Quick Answer
Yes, you can get a refund on resale tickets if the concert is cancelled, but the process depends on where you purchased the tickets. If you bought tickets from an official ticket seller like Ticketmaster, Live Nation, AXS, or the venue’s box office, you will typically be automatically refunded the full price paid if the event is cancelled. However, each seller has their own refund policies, so check the fine print when purchasing.
If you purchased tickets from a resale marketplace like StubHub, Vivid Seats, or SeatGeek, you should also get a refund, but it may take longer as the site needs to coordinate with the original ticket buyer. Be sure to understand the resale site’s FanProtect Guarantee or refund policy before buying. Private sellers on sites like Craigslist do not guarantee refunds if events are cancelled.
Where to Buy Resale Tickets
There are a few major online resale marketplaces where you can buy concert and event tickets from other fans:
StubHub – One of the largest resale sites, owned by Viagogo. Offers a FanProtect Guarantee on refunds.
Vivid Seats – Another big marketplace with a 100% Buyer Guarantee on refunds.
SeatGeek – Features a large inventory and Best Price Guarantee.
Gametime – Last-minute app with savings on unsold seats. Refunds guaranteed.
TicketNetwork – Large selection of tickets. Backed by a 200% Guarantee.
RazorGator – Specializes in premium, hard-to-find tickets. Refund protection.
There are also smaller resellers like ScoreBig and Ticket Club that offer ticket resales with various guarantees. Or you can try peer-to-peer sites like Craigslist and Facebook Groups to buy from individual sellers. Just know private sellers typically won’t offer refund protections if events get canceled.
Official Seller Refund Policies
When you purchase directly from the concert venue or primary ticketing platforms, here are their standard refund policies if events are cancelled:
Ticketmaster – Full refunds issued automatically within 30 days.
Live Nation – Refunds given within 30 days for cancelled shows.
AXS – Automatically refunds full purchase amount including fees if cancelled.
Eventbrite – Full refunds including fees provided upon cancellation.
Etix – Refunds for the full purchase price processed within 30 days.
SeatGeek – Refunds initiated for cancelled events; may take up to 90 days.
Vivid Seats – 100% refund with service fees included if event cancelled.
StubHub – Full refunds guaranteed with FanProtect. May take longer than 30 days.
Box Office – Refund timeframe varies by venue. Average is 30 days.
So buying directly from the venue or ticket seller is lowest risk in terms of guaranteeing refunds. But resale sites also offer strong refund protection policies.
Resale Marketplace Refund Policies
When buying tickets through a resale marketplace, here are the policies for refunds if the event is cancelled:
StubHub
- Full refund provided through FanProtect Guarantee program
- Covers price, fees, and shipping charges
- May take longer than 30 days to process
- Refund goes back to original purchase method
Vivid Seats
- 100% Buyer Guarantee backs all purchases
- Full purchase amount returned including service fees
- Refund timeframe not specified; may take over 30 days
- Original payment method reimbursed
SeatGeek
- Canceled events are fully refunded
- Up to 90 days for refund to be processed
- Returns back to original payment method
Gametime
- Guarantees full refunds on cancelled events
- Refund timeframe not provided
- Money returned to account used for purchase
TicketNetwork
- 200% Guarantee refunds 200% of order if event cancelled
- Original purchase price, fees, and shipping reimbursed
- Timeframe not specified; likely 30+ days
- Refund goes to original payment method
So the major resale platforms do guarantee full refunds if events are cancelled, but it make take 30+ days in some cases to process depending on volume.
How Long Does it Take to Get Refunds?
The timeframe for getting a refund on cancelled concert tickets varies:
| Seller | Refund Timeframe |
| Ticketmaster | Within 30 days |
| Live Nation | Within 30 days |
| AXS | Relatively fast; less than 30 days |
| StubHub | May take over 30 days |
| VividSeats | Not specified; likely over 30 days |
| SeatGeek | Within 90 days |
| Venue Box Office | Varies; average 30 days |
The official ticket sellers like Ticketmaster and AXS tend to process refunds faster as they don’t rely on coordinating with a third party. Resale sites may take longer depending on their policies and volume of cancellations to handle.
Factors like how you purchased the tickets (online vs. phone), size of the event, and method of payment can also impact the refund processing time. Larger concerts and festivals with tens of thousands of tickets sold will naturally take longer to handle.
How to Get Refunded Fastest
Here are some tips to help expedite getting a refund for cancelled concert tickets:
- Buy directly from the primary seller like the venue website or Ticketmaster when possible.
- Pay with a credit card – it’s easier for refunds versus a debit card or cash.
- Use a payment method you can easily access – don’t close accounts.
- Keep your order confirmation or receipt for reference.
- Contact support if it’s been over 30 days since cancellation.
- Be patient during high volume periods and give time for processing.
The most foolproof way is buying tickets directly from the venue or promoter. Resale sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats also have strong guarantee policies in place for refunds. Just make sure you understand and follow the refund procedures.
Calling a venue or seller directly can also help escalate a refund if you’ve waited over a month with no updates after a cancellation. Being polite but persistent goes a long way if you need to get ticket money back quickly.
Getting Refunds on Private Resales
For tickets purchased through non-guaranteed sources like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or friends, getting a refund is less certain if concerts are cancelled. There is no intermediary or guarantee policy covering private ticket sales.
If buying second-hand tickets privately:
- Only meet in public and exchange money safely
- Check tickets are valid before paying with the venue’s box office
- Get full contact information from the seller
- Use a contract or invoice with refund terms
- Pay by check or through PayPal goods & services
- Only buy from trusted individuals
There is always some risk that a private seller won’t provide a refund, even if concerts are clearly cancelled with no reschedule. Having a written agreement or invoice, paying safely with protections, and verifying tickets help minimize chances of issues. Or stick to buying from official sources and guaranteed resale sites.
Can You Resell Already Purchased Tickets?
If you bought tickets to a concert that later got cancelled, you may be wondering if you can still resell them through a marketplace. In most cases, tickets for cancelled events cannot be resold or transferred.
Once an event is cancelled, any tickets purchased through primary channels are voided. Ticketmaster, AXS, etc. automatically invalidate those barcode numbers to prevent fraud or resale.
Resale platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats also typically suspend and remove listings for cancelled events, so you likely couldn’t relist your tickets there. Any selling could risk account suspension if found.
However, it depends on the specific cancellation circumstances:
- Postponed or rescheduled shows – Tickets are usually still valid for the new date, so they can be resold.
- Partial cancellations – Unaffected shows in a tour can still have valid transferable tickets.
- Uncommunicated cancellations – Tickets for shows not widely publicized as cancelled may still briefly allowing resale.
But in general, once a show or concert is outright cancelled and publicly announced as such, related tickets become void and non-transferrable. Any resale would be high risk of issues or fraud at that point. Refunds would be the only recourse.
Conclusion
Getting a refund on concert tickets from cancelled shows is certainly possible in most cases if purchased through official channels or guaranteed resale marketplace sites. While timeframes vary, standard policy is full reimbursement of the ticket price and fees. Just be sure to follow the refund processes and allow sufficient processing time during busy periods. Refunds for private resales are less reliable. When buying tickets second-hand, use protections like contracts and safe payment methods in case events are cancelled down the road.
