If you’re having issues using Ticketmaster, whether on desktop or mobile, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Ticketmaster outages and glitches happen from time to time, leaving customers unable to purchase tickets for concerts, sports games, and other events. Here are some common problems users run into with Ticketmaster, along with potential solutions.
Site or app won’t load
One of the most frustrating problems is when the Ticketmaster website or mobile app simply won’t load at all. You might see error messages, or the site/app could be completely unresponsive. There are a few reasons this can happen:
- Temporary outage – Ticketmaster servers could be down for maintenance or experiencing technical issues. This is especially common right before big on-sales when traffic spikes.
- High traffic – For hot events like Beyonce or Taylor Swift tours, Ticketmaster gets absolutely slammed with visitors. This can cause slow loading times or crashes.
- Internet connection – Make sure your own internet is working properly before blaming Ticketmaster. Try resetting your router or using mobile data if WiFi is being glitchy.
- App needs reinstall – For mobile app issues, try fully deleting and reinstalling the app. This will clear any corrupted cached data.
- Site maintenance – Ticketmaster schedules routine maintenance windows where access is limited. Check their system status page.
If it’s just you experiencing loading problems, restart your device and router before trying Ticketmaster again. But if they’re having a major outage, you’ll unfortunately need to wait it out.
Can’t select or find tickets
You’ve loaded up Ticketmaster, but the events page isn’t showing you any ticket options, or the options are grayed out. What gives? Here are some potential reasons you can’t actually pick tickets:
- Already sold out – Popular events will sell out extremely quickly. If you don’t purchase right at the on-sale time, tickets may already be gone.
- Presales not started – Many events have presales for certain groups like fan club members or credit card holders. Public on-sale comes later.
- More tickets coming – Some events hold back tickets to release in batches. Keep checking back for new seat options.
- Scalped or resale only – Third party resellers may have bought up all the tickets. You’ll only see overpriced resale tickets left.
- Waiting room – For high demand events, Ticketmaster uses waiting rooms that randomly assign place in line. Just wait your turn.
- Glitch – Rarely, a Ticketmaster glitch might incorrectly show no tickets. Try refreshing or starting over.
If an event truly does seem sold out, don’t lose hope. Keep checking back for new ticket releases, or try calling the box office directly to ask about seats.
Errors during checkout
You’ve finally picked the perfect seats and just need to complete checkout. But when you go to pay, Ticketmaster gives you an error or won’t process the transaction. Some common reasons you might encounter checkout problems:
- Timed out – If you don’t finish checkout within the allocated time (usually around 5 minutes), your tickets are released back to the pool.
- Connection issues – Temporary internet or server blips can interrupt checkout. Try again in a few minutes.
- Payment problems – Make sure your credit card details are correct. Call your bank to allow the large, pending charge.
- Scalper limits – Ticketmaster tries to block scalpers by limiting how many tickets one person can buy, which can affect legit customers too.
- Too many tabs – Having the Ticketmaster site open in multiple tabs can confuse the system and cause glitches. Work in one window.
- Bot defenses – If Ticketmaster suspects you might be a scalper bot, it will trigger extra verification steps or cancel checkout.
Going to a new checkout window or trying a different payment method are good ways to troubleshoot. If errors persist, reach out to Ticketmaster customer service for assistance completing your purchase.
Unexpected fees and prices
You found some great tickets for $50 each…or so you thought. But when you go to checkout, the price is suddenly $75 with fees added. Ticketmaster’s fees and surprise costs are infamous for being higher than expected. Here’s what might cause higher ticket prices:
- Service fees – This covers Ticketmaster’s operating costs and varies based on event. Bigger concerts = higher fees.
- Facility charge – Some venues charge an additional fee per ticket that goes to the stadium/theater instead of Ticketmaster.
- Order processing fee – This fixed fee covers every order, even with just one ticket.
- Delivery fees – Digital tickets let you avoid this, but printed tickets shipments incur a delivery/will call fee.
- Dynamic pricing – For very high demand events, Ticketmaster will raise prices in real time based on how many tickets are left.
- Platinum seats – These are extra-expensive tickets reserved for resale. The prices fluctuate based on demand.
