With ticket prices continuing to rise and many big events selling out quickly, more and more people are looking to ticket resale sites like StubHub to buy and sell tickets. This raises an important question – can you legally sell electronic tickets from Ticketmaster on StubHub? The short answer is yes, with some caveats.
The Long Answer
Ticketmaster has a strict policy prohibiting the resale of its electronic tickets on any secondary market sites. However, this policy is difficult to enforce in practice. As long as you formally transfer the tickets to the buyer on Ticketmaster, which removes your name from the tickets, you should be able to safely sell your Ticketmaster electronic tickets on StubHub without issue.
That said, there are some important things to keep in mind when reselling Ticketmaster electronic tickets on StubHub:
- Make sure the tickets have been formally transferred to the buyer’s Ticketmaster account before they pay you. This takes your name off the tickets.
- Only sell tickets you can successfully transfer. Print-at-home paper tickets cannot be transferred.
- Be clear in your StubHub listing that you’re selling Ticketmaster mobile tickets requiring formal transfer.
- Cancel any tickets that don’t sell – you don’t want the buyer’s name stuck on your unsold tickets.
As long as you take these precautions, you should be able to post your Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub without issue. StubHub does not prohibit the sale of legally transferrable electronic tickets from Ticketmaster or other major ticket companies. Be sure to review StubHub’s policies for sellers as well.
Why Ticketmaster Disallows Resale of its Tickets
Ticketmaster officially prohibits the resale of its tickets on secondary markets for a few key reasons:
- They want to discourage scalpers buying up tickets only to resell them at a huge markup.
- They want to drive sales through their own Ticketmaster Resale site, where they get a cut of any resold tickets.
- They don’t want to be liable for any issues with tickets being resold through 3rd party sites.
However, Ticketmaster seems to rarely enforce this policy for individuals reselling a few tickets here and there. Going after StubHub or punishing regular fans just trying to unload extra tickets would cause a major public relations issue.
So in practice, Ticketmaster appears to mostly tolerate people reselling limited quantities of tickets on secondary sites, as long as the tickets are formally transferred to remove the original buyer’s name.
How to Safely Resell Ticketmaster Tickets on StubHub
Reselling Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub is safe and allowed as long as you take a few important steps:
- Make sure the tickets are transferrable – Verify your Ticketmaster tickets say “Transferable” on them. Print-at-home paper tickets cannot be transferred.
- Formally transfer the tickets – In your Ticketmaster account, use the “Transfer Tickets” function to formally change the tickets over to the buyer’s account and name.
- Only sell after transferring – Never accept payment until after you’ve completed the ticket transfer process. This avoids any issues down the line.
- Communicate with the buyer – Make sure your StubHub listing clearly states your tickets are mobile and require a formal Ticketmaster transfer. Follow StubHub’s policies.
- Cancel unsold tickets – If any tickets don’t end up selling on StubHub, make sure to cancel the transfer so you retain ownership.
Following these steps allows you to safely and legally sell your Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub. The key is completing the formal transfer process to remove your name from the tickets prior to the buyer paying you.
Can You Sell Ticketmaster Tickets on Craigslist or Facebook?
You can sell Ticketmaster tickets on Craigslist, Facebook or other direct buy/sell platforms. However, these sites offer less fraud protection compared to using an established marketplace like StubHub.
Some tips for safely selling Ticketmaster tickets peer-to-peer:
- Again, formally transfer tickets before accepting payment. Never send over tickets without secure payment.
- Use a secure contactless payment method, like PayPal Goods and Services, Venmo Business Transactions, etc.
- Meet in a safe public place if doing a cash transaction.
- Avoid buyers that seem suspicious – go with your gut.
Selling directly does cut out StubHub’s fees, but increases your risks. Use your own judgment and be very careful with transfers and payments.
