The Hollywood Bowl is one of the most iconic and famous outdoor amphitheaters in the world, hosting concerts and events in Los Angeles, California since 1922. With a seating capacity of over 17,000, it’s a hugely popular venue that often sells out quickly. As a result, there is high demand for tickets on the secondary market from people looking to resell tickets they can no longer use.
One of the best and safest ways to resell Hollywood Bowl tickets is through Ticketmaster, the official ticketer of the venue. Ticketmaster provides a safe, secure marketplace for buyers and sellers to exchange tickets while avoiding scams. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to successfully sell your Hollywood Bowl tickets on Ticketmaster to ensure a smooth transaction.
Step 1: List tickets for sale on Ticketmaster
To begin selling tickets on Ticketmaster, you first need to have a Ticketmaster account. If you don’t already have one, visit ticketmaster.com and click “Sign Up” to create a free account. Enter your email address and create a password.
Once logged into your Ticketmaster account, you can list tickets for sale by following these steps:
1. Click “My Account” and select “Sell Tickets” from the dropdown menu. This will take you to the Ticketmaster Sell Tickets page.
2. Click “Post Your Tickets” and search for your event. For this example, search for “Hollywood Bowl.”
3. Select the specific Hollywood Bowl event and performance date that matches your tickets.
4. Choose the section, row, and seat numbers that correspond to your seats. Ticketmaster will pull up a map of the venue to help you identify this.
5. Select the quantity of tickets you want to sell and click “Find Tickets.”
6. Ticketmaster will pull up details on your exact tickets. Verify that all information is correct.
7. Enter your asking price per ticket and click “Continue.” Ticketmaster recommends pricing tickets at or below current market value.
8. Carefully review your listing to ensure accuracy. Check quantities, locations, event details, and pricing.
9. Agree to Ticketmaster’s terms and conditions for sellers and click “Post Listing.”
Your tickets are now posted for sale on Ticketmaster! The listing will remain active and searchable until the tickets sell or the event passes.
Step 2: Manage ticket listings
Once your Hollywood Bowl tickets are posted for sale, you will need to manage the listing and communicate with potential buyers. Log into your Ticketmaster account frequently to check for ticket inquiries and offers.
When you receive an offer on your tickets, you can accept or decline it through the Ticketmaster platform. If you accept an offer, Ticketmaster will email you details to complete the transaction securely.
As the event approaches, Ticketmaster recommends lowering your ticket price to increase chances of selling. You can edit the ticket price of your active listings at any time. Price drops tend to generate more buyer interest.
Right before the event, if your tickets still haven’t sold, consider donating them to charity via Ticketmaster so they don’t go unsold. This allows you to recoup some of the ticket value as a tax deduction.
Step 3: Get paid securely
Once you finalize ticket sales through Ticketmaster and transfer the tickets to the buyer, you will receive your payment securely through Ticketmaster.
There are two main ways Ticketmaster processes payments:
Direct bank transfer
This is the preferred payment method, allowing Ticketmaster to directly transfer the owed funds to your bank account electronically. To use this option, you will need to enter your bank account information on your Ticketmaster seller account dashboard. Once a sale is complete, proceeds are deposited into your linked bank account within 5-7 business days.
Check by mail
If you prefer not to provide bank account information, Ticketmaster can mail you a physical check with the payment owed from ticket sales. This usually takes 7-10 business days to receive after the transaction is complete.
The funds from sold tickets will have Ticketmaster’s selling fees deducted, which is around 10-15% of the total sale price. For high-demand shows like the Hollywood Bowl, the convenience of selling through Ticketmaster is worth the small fees.
Benefits of selling tickets on Ticketmaster
Here are some of the major benefits of reselling tickets on the Ticketmaster marketplace:
– Wide exposure – Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket marketplaces, meaning your tickets will get maximum visibility to interested buyers.
– Secure transactions – Ticket transfers and payments are 100% guaranteed and backed by Ticketmaster’s FanProtect Guarantee. This protects against fraud.
– Convenient sales – The entire sales process is handled seamlessly on Ticketmaster. You don’t have to meet up with buyers in person.
– Avoid scams – Unlike secondary sites like Craigslist, all buyers and sellers on Ticketmaster are verified for safety.
– Official marketplace – Ticketmaster is an official partner of the Hollywood Bowl, so you can trust you’re using an authorized platform.
– Fair pricing – Ticketmaster offers tools like interactive maps and sales data to help you optimally price tickets.
– Donation options – Unsold tickets can be easily donated to charity through Ticketmaster right up until showtime.
Helpful tips for reselling Hollywood Bowl tickets
To maximize your chances of successfully selling Hollywood Bowl tickets on Ticketmaster, keep these tips in mind:
– Price tickets competitively based on Ticketmaster’s interactive maps that show current ticket values. Setting a fair market price will attract more buyers.
– List tickets as early as possible, ideally weeks or months in advance. This allows for maximum visibility.
– Be flexible on pricing as the event gets closer. It’s better to get something for tickets than let them go unsold.
– Respond promptly to ticket inquiries and offers. Savvy buyers will move on if you take too long.
– Clearly specify ticket locations and details to avoid buyer confusion. Include section, row, and seat numbers.
– Double check that your tickets comply with Ticketmaster’s resale policies. Some tickets are restricted.
– Don’t wait until the last minute if tickets aren’t selling. Donate unsold tickets to charity so they don’t go to waste.
– Sign up for price change alerts on your listings to stay on top of market fluctuations.
Avoiding scams and prohibitions
When reselling event tickets, it’s important to avoid illegal activity or getting scammed. Here are some important tips when selling Hollywood Bowl tickets on Ticketmaster:
– Only use Ticketmaster to resell – Stay away from risky sites like Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook groups when selling tickets. These have higher fraud risk. Ticketmaster ensures verified buyers.
– Don’t exceed face value – In California, it’s illegal to resell tickets above their original face value price. This is called scalping. Always sell at or below face value.
– Avoid restricted tickets – Certain tickets may have resale restrictions imposed by the event holder. Carefully check Ticketmaster policies before listing.
– Send digital tickets securely – Only use Ticketmaster’s official tools to send ticket transfers to buyers. Never share screenshots or PDFs, which can be scammed.
– Provide accurate listings – Make sure your ticket details, quantities, and prices are correct on listings to avoid issues.
– Transfer immediately after payment – As soon as the buyer pays, transfer the tickets so they are in the buyer’s Ticketmaster account.
– Don’t pay outside Ticketmaster – Only accept payments through Ticketmaster. Payments made externally like PayPal, Venmo, etc could be high risk.
– Protect your login – Don’t share your Ticketmaster login details. Change passwords periodically.
Conclusion
Reselling event tickets through Ticketmaster is a safe, effective way to get value for tickets to sold out shows at iconic venues like the Hollywood Bowl. Make sure to list your tickets early, respond promptly to buyer inquiries, price competitively, and transfers tickets immediately upon payment. Avoid illegal scalping activity and only conduct business through Ticketmaster’s secure marketplace. With millions of active buyers, Ticketmaster provides maximum exposure so you can easily sell your extra tickets to fans that will appreciate them.