- Taxes and fees – There are often city, county, and state taxes tacked on too.
It’s always smart to budget extra when buying tickets through Ticketmaster. Their fees can sometimes exceed 50% of base ticket prices. But convenience and peace of mind often makes it worthwhile for fans.
Tickets already used/invalid
You bought tickets from Ticketmaster, but when you showed up at the event, your ticket was rejected as invalid or already used. What happened? Potential reasons include:
- Sold extra copies – Scammers will sometimes sell copied or photocopied tickets multiple times over.
- Doctored barcode – The ticket barcode could have been tampered with to invalidate it or counterfeited.
- Stolen tickets – Beware buying secondhand tickets. They might have been stolen and already redeemed.
- Wrong date – Make sure you’re attending the right day. Multi-day events use separate tickets for each show.
- Mobile tickets – If you bought via mobile, make sure to bring that same smartphone with the mobile ticket wallet app.
Always buy directly from Ticketmaster or other reputable primary sellers to avoid invalid ticket scams. If your valid Ticketmaster ticket doesn’t work, reach out to their fan services team for help getting it honored or replaced.
Cancelled or changed events
You bought tickets back when the event was first announced. But now you hear it’s postponed, moved, or cancelled altogether. What are your options in these situations?
- Refunds – For cancellations, full refunds are usually issued automatically. Allow time for processing.
- New tickets – Postponed or rescheduled events let you use your current tickets for the new date.
- Credits – If refunds aren’t available, you’ll likely receive a credit for a future event.
- Reselling – You can resell your ticket yourself on a marketplace if you can no longer attend the new date.
Keep an eye on your email and the event information on Ticketmaster for updates about cancellations and changes. Their policies are typically fan-friendly for disrupted events outside the artist’s control.
Verification and fraud concerns
Ticketmaster takes anti-fraud measures very seriously, which can sometimes inconvenience legitimate customers. You may encounter extra identity verification steps, payment authorizations, CAPTCHA codes, and more. Here are some things that might trigger fraud alarms:
- New device or location – Buying on a new phone or from a strange IP address looks risky.
- Lots of tabs – Running Ticketmaster in multiple browser tabs flags suspicious scalper behavior.
- Bot patterns – Moving too fast or following bots scripts triggers bot detection defenses.
- Proxy connections – Using a VPN or internet proxies are banned for Ticket purchases.
- New payment info – Brand new credit cards without purchase history can look stolen or fake.
If you’re confident you’re a real human fan, just carefully follow the verification instructions Ticketmaster provides. Failing their automated checks causes a temporary lockout from purchasing, so go slow and follow the rules.
Account troubles
To save payment info and ticket history, many Ticketmaster users create accounts. But you might later run into login troubles, email confirmations, missing tickets in your account, and other headaches. Some potential account issues:
- Forgotten password – Try resetting your password via email. Call support if that fails.
- Unverified account – New accounts sometimes require email verification to unlock full features.
- Spam filters – Check spam folders. verification and payment emails sometimes get flagged.
- Cookies disabled – Ticketmaster relies heavily on cookies. Enable them to stay logged in.
- Multiple accounts – Merging old accounts is complicated. Start fresh if possible.
Slow down and follow instructions closely when creating a new Ticketmaster account to avoid problems. Jumping around tabs prematurely often causes signup glitches.
Getting help from Ticketmaster
Hopefully the tips above help you resolve any Ticketmaster issues yourself. But if you still can’t purchase tickets or need personalized support, here are some ways to get assistance directly from Ticketmaster:
- Contact form – Reach Ticketmaster customer service by filling out their online contact form.
- Live chat – During business hours, chat with a Ticketmaster rep for instant answers.
- Call support – Over the phone support is available, though high wait times should be expected.
- Twitter – The @Ticketmaster Twitter account can help with quick questions.
- Subreddits – Other fans discuss Ticketmaster issues on Reddit forums like r/Ticketmaster.
When contacting Ticketmaster support directly, keep your order number, ticket info, and any error codes handy. Support times are longer leading up to major on-sales, so plan ahead. With persistence and patience, Ticketmaster’s own customer service team can hopefully get your ticket troubles resolved.