When it comes to buying tickets for concerts, sports events, and other live entertainment, many customers turn to Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies, providing tickets for a wide variety of events. One question that often comes up is whether Ticketmaster gift cards can be used to purchase resale tickets on Ticketmaster’s website or mobile app.
What are Ticketmaster Gift Cards?
Ticketmaster offers gift cards that can be used to purchase tickets for events on their platform. The gift cards come in various preset amounts ranging from $25 to $500. They can be purchased online through Ticketmaster’s website or mobile app and shipped to you or the gift recipient. Ticketmaster gift cards do not have an expiration date and can be used to buy tickets indefinitely.
The key benefit of Ticketmaster gift cards is that they provide the gift recipient with the flexibility to choose which event they want to attend. Rather than purchasing specific tickets for them, the gift card allows them to browse upcoming events in their area and select the ones they are most interested in.
What are Resale Tickets on Ticketmaster?
In addition to selling the original event tickets, Ticketmaster also provides a resale ticket marketplace on their platform. Resale tickets refer to tickets being resold by other fans and Ticketmaster customers.
There are a few reasons people resell event tickets on Ticketmaster:
- They can no longer attend the event and want to sell their tickets
- They purchased tickets speculatively hoping to resell them for a profit
- They have extra tickets they don’t need anymore
The key characteristic of resale tickets is that they have already been purchased from Ticketmaster at face value. The resale sellers are setting their own pricing and reselling them on Ticketmaster’s secondary marketplace.
Can You Use a Ticketmaster Gift Card for Resale Tickets?
Unfortunately, Ticketmaster gift cards cannot be used to purchase resale tickets on their platform. The gift cards can only be redeemed when buying original face value tickets sold directly by Ticketmaster.
There are a couple reasons for this policy:
- Resale tickets are being sold by third-party sellers, not Ticketmaster themselves. So Ticketmaster doesn’t receive any revenue from those sales.
- Resale tickets are often priced significantly higher than face value. Ticketmaster’s gift card funds are based on precise amounts and don’t align with resale ticket prices.
While convenient, gift cards generally have restrictions on where and how they can be spent. With Ticketmaster gift cards, the limitation is that they only apply to original face value tickets for events, not resale listings.
Are There Any Workarounds?
Unfortunately, there are no workarounds that allow you to redeem a Ticketmaster gift card specifically for resale tickets. Some things customers try, but that will not work, include:
- Purchasing face value tickets with the gift card, then reselling those tickets at a markup. Ticketmaster’s policy prohibits this practice.
- Using the gift card to offset the cost by making two separate transactions. One for the face value ticket with the gift card, the second to buy the resale tickets at full price.
- Calling Ticketmaster customer service and asking for an exception to use the gift card for resales. This goes against their standard policy.
The only option is to use the Ticketmaster gift card for original face value ticket purchases and use another payment method if you wish to buy resale tickets.
Purchasing Resale Tickets
If you do want to purchase Ticketmaster resale tickets, you will need to use a normal payment method such as:
- Credit or debit card
- Ticketmaster online account balance
- PayPal account
Some key tips when buying resale tickets on Ticketmaster:
- Carefully review the ticket details and location map before purchasing.
- Understand the ticket resale policies regarding transfers, refunds, etc.
- Factor in any additional service fees charged by Ticketmaster.
- Make sure to complete the transaction before ticket relists or expires.
Alternatives to Ticketmaster Resale
If you have a Ticketmaster gift card but want resale tickets, there are some alternative places you can check for resale tickets, including:
- StubHub – Large ticket resale marketplace with mobile app.
- VividSeats – Allows sorting and filtering by ticket price.
- SeatGeek – Provides Deal Score on each listing.
- Craigslist – Popular classifieds site for local resale tickets.
- Facebook Groups – Look for event-specific groups.
The selection and prices will vary across these resale sites. Make sure to compare total costs closely as fees can add up quickly. Also ensure the tickets are legitimate and guaranteed before completing any purchases.
Strategies for Using Ticketmaster Gift Cards
To maximize the value of your Ticketmaster gift card given the resale limitation, here are some tips:
- Use it for high demand events likely to sell out quickly where resale prices will be high.
- Find events you really want to attend rather than speculatively reselling.
- Purchase the maximum number of tickets allowed per event.
- Redeem towards tickets as soon as they go on sale at face value to get the best seats.
You can also purchase a Ticketmaster gift card to give as a gift knowing that it must be used for original face value tickets only, not resale ones.
Future Possibilities
There is always a possibility that Ticketmaster could update their gift card policies in the future to allow usage for resale tickets. Some potential reasons they may eventually make this change include:
- Increased consumer demand and feedback requesting this change.
- Wanting greater parity with how competing resale sites handle gift cards.
- Provide further incentive for consumers to resell tickets on their platform vs. competitors.
For now though, expect the limitation to only face value tickets to remain in place. Make sure to carefully check the official Ticketmaster website and gift card terms and conditions for any future updates.
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketmaster gift cards unfortunately cannot be used to purchase tickets being resold by other customers on their platform. The gift cards are restricted to just original face value event tickets sold directly through Ticketmaster. If wanting to purchase resale tickets, you’ll need to use a normal payment method. However, there are ways to maximize the value of Ticketmaster gift cards by being strategic with high demand events and purchasing early. While inconvenient, this policy is due to the nature of gift cards and how Ticketmaster handles resale transactions. But in the future, there is always possibility that they revisit their policy, so keep an eye out for any changes.
