When it comes to selling tickets on Ticketmaster, one of the most common questions is who pays the fees – the buyer or the seller? The short answer is that on Ticketmaster, the seller typically pays the fees associated with listing and selling their tickets. This includes both the initial listing fee and the final commission fee when the ticket sells. However, the buyer will be responsible for paying any delivery fees or order processing fees on top of the ticket price.
Listing Fees
When a seller puts tickets up for sale on Ticketmaster, they have to pay an upfront listing fee. This fee covers the cost of Ticketmaster listing the tickets in their marketplace so buyers can find them. The exact listing fee amount depends on the event, the number of tickets being sold, and the seller’s account status. Still, listing fees tend to range from around $5-$20 per ticket listed.
This upfront fee allows the seller to list their tickets for a certain period, usually 60 days. It is nonrefundable regardless of whether the tickets sell or not. So sellers have to factor this cost into their ticket pricing when listing on Ticketmaster. Some key things to know about Ticketmaster listing fees:
- Listing fees apply per ticket, not per order.
- Sellers must pay listing fees again if relisting unsold tickets.
- Fees may be higher for high-demand events or last-minute listings.
- Sellers with Top Seller status get a discount on their listing fees.
Overall, listing fees give sellers access to Ticketmaster’s large buyer audience but do represent an upfront cost they must build into their sale price. Sellers should factor in these fees when deciding whether to list tickets on Ticketmaster versus other ticket marketplaces.
Final Value Fees
In addition to the upfront listing fee, Ticketmaster charges a final value fee when a ticket actually sells. This commission-based fee is a percentage of the ticket’s final sale price. The fee rate depends on the seller’s account status:
- Standard Sellers: 15% final value fee
- Top Sellers: 10% final value fee
For example, if a Standard Seller sold a ticket for $100, they would pay a $15 final value fee. This contrasts with marketplace sites like StubHub that charge the buyer instead of the seller these commission fees.
The final value fee is deducted from the seller’s payout after the ticket sells. So if that $100 ticket sold for the seller with a 15% fee, their payout would be $85. The fee helps cover the costs for Ticketmaster facilitating the ticket resale transaction.
Things to note about Ticketmaster’s final value fees:
- Fees apply per ticket sold, not per order.
- High demand listings can have elevated final value fees.
- Top Sellers must meet sales criteria for the discounted 10% rate.
- Final sale price includes ticket cost, service fees, and shipping.
The combination of the listing fee and final value commission means sellers must pay Transaction Fees totaling around 25% for Standard Sellers. This means pricing tickets competitively is crucial when selling on Ticketmaster.
Buyer Fees
While Ticketmaster sellers pay the listing and final value fees, there are some additional charges that buyers pay when purchasing resale tickets. These include:
- Service Fees – Ticketmaster charges service fees to buyers on top of the ticket price to process the order. This fee is generally around 10-20% of the base ticket price.
- Order Processing Fee – A small order processing fee is charged per ticket order, usually around $5-$10.
- Delivery Fees – Buyers pay delivery fees for how the tickets are fulfilled, such as by mail or electronically.
So while the seller covers the seller fees, the buyer does take on some additional charges on their end as well. These fees are all displayed clearly during the checkout process so the buyer is aware of the total cost.
Seller Payouts
For sellers, the main fees to focus on are the upfront listing fees and final value commissions. However, there are a few other things that can impact a seller’s final payout amount on Ticketmaster:
- Taxes – If a seller’s tickets sales exceed 200 and $5,000 in a year, tax paperwork must be filed. Certain states may also have ticket resale taxes taken out.
- Referral Bonuses – Sellers can earn referral bonuses for bringing other buyers or sellers to Ticketmaster which are added to their payout.
- Refunds – If a ticket is refunded by Ticketmaster, any fees the seller originally paid are not refunded back.
The final amount deposited into the seller’s payment account factors in these various deductions and credits. Sellers should be sure to closely review their Ticketmaster account statements to understand their net earnings.
Fee Avoidance Strategies
Given the sometimes high total fees charged by Ticketmaster, some sellers utilize strategies to avoid or reduce fees. However, many fee avoidance practices violate Ticketmaster’s policies and can result in account suspension. Some examples include:
- Splitting ticket orders across multiple accounts to avoid higher final value fees on high-priced tickets.
- Creating fake buyer accounts and selling the tickets to themselves to avoid final value fees.
- Having the buyer pay directly via external payment to avoid Ticketmaster’s commission.
Sellers engaging in these and other practices to avoid fees often find their Ticketmaster accounts suspended for violating the Ticketmaster User Agreement. Sticking to listed tickets and sales within Ticketmaster’s system is the only way to safely sell tickets on their marketplace.
Is Selling on Ticketmaster Worth the Fees?
Given the variety of fees involved, is selling tickets on Ticketmaster ultimately worthwhile for sellers? There are a few key factors to consider:
- Large buyer audience – Ticketmaster has one of the largest buyer bases in ticketing, given its prominent primary ticket sales. This wide reach makes it easier to sell out listings.
- Top Seller discounts – Heavy sellers can qualify for lower 10% final value fees as a Top Seller.
- High demand tickets – In-demand concert, theater, and sport event tickets can command higher resale prices to offset fees.
- Ticket transfer – Ticketmaster enables secure ticket transfers to buyers and avoids hassles with hard tickets.
In general, frequent sellers who can achieve Top Seller status and sell very high-demand tickets are most likely to maximize their profits on Ticketmaster after fees. Casual sellers or those with more common event tickets may find the fees eat too much into potential earnings. Each seller must evaluate if Ticketmaster aligns with their specific goals, ticket volume, and buyer demand.
Conclusion
The fees associated with reselling tickets on Ticketmaster fall primarily on the seller side, with the exception of service and delivery fees for buyers. Sellers pay an upfront listing fee per ticket posted, then a final value commission fee when that ticket sells. Together these fees can reach 25% of the ticket sale amount for Standard Sellers. Buyers also pay some additional service and processing fees for their purchase. While the fee structure is not ideal for low or infrequent sellers, frequent sellers with high-demand ticket inventory can often still benefit from Ticketmaster’s large buyer audience and sales reach. However, sellers should avoid any tactics to circumvent Ticketmaster’s standard fees to avoid risking account suspension or other penalties. Overall, each Ticketmaster ticket seller must assess if the volume and pricing of their tickets can overcome the various fees involved to generate a meaningful profit.