Other Ways to Resell Ticketmaster Tickets
Aside from StubHub, here are a few other popular ways to resell Ticketmaster tickets:
Ticketmaster’s Official Resale Site
Ticketmaster itself offers an official resale marketplace at Ticketmaster.com/Resale. This lets you resell tickets directly within the Ticketmaster ecosystem.
Benefits include:
- No risk of Ticketmaster canceling your tickets for resale.
- Seamless ticket transfer to buyers.
- Potentially higher selling prices on Ticketmaster’s own site.
Downsides:
- High seller fees – Ticketmaster takes 15% of the resale price.
- Smaller buyer pool than StubHub.
Vivid Seats
After StubHub, Vivid Seats is likely the next most popular online ticket marketplace. It allows the resale of Ticketmaster tickets but will again require formal transfers.
Pros of Vivid Seats:
- Lower seller fees than Ticketmaster (around 10%).
- Wide buyer pool, though still smaller than StubHub.
- Covers the seller if ticket delivery issues arise.
Craigslist
As mentioned earlier, you can directly sell Ticketmaster tickets through Craigslist. While riskier, the advantage is you avoid all seller fees.
Tips for selling safely on Craigslist:
- Carefully screen potential buyers – avoid scams.
- Again, only accept payment after formal transfers.
- Meet in a public place for any cash exchanges.
- Trust your instinct – if a buyer seems suspicious, cancel a transaction.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups dedicated to ticket resales for specific teams, concerts, etc are another peer-to-peer option. This lets you sell locally to other fans.
Some tips:
- Vet group members and only sell to long-time, active members.
- Use Goods and Services payments on Facebook Pay.
- Beware of fake groups attempting ticket scams.
Key Takeaways
- You can legally resell Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub as long as transfers are done properly.
- Formally transfer tickets before payment to remove your name.
- Clearly communicate your tickets require Ticketmaster transfers.
- Avoid “print at home” paper tickets that cannot be transferred.
- Cancel any unsold tickets to avoid issues.
- Other options include Ticketmaster Resale, Vivid Seats, Craigslist, and Facebook groups.
While Ticketmaster discourages it, reselling tickets through proper channels is perfectly legal. Follow basic precautions and transfer protocols to avoid problems. This lets you easily sell your Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub or other marketplaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is reselling Ticketmaster tickets legal?
Yes, reselling Ticketmaster tickets is legal as long as the tickets are formally transferred to the buyer first. While Ticketmaster discourages it, there are no laws prohibiting the resale of tickets.
What happens if Ticketmaster finds out I resold tickets?
For a regular fan reselling a normal quantity of tickets, likely nothing. Ticketmaster rarely wastes effort policing individuals reselling small numbers of tickets. Just make sure to formally transfer the tickets prior to sale.
Can StubHub tell if tickets are from Ticketmaster?
No, StubHub has no way to identify if tickets were originally purchased on Ticketmaster. As long as tickets are legally transferrable, StubHub allows them to be resold on its marketplace.
What if my Ticketmaster tickets don’t sell on StubHub?
If your tickets fail to sell, you will need to cancel the ticket transfers in your Ticketmaster account. This returns the tickets under your name so you can attend the event or repost them for sale later.
What StubHub fees will I pay as a seller?
StubHub charges seller fees of around 15% on the final ticket sales price. There may also be a small listing fee per ticket posted. Be sure to review StubHub’s current seller fee policies.
Is it safer to meet in person when reselling tickets?
For platforms like Craigslist, it is generally safer to meet up to exchange cash for printed tickets. This lets you avoid payment and transfer fraud. However, always meet in a public place and follow your intuition on potential buyers.
Should I sell locally or nationally?
StubHub exposes your tickets to national buyers, maximizing the potential selling price. Local-only sales on Craigslist or Facebook can also work well, especially for high demand events in major cities. Go with whichever fits your needs.
What payment methods should I accept when reselling?
On StubHub, all payments go through their secure systems. For direct sales, only accept PayPal Goods and Services, Venmo Business, Facebook Pay, Apple Cash, etc. Avoid methods with no buyer protection like bank transfers.
