Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies, serving clients across North America and globally. In addition to selling tickets directly, Ticketmaster also provides a resale marketplace where fans can resell tickets they can no longer use.
Ticketmaster Verified Resale is a resale platform owned and operated by Ticketmaster. It provides a secure marketplace for fans to resell and purchase event tickets. All tickets listed for resale on Ticketmaster’s site are verified to ensure their authenticity and validity. This provides buyers with confidence that they are purchasing legitimate tickets.
What is Ticketmaster Verified Resale?
Ticketmaster Verified Resale is Ticketmaster’s official resale marketplace for fans to resell tickets and for other fans to buy tickets. It was launched in 2011 as an extension of Ticketmaster’s primary ticket sales operations.
Key features of Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale platform include:
- Verification – All tickets are verified as authentic and valid by Ticketmaster before being listed for resale.
- Pricing – Ticketmaster places limits on how much sellers can inflate ticket prices.
- Buyer Guarantees – Purchases are guaranteed so buyers are protected from fraud.
- Seller Payment – Sellers are paid once the event has passed and tickets have been used.
- Delivery – Ticketmaster facilitates ticket delivery electronically or via courier.
The goal of the platform is to provide a safe, controlled secondary market for ticket resale under Ticketmaster’s supervision. This gives buyers and sellers more confidence in transacting versus using uncontrolled third-party resellers.
Are tickets sold on Ticketmaster Verified Resale authentic?
Yes, all tickets resold through Ticketmaster Verified Resale are 100% authentic and valid. Ticketmaster verifies the validity of each ticket before it is resold on their platform.
When a seller lists a ticket for resale, they must provide the ticket details and barcode information. Ticketmaster checks these details against their sales database to verify the ticket’s authenticity. Tickets found to be fraudulent or duplicated are rejected.
This verification process means buyers can be certain they are getting valid, authentic event tickets when purchasing through Ticketmaster resale. Fake or duplicated tickets are screened out during the verification process.
Ticket Verification Process
Here are the key steps Ticketmaster uses to verify each ticket for resale:
- Seller provides ticket details and barcode information when listing
- Ticketmaster checks the details against their sales database
- Tickets found to be fraudulent or duplicated are rejected
- Only 100% valid tickets are approved for resale listing
This rigorous verification provides assurance for buyers that they will receive a valid ticket. Only tickets confirmed as authentic and unused are permitted to be resold.
Are there any restrictions on how tickets are resold?
Ticketmaster places certain limits and restrictions on how tickets can be resold on their Verified Resale platform:
- Price caps – Sellers cannot inflate prices beyond a certain threshold, usually around 50% higher than face value.
- No duplicate listings – Sellers are limited to posting a ticket for sale only once to prevent duplicates.
- Limits on high-demand tickets – Limits are placed on how many high-demand tickets a single seller can list to prevent hoarding.
- Bans on known brokers – Ticket resellers identified as fraudulent brokers are banned from the platform.
These measures aim to maintain reasonable resale conditions and prevent exploitation. While sellers can earn a profit reselling in-demand tickets, Ticketmaster tries to cap excessive price inflation.
Are there any guarantees if tickets are invalid or unusable?
Ticketmaster provides buyer guarantees if any issues arise with tickets purchased through their Verified Resale platform. This gives customers confidence in their ticket purchases.
If a ticket turns out to be invalid and does not scan correctly at the venue, Ticketmaster will provide comparable replacement tickets at no extra cost. The buyer is guaranteed entry to the event.
If a show is canceled and resold tickets are refunded, the buyer will receive a full refund of the ticket purchase price. The original seller does not receive their payout in this case.
Other buyer protections include guaranteed delivery of tickets in time for the event. If delivery fails, Ticketmaster will offer alternate delivery options at no cost.
These buyer guarantees provide peace of mind that Ticketmaster has the buyer covered in any ticket mishaps that may occur through their resale platform.
What protections are in place against fraud?
Ticketmaster has implemented several fraud prevention and detection measures to protect buyers and sellers transacting on their resale platform:
- Upfront ticket verification – As discussed earlier, all tickets are thoroughly checked to prevent invalid or duplicate tickets from being listed.
- Limits on serial brokers – Suspicious accounts trying to resell large batches of high-demand tickets are blocked.
- Seller screening – Sellers must provide their personal information including name, address and payment details in case issues arise.
- No pre-payment required – Buyers are not required to pay until after the event occurs, avoiding pre-payment risk.
- Cybersecurity monitoring – Ticketmaster employs technology like bot detection and malware prevention to identify fraudulent account creation and activity.
Furthermore, Ticketmaster avoids brokers through the use of ticket transfer systems rather than open resale marketplaces. This makes it much harder for unauthorized 3rd party resellers to acquire inventory to list fraudulently.
These extensive measures provide layers of protection against buyers getting scammed or defrauded when purchasing resale tickets.
Are there any disadvantages to using Ticketmaster resale?
