Selling tickets on Ticketmaster can be a great way for event organizers and promoters to reach a wide audience and sell tickets efficiently. However, Ticketmaster does charge various fees for its services, so it’s important to understand the costs involved before deciding to sell through their platform.
Ticketmaster Service Fees
There are two main types of fees charged by Ticketmaster – a per-ticket service fee and a percentage-based service charge.
Per-Ticket Service Fee
This is a flat fee that Ticketmaster charges per every ticket sold. The exact amount can vary based on the event type, price of the ticket, and other factors, but is generally in the range of $2-$12 per ticket.
For example, a $40 concert ticket may have a $6 service fee attached to it, so the customer pays $46 in total ($40 base price + $6 service fee).
Service Charge
The service charge is calculated as a percentage of the ticket face value. The percentage charged depends on the ticket price:
Ticket Price | Service Charge |
---|---|
$0.01 – $12.00 | 16.5% of face value |
$12.01 – $50.00 | 16.0% of face value |
$50.01 – $175.00 | 15.5% of face value |
$175.01+ | 15.0% of face value |
So for a $50 ticket, the 16% service charge would be $8. The total for the customer would be $58 ($50 ticket + $8 service charge).
In some cases, there is also an additional “order processing fee” applied per ticket order, regardless of number of tickets purchased. This can be around $5-$10 per order.
Account Fees
In addition to per-ticket and percentage fees, Ticketmaster also charges account maintenance fees to sellers using their platform and services. These commonly include:
Monthly Platform Fee
This is a monthly fee for accessing the Ticketmaster sales platform and tools. It can range from $50-$150+ per month depending on level of account and features.
Client Support Fee
There may be a monthly fee for “client support services”, such as dedicated phone and email support. This can be around $100 per month.
Minimum Monthly Fee
Some accounts have a minimum monthly fee that serves as a base fee for services. This ensures Ticketmaster receives a minimum amount per month and may be $300-$500+.
Other Potential Fees
Some other fees that may apply for high volume sellers include:
Set-up Fees
One-time fee for initial account set up and integration – around $500-$1000.
Custom Development Fees
For tailored integrations, custom reporting, or unique features, development fees of $1500+ may apply.
Card Processing Fees
Credit card processing fees can range from 2.5%-4% of gross ticket sales.
Bonus/Incentive Fees
Sometimes bonus payments, rewards incentives, or reimbursements can have additional fees attached.
Estimating Overall Costs
It’s difficult to give an exact total of what it costs to sell through Ticketmaster, since fees vary significantly based on ticket pricing, monthly sales volume, account level, and other factors.
However, here are some rough estimates of potential overall fees for different levels of sellers:
Small Seller
- Up to 5,000 tickets sold per year
- $50 monthly platform fee
- $6 per ticket service fee
- 16% service charge
- Total fees around 15%-25% of gross sales
Medium Seller
- 5,000-50,000 tickets sold per year
- $150 monthly platform fee
- $10 per ticket service fee
- 15.5% service charge
- Total fees around 10%-20% of gross sales
Large/Enterprise Seller
- 50,000-500,000+ tickets sold per year
- $300+ minimum monthly fee
- Volume discounts on per-ticket fees
- 14-15% service charge
- Total fees around 8%-15% of gross sales
Keep in mind these are just ballpark estimates. The exact fees applicable will depend on the specifics of each seller’s account, sales activity, and contractual terms with Ticketmaster.
How Fees Are Collected
Ticketmaster automatically deducts their fees from the gross ticket proceeds before remitting payment to the seller. For example:
- Gross ticket sales: $1,000
- Ticketmaster fees: $150 (15% of gross sales)
- Net payment to seller: $850
So the seller does not have to manually pay Ticketmaster’s fees. They are taken out upfront, and the seller receives the net balance after fees.
Getting the Lowest Fees
If you want to minimize fees when selling through Ticketmaster, here are some tips:
- Negotiate – If you are a very high volume seller, you may be able to negotiate discounted fees.
- Avoid small ticket purchases – Fees represent a higher percentage cost for low priced tickets.
- Bundle fees into ticket price – Absorb fees into the base ticket price to avoid sticker shock.
- Offer pick-up options – Avoid per order fees by allowing ticket pick-up.
- Sell via season packages – Bundle tickets into seasons packages rather than individual sales.
Weighing Fees vs Benefits
While Ticketmaster fees can seem high compared to other ticketing options, their large customer network and marketing reach often makes up for the higher costs for major events and top venues.
Some benefits to factor in beyond fees:
- Huge customer database from Ticketmaster.com
- Strong brand recognition and trust
- Robust event listing and promotional opportunities
- High online ticket sales conversion rates
- Smooth sales, payments and delivery mechanisms
So ensure you fully understand both the fees involved as well as the potential sales and marketing benefits before making a decision on using Ticketmaster.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster offers event organizers and promoters access to a massive customer network to sell tickets. But their service doesn’t come for free. A variety of per ticket fees, account charges, and sales commissions can add up.
Typical fees range from 8%-25% of gross ticket sales depending on volume. Large high volume sellers generally get the lowest percentage fees. There are also monthly account fees to factor in.
While the fees are high relative to other ticketing options, the marketing and distribution power of Ticketmaster is unmatched. So weigh the costs against the potential sales upside when deciding whether to sell via their platform.