There are a few key reasons why you may not be able to resell your tickets:
Ticket transfer and resale restrictions
Many tickets nowadays come with restrictions on transfer and resale. This is especially common with digital tickets, where the ticket has your name on it and can only be used by you. Some paper tickets also have resale restrictions printed on them. This prevents scalping and ensures tickets remain affordable.
Sold out events
If an event is sold out, there will likely be little to no demand for spare tickets on secondary resale sites. Even if you are allowed to resell the ticket, you may not find any buyers willing to pay face value or higher if they know tickets are unavailable elsewhere.
Fees and logistics
Reselling tickets comes with fees charged by the resale platform. These fees can sometimes absorb much of the potential profit from reselling a ticket. The logistics of securely transferring tickets and payment also deter some people from reselling.
Common ticket resale restrictions
Many major ticket issuers now use resale restrictions to limit scalping and keep prices affordable. Some common restrictions include:
Non-transferable tickets
The strictest restriction is when tickets cannot be transferred at all. The original purchaser must enter with a valid ID matching the name on the ticket. These are common with free promotional tickets.
Paperless and mobile entry
Rather than issue paper tickets, many events now use mobile entry with the purchaser’s credit card or mobile tickets tied to the user’s phone. This also prevents transfer.
Limits on resale prices
Some issuers limit the price at which tickets can be resold. This allows transfer but prevents sellers from profiting by significant markups.
Approved resale partner restrictions
Many issuers only allow tickets to be resold through their officially approved resale platform, limiting options for transfer.
Cancellation of transferred tickets
Issuers can build systems to automatically void and cancel tickets that get transferred in violation of their policies, rendering the tickets useless.
Ways sellers try to bypass ticket resale restrictions
While restrictions aim to limit scalping, some sellers try creative methods to bypass limits:
Fake identities
Some get fake IDs made matching the name on non-transferable tickets to sneak past entry requirements. However, this carries risk of fraud charges.
Screenshot tickets
For mobile tickets, sellers can screenshot and transfer the ticket barcode to buyers. This is risky as the issuer can cancel the original ticket, leaving the buyer stranded.
Social media resales
Tickets are sometimes resold illegally on social media and messaging apps to avoid resale platform fees and restrictions. This saves fees but carries risks for both parties.
Privately meeting to exchange
Agreeing to privately meet and exchange cash for tickets avoids platform regulations. However, safety issues arise with meeting strangers for cash transfers.
Using guest names
Some paper tickets allow entry for the buyer “and guest”, which a seller can exploit by simply listing the buyer as their guest. This is discouraged by most issuers.
Why ticket issuers impose resale restrictions
Ticket issuers restrict resales for the following key reasons:
Prevent scalping and high markups
Restrictions aim to make tickets affordable and prevent sellers from scalping them at inflated prices. This helps keep costs down for fans.
Reduce counterfeiting
Requiring valid photo ID or tying tickets to purchaser accounts reduces fraud from counterfeit tickets. Restrictions make fake tickets useless.
Comply with price floor laws
Some jurisdictions limit how much tickets can be marked up. Restrictions help issuers comply with ticket price regulations.
Drive use of their resale platform
Issuers want sellers to use their officially approved resale exchange to get a cut of resale revenue and control the process.
Collect buyer data
Digital tickets and ID requirements help issuers collect buyer data for marketing purposes and allow restricting access by banned patrons.
Here is a summary table of common resale restrictions:
Restriction Type | Description |
---|---|
Non-transferable tickets | Tickets can only be used by the original purchaser |
Paperless/mobile entry | Tickets are digital and tied to purchaser’s account or device |
Resale price limits | Caps on resale price to prevent high markups |
Approved resale platform | Mandating tickets be resold only on issuer’s approved exchange |
Cancellation on unauthorized transfer | Issuer cancels tickets automatically if resold outside of approved channels |
Alternatives to reselling tickets
If you are prohibited from reselling tickets, here are some alternative options to consider:
Give tickets to friends and family
Rather than reselling to strangers, consider transferring tickets at no charge to people you know who would enjoy the event. This is often permitted.
Donate tickets to charity
Donating unused tickets to nonprofit organizations allows you to get a tax deduction. Many groups distribute tickets to underprivileged youth.
See if exchanges are allowed
Some issuers allow ticket purchasers to exchange their tickets for different dates or seat assignments. This provides flexibility if plans change.
Resell through the issuer’s platform
If the issuer has an official resale exchange, selling there aligned with their policies allows some ticket recovery.
Take advantage of ticket insurance
Some ticket marketplaces allow add-on insurance that lets you recover some costs if plans change and you can’t attend an event.
Conclusion
Ticket transfer and resale restrictions have become the norm across most major events and venues. While these limits aim to keep tickets affordable and prevent scalping, they severely restrict options for reselling tickets. Sellers try creative methods to bypass policies but often carry legal and financial risk. Rather than reselling against issuer terms, the safest options are to transfer to friends, donate to charity, exchange tickets if allowed, or resell through approved channels. Understanding the tight restrictions in the ticket market nowadays is key to managing expectations for reselling tickets.