While Ticketmaster Verified Resale provides ample buyer and seller protections, there are a few potential disadvantages to transacting through their platform:
- Higher prices – Resale prices are often marked up substantially higher than original face value prices. Buyers pay a premium.
- Lower availability – The most in-demand and best tickets sell out quickly. Less ideal tickets may remain.
- High fees – Like Ticketmaster’s primary sales, high processing fees and shipping costs apply to resale purchases too.
- Lack of competitiveness – With no other ticketers allowed to compete, pricing is controlled by Ticketmaster and sellers.
Users of Ticketmaster Verified Resale pay for the privileges and protections offered. Buyers should be aware they often pay more compared to unofficial resale sites.
How does Ticketmaster resale pricing work?
Ticketmaster has a number of policies in place to regulate ticket resale pricing on their platform:
- Price caps – Sellers can only raise prices a set percentage above the original face value. This is typically around 50%.
- Market-based pricing – Resale prices adjust based on supply and demand factors, within the set limits.
- No price floors – Sellers can resell for any price at or below face value if they wish.
- All-in pricing – Resale prices must include all fees so the buyer pays the listed price upfront.
These pricing guardrails aim to balance providing value for buyers while allowing sellers to profit on hot tickets. However, for highly in-demand events, price hikes often go to the limit.
Below is a table showing sample Ticketmaster resale pricing scenarios for a $100 face value ticket:
| Scenario | Sample Resale Price |
|---|---|
| Low Demand Event | $80 |
| Moderate Demand Event | $120 |
| High Demand Event | $150 (max 50% markup) |
Ultimately, sellers adjust prices based on demand, while Ticketmaster’s caps aim to prevent extreme price gouging.
Does Ticketmaster have seller vetting policies?
Yes, Ticketmaster employs a seller vetting process for its Verified Resale platform to prevent fraud and ensure responsible reselling practices.
All prospective sellers must provide personal identification such as their name, address, phone number and payment information. This ensures that problematic sellers can be identified and held accountable.
Ticketmaster also screens sellers against internal “prohibited seller” lists to ban known brokers and touts. These are resellers identified as engaging in fraudulent bulk sales or scalping activity.
Once approved, sellers must comply with Ticketmaster’s anti-fraud, fairness and transparency policies. Violations can result in suspensions or permanent removal from the resale platform.
By thoroughly vetting its resellers, Ticketmaster aims to maintain a safe and reputable marketplace. Legitimate sellers are approved while dodgy brokers are kept out of their system.
Seller Account Vetting Process
Here are the key steps Ticketmaster uses to vet sellers on their platform:
- Sellers provide personal details including name, address and contact info
- Details are checked against internal watchlists
- Suspicious accounts get rejected or suspended
- Approved sellers must follow anti-fraud and fair pricing policies
This rigorous vetting aims to maintain trusted resellers and legitimate ticket resale activities on Ticketmaster.
Can buyers safely purchase resale tickets close to event time?
It is generally safe for buyers to purchase verified resale tickets from Ticketmaster close to the event date. However, buyers should be aware of a few factors:
- Limited availability – Fewer ticket options remain closer to the event, restricting choices.
- Higher prices – Short notice sellers can inflate prices since demand intensifies.
- Tight delivery times – Digital or expedited delivery may be required resulting in added fees.
While purchasing close to the event is low risk with Ticketmaster’s protections, buyers may pay more and have fewer ideal tickets to select from.
To get the best prices, selection and delivery options, buyers may want to make Ticketmaster resale purchases well in advance of the event. Planning ahead is advisable where possible.
How does the transfer process work for resale tickets?
Ticketmaster facilitates a secure ticket transfer process between buyers and sellers on their resale marketplace:
- Buyer purchases a resale ticket through Ticketmaster’s site.
- Ticketmaster verifies purchase and processes payment.
- The original ticket barcode is invalidated so it cannot be reused.
- Buyer receives a new valid ticket barcode via email or the Ticketmaster app.
- Buyer redeems their new ticket barcode to gain entry to the event.
This process allows tickets to change ownership while preventing the same tickets from being used multiple times. It prevents duplication fraud.
Ticketmaster also acts as an escrow service, holding funds until after the event occurs before paying sellers. This provides assurance against issues for buyers.
The seamless and secure transfer system maintains the value and integrity of event tickets sold through Ticketmaster resale.
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketmaster Verified Resale provides a regulated, protected marketplace for fans to resell and buy event tickets. While pricing is often inflated for high demand tickets, ample verifications and guarantees are in place to ensure authenticity and a seamless experience.
For buyers unwilling to take risks on unofficial resale platforms, Ticketmaster resale provides peace of mind. Buyers can feel confident they are getting valid, authentic tickets to the events they love.
Some disadvantages exist like limited inventory, pricing markups and fees. However, many find the protections worthwhile to gain trust and security when buying hot tickets. As long as buyers are informed, Ticketmaster Verified Resale delivers on safety and convenience for ticket reselling.
