Buying concert tickets online can be a frustrating experience. Ticket prices fluctuate rapidly as resellers snap up seats, and it often feels like the odds are stacked against fans trying to purchase tickets at face value. This has led some people to try using incognito or private browsing mode in their web browser when ticket buying in hopes of scoring better deals. But does incognito mode actually help with buying concert tickets? Here is a comprehensive look at the pros and cons of using incognito browsing when purchasing tickets.
What is incognito mode?
Incognito mode, also known as private browsing, is a feature in web browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Safari that allows you to browse the internet without saving your browsing history, cookies and site data. When you open a new incognito window, your browser won’t keep track of the pages you visit and won’t store information like login details and searches.
Some key features of incognito browsing:
- Does not record your browsing history, searches or form data when you close the incognito window down
- Does not leave cookies or site data behind on your device when the window is closed
- Does not save your usernames, passwords or other input from sites you visit
- Opens sites in a new session, rather than pulling past cookies or cached site data from previous browsing
The idea behind this mode is to make your browsing more private. You can access sites and have the contents of that session wiped clean once you close the incognito window.
Does incognito mode hide your browsing?
It’s a common misconception that incognito or private browsing modes completely hide your internet activity. In reality, incognito mode only prevents your browser from locally saving browsing data. Your internet service provider, the websites you visit and third-party trackers can still monitor and record your online movements.
Some things incognito mode does NOT do:
- Hide your browsing from your internet provider or employer if they monitor network traffic
- Prevent websites from tracking your visit
- Stop advertisers from profiling your interests based on pages visited
- Make you anonymous to government or law enforcement agencies
So while incognito mode won’t show up in your browser history, your actions are not entirely private. Keep this in mind when browsing in incognito mode.
The case for using incognito mode
Despite its limitations, there are some advantages to using incognito mode when buying concert tickets:
Avoids price increases from cookies
Some ticket resellers use browser cookies and browsing history data to engage in “dynamic pricing.” This means the reseller will raise prices if it detects you are checking ticket listings frequently or have visited the page for that event before.
Clearing cookies and browsing history prevents the reseller from identifying you and hiking up prices. Tests have found event tickets priced 50-150% higher based on browsing history.
Gets around purchase limits
To prevent bulk scalping, many ticket sales limit the number you can buy per credit card or household address. Cookies and login IDs allow them to connect these data points and enforce those caps.
Incognito mode gives you a “clean slate” identity tied just to that session. As long as you haven’t hit the cap in normal browsing, an incognito window lets you make another purchase.
Access presale codes again
Some presale events provide access codes that can only be used once per customer. Incognito mode presents a new browser session, so you may be able to enter valid presale codes again that were already applied to your account.
No price inflation from third-party data
Ticket resellers can use data brokers like Acxiom to pull in information about your income, purchasing habits, and other personal details. These third-party profiles are used to gauge how much you’re able and willing to pay.
Incognito mode limits these data profiling and segmentation efforts, removing outside influences on pricing.
The case against incognito mode
However, there are also some potential downsides to weigh when buying tickets in incognito mode:
Lose access to saved payment info
Speed is critical when vying for coveted tickets. The precious seconds spent entering credit card or Paypal details could mean someone else grabs them first.
Incognito won’t autofill your payment info, forcing you to enter it manually and costing you time. You may want to save it ahead of time in your ticketing account.
Miss out on verified fan access
To keep tickets from instantly being scooped up by bots, many artists now use Verified Fan programs. This requires registering ahead of time and being selected via a lottery system.
Using incognito hinders verification since it won’t save cookies or login credentials that prove you signed up. This means you may not get a shot at special presales and priority access.
No help from browser autofill
Entering all your contact and shipping information is another speed bump when buying tickets. Browsers can autofill this for you, but only if you’re logged in and not in incognito mode.
Typing this manually takes longer. And on smaller mobile screens, it’s most prone to typing errors that could cost you checkout completion.
Lose wishlist or cart data
When browsing for tickets across multiple sites, you may want to shortlist options or save them in a cart as you research. This info gets wiped after closing incognito.
You’ll have to redo your searching and comparison shopping in the new window. For very popular events, you risk selected seats selling out while you re-browse and re-select them.
Tips for using incognito mode effectively
If you do choose to use incognito browsing when purchasing tickets, here are some best practices:
- Open a normal browsing window side-by-side with your incognito window – This lets you reference saved info like loyalty accounts, payment forms, and venue seat maps.
