Quick Answer
If you sell tickets on Ticketmaster, you can get your money back, but there are some caveats. Ticketmaster allows ticket resale through its Ticketmaster Resale (TMR) platform. When you sell tickets on TMR, you will receive the proceeds from the sale minus a seller fee that Ticketmaster charges. This fee is typically around 15-20% of the total ticket price. The exact fee depends on the event.
So you don’t get the full original ticket price back when reselling on TMR, but you do get back the majority of what you originally paid, minus Ticketmaster’s cut. It’s important to note that Ticketmaster only allows resale on TMR for certain events – you can’t resell just any Ticketmaster tickets there.
Explaining the Ticketmaster Resale Platform
Ticketmaster Resale (TMR) is Ticketmaster’s official ticket resale marketplace. It was previously called Ticketmaster Exchange, but was rebranded as Ticketmaster Resale in 2020. TMR allows Ticketmaster customers to safely and securely resell event tickets they can no longer use.
Some key things to know about TMR:
– It provides a safe, guaranteed way for buyers and sellers to exchange Ticketmaster tickets. TMR ensures all tickets are verified and authentic.
– Sellers can set their own prices on TMR, above or below face value. There are no caps on resale prices.
– Ticketmaster charges sellers a fee when they resell tickets. This is typically 15-20% of the ticket price.
– Buyers on TMR also pay additional fees on their ticket purchases. This includes a TMR buyer fee and a shipping fee in most cases.
– Not all events allow ticket resale on TMR. The event organizer has to opt-in to reselling. Many major concerts, sporting events, and theater productions do allow it.
So in summary, TMR facilitates ticket resales for certain events and charges fees to both the buyer and seller. Sellers can recoup some of their original ticket purchase price, but not the full amount.
Getting Your Money Back as a Seller on TMR
If you choose to resell an eligible ticket on TMR, here is how you can get your money back as the seller:
1. List the ticket for sale at your chosen price. There are no caps on resale prices on TMR. You can price above or below the original face value.
2. If a buyer purchases your listed ticket, you will receive an email confirmation from Ticketmaster.
3. Once the event has passed, Ticketmaster will direct deposit your proceeds into your bank account. This is typically 1-2 weeks after the event.
4. Your proceeds will be the resale price the ticket sold for, minus Ticketmaster’s seller fee. Again, this fee is usually around 15-20% of the ticket price.
5. You don’t receive the buyer’s TMR buyer fee or shipping fee. That portion goes directly to Ticketmaster.
So in the end, you’ll get back most but not all of your original ticket purchase amount. The exact dollar figure depends on the ticket resale price and Ticketmaster’s seller fee.
It’s also important to note that if your ticket doesn’t sell on TMR, you are stuck with it and will not get your money back. TMR has a FanProtect Guarantee that gives you 110% back if your ticket resells, but nothing if it doesn’t.
Examples of Seller Payouts on TMR
To illustrate further how the TMR seller payouts work, here are a few examples:
Example 1
Original ticket price: $100
Resale price: $120
TM seller fee: 15%
Your proceeds: $120 – ($120 x 0.15) = $102
In this case, you earn $2 more than you originally paid for the ticket.
Example 2
Original ticket price: $75
Resale price: $60
TM seller fee: 20%
Your proceeds: $60 – ($60 x 0.20) = $48
Here you get back $48, lower than your original purchase price.
Example 3
Original ticket price: $50
Resale price: $50
TM seller fee: 15%
Your proceeds: $50 – ($50 x 0.15) = $42.50
If you sell your ticket at face value, you’ll come out behind after Ticketmaster’s cut.
| Original Price | Resale Price | TM Fee | Your Proceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $120 | 15% | $102 |
| $75 | $60 | 20% | $48 |
| $50 | $50 | 15% | $42.50 |
Getting Your Full Money Back Outside of Ticketmaster
While you can recoup much of your original ticket investment back through Ticketmaster Resale, there are some other options if you want to try and get 100% of your money back:
– Sell the tickets on a secondary resale site like StubHub, Vivid Seats or SeatGeek. You often have more room there to price tickets above face value. Be aware these sites also charge seller fees.
– Sell the tickets locally via Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or other direct buyer channels. You have to handle logistics here, but can often avoid fees.
– Return or exchange the tickets if possible. Some events allow returns and/or exchanges if you can’t attend. Check the original ticket seller’s policy.
– Take advantage of any applicable insurance or guarantees. Some credit cards provide automatic ticket coverage. Or sites like InsureMyTrip.com allow you to buy ticket insurance.
– Donate the tickets and get a tax write-off for the face value amount.
Reselling your own tickets does take some effort and research to maximize your potential earnings. If convenience is most important, utilizing the Ticketmaster Resale platform provides a seamless and secure, albeit lower payout, option to recover the bulk of your original ticket purchase price.
Factors That Impact Your Resale Payout
Some key factors impact how much money you’ll get back when reselling event tickets:
The Event Popularity and Type
Tickets for très high demand events like playoff games or mega popular concerts bring in the highest resale prices and seller profits. Obscure events don’t have markup potential. Sports and music events have the most resale upside.
Resell Platform
As noted, Ticketmaster Resale brings convenience but takes a ~15-20% seller fee. Alternative sites may charge lower fees and attract more buyer competition.
Ticket Section/Quality
Better seat locations command higher prices from buyers. Floor seats or front row tickets have greater resale value than nosebleeds.
Timing
It’s ideal to list tickets early when demand is highest. Last minute listings often require reducing prices.
Verified Authenticity
Buyers pay more for resale tickets when they can guarantee legitimacy and security. Platforms like TMR provide that benefit.
Is Reselling Worth It?
At the end of the day, is reselling your tickets on Ticketmaster or elsewhere worth the time and effort? Here are some pros and cons to weigh:
Pros of Reselling Tickets
– Recover a large portion of your original cost, if not profit
– Recoup investment for unused tickets rather than letting them go to waste
– Possibly help other fans get a seat to an event that is sold out
– Ongoing source of income if you resell tickets regularly
– Relatively easy process using major resale platforms
Cons of Reselling Tickets
– Need to pay fees to the resell platform that eat into profits
– No guarantee your tickets will actually sell
– Could take a loss if forced to resell below face value
– Creating listings and coordinating delivery takes effort
– Tax implications if majorly profiting off resales
For those looking to simply recoup some costs on an unused ticket, the pros often outweigh the cons. Utilizing Ticketmaster Resale provides a secure and convenient, if lower profit, option. More ambitious or professional ticket resellers may prefer utilizing other channels. But for the average consumer with an extra ticket, TMR delivers a reasonable way to get some cash back, even if not the full amount.
Conclusion
In summary:
– Ticketmaster Resale allows you to resell eligible tickets and get back a portion of your original purchase price
– Your payout as the seller is the resale price minus Ticketmaster’s ~15-20% seller fee
– You don’t get the full original ticket amount back, but can recoup the bulk of it
– Other resale sites may deliver a bigger payout but involve more effort and fees
– Many factors like event demand and seat quality impact potential resale earnings
– For convenience, Ticketmaster Resale provides a solid option for recouping costs on unused tickets
So while you won’t gain back 100% of your original ticket investment by reselling on Ticketmaster, you can recover the large majority of it. Weighing the pros and cons for your situation can help determine if the resale process makes sense. But for straightforward and safe resale, Ticketmaster provides a reasonable option.
