promoters
The fees provide significant revenue for Ticketmaster. In 2022, they reported over $750 million in fee revenue across their website, apps, call centers and in-person sales. These fees make up around 25% of their total ticketing revenue globally.
A portion of the fees also gets passed back to entertainment venues and promoters using their platform. This can cover up to 10% of the total fees on each ticket depending on their contract terms.
In short, the various service and processing fees are an important revenue stream for Ticketmaster’s business. The convenience that comes with using their platform also allows them to charge fees that customers will pay.
When are Tickets Transferrable on Ticketmaster?
Tickets purchased through Ticketmaster can only be transferred or resold according to the event organizer’s policies. Each event will have its own rules specified during the ticket buying process.
Typically, tickets are fully transferrable up until 24-48 hours before an event starts. After that deadline, they can no longer be transferred to someone else in most cases. Some events don’t allow transfers at all or will ban fans if tickets are resold above face value.
To transfer a ticket on Ticketmaster, you must use their Ticket Transfer function in your account. This officially updates the ticket ownership in their records. Screenshots or transferring outside their system is not allowed and will invalidate the tickets.
So check an event’s Ticketmaster transfer rules before buying tickets you may need to give to someone else. Limits are usually in place to prevent scalping, but make transferring tickets tricky in many cases.
Other Ways to Buy and Sell Tickets
While Ticketmaster still dominates primary ticket sales, there are some alternatives worth considering:
- AXS – Digital ticketing platform used by AEG venues. Lower fees than Ticketmaster typically.
- Eventbrite – Best for smaller local events. Difficult for selling large arena concert type events.
- Universe – Fan-friendly ticketing aimed at helping artists make more money from fees.
- StubHub – Largest ticket resale marketplace with high fees built into prices already.
- VividSeats – Resale marketplace with competitive buyer service fees around 10-20% on tickets.
- Gametime – Last minute discounted tickets for sports, concerts, theater available up to 90 minutes before start.
- SeatGeek – Resale site focused on transparent pricing and low service fees.
These alternatives are worth checking for major events you want to buy tickets for. While Ticketmaster still dominates, competition is growing from resale sites and artist-focused platforms aiming to cut fees.
Conclusion
Getting fees refunded when cancelling or reselling tickets through Ticketmaster is difficult in most cases. Only the base ticket price can be refunded unless the event is postponed or the tickets are resold through an approved resale platform.
Checking the specific event’s Ticketmaster refund policy before purchasing is important. Tickets should not be bought through Ticketmaster if there are not acceptable options to get fees back if plans change.
While their fees are high and often non-refundable, Ticketmaster still has a stronghold on major event primary ticketing. Using alternatives when possible or buying resale tickets with fees included already help avoid Ticketmaster’s costly fees.