- Note important info in a text doc – Jot down ticket details, seat numbers, seller names, and other data points so they aren’t lost when closing the incognito window.
- Avoid closing incognito mid-transaction – Only close when fully done ticket buying, or you’ll have to start the whole process over.
- Use Google Smart Lock – This Google tool enables easier sign-ins by saving passwords across browsing modes.
- Try both normal and incognito browsing – Evaluate if pricing differs, then complete the purchase in whichever mode is cheaper.
Following these tips will make private browsing mode more efficient when attempting to score concert tickets.
The ethical implications
While incognito browsing isn’t illegal, using it to circumvent ticket purchasing limits does raise some ethical concerns:
- It works against efforts to ensure fair access to tickets.
- Artists and vendors intend those rules to apply to individuals, not browsers.
- The same tactics can be used by scalpers to acquire more tickets.
- Limits on prepaid cards may still apply, even if you bypass household caps.
- Savvy fans may catch on and try to exploit the tactic, further disadvantageing others.
So while incognito mode doesn’t break laws, it does undermine the spirit of anti-scalping measures. Whether those tradeoffs are justified to get tickets may come down to your personal ethics.
The impact of bots
Another factor at play is the growing use of ticket bots that scoop up inventory. No browser settings can overcome bot technology designed to game the system.
Bots have advantages like:
- Lightning quick entry of captchas, checkout info, etc.
- Ability to run complex scarping scripts and site automation.
- Access to proxy rotation to mask bot traffic.
- Proficiency with tricks like agile device switching to get around purchase caps.
Even if you try tactics like incognito, human buyers are still at a speed disadvantage versus the bots. Lawmakers continue working on stronger anti-bot laws, but for now they remain a threat.
Possible alternatives
If you are ethically opposed to exploiting incognito mode, what other options can improve your ticket buying experience? Some alternatives include:
The waiting room
Some vendors like Ticketmaster now place buyers in an online “waiting room” before sales open. This queues up shoppers randomly, avoiding the early bird advantage. As long as you join while waiting room is open, you have an equal shot once tickets go live.
Fan presales
Many artists give their core fan clubs and email subscribers special presale code access. These typically sell a portion of seats before the general public onsale. Sign up ahead of time to get early reservable ticket links sent directly to you.
Verified fan programs
Similar to presales, these systems pre-register fans and then allocate tickets by random lottery. So all verified registrants have the same odds regardless of bots or browsing tricks.
Ticket limit enforcement
Some artists void tickets from buyers who exceed the purchase max, even retroactively after the sale. The risk of cancelation reduces the appeal of workarounds. But be sure to check policies ahead of time.
Auction-style pricing
Unlike fixed price sales, auctions mean the true market value gets bid up in real-time. Your bidding strategy and max price point matter more than incognito settings when competing this way.
Key takeaways
Here are the key points to remember when deciding if incognito browsing is right for booking concerts:
- Incognito does prevent your browser from storing ticket browsing history and cookies locally.
- However, it does not make you anonymous to websites, your ISP, or law enforcement.
- The main benefit is avoiding cookies that allow ticket resellers to implement dynamic pricing.
- Downsides include losing access to saved data like payment info and logged in accounts.
- Incognito mode is technically not illegal but does undermine the intent of ticket purchase limits.
- Alternatives like waiting rooms and fan presales may be a better ethical option.
- Bots remain a threat that browser settings alone cannot overcome.
The choice ultimately depends on your personal priorities – saving money versus adhering to ticket buying rules. For the average fan, incognito browsing represents just one strategy, with its own tradeoffs, when aiming to secure a seat at face value.
Conclusion
There are reasonable arguments on both sides of whether using incognito mode for concert ticket purchases is justified. Those wanting to get the best deal may decide the extra effort required is worth potential savings. Others prefer following the rules as a matter of fairness or skepticism over actual impact.
With ticket demand booming and supply limited, there is no single right answer for fans. The best we can each do is make an informed decision based on our priorities, ethics, and personal financial situation.
While no browsing trick can overcome relentless bot scalpers, incognito mode does provide one tool that – when used deliberately – may help determined music lovers gain an edge over dynamically adjusting Ticketmaster algorithms. But it comes down to each person’s comfort with extra hassle of private browsing versus playing strictly by the vendor’s rules.