With so many ticket websites to choose from, it can be challenging to determine which one is truly the “best” for purchasing tickets to events in the UK. Some key factors to consider when evaluating UK ticket websites include ticket availability, prices and fees, reliability and trustworthiness, customer service, and user experience. By researching and comparing the top ticket selling platforms on these metrics, consumers can identify the ideal site that meets their individual ticketing needs. This article will examine five of the most popular online ticket retailers in the UK – Ticketmaster, StubHub, Viagogo, See Tickets, and Skiddle – and provide an in-depth assessment of each one based on the criteria mentioned above. The goal is to help readers gain valuable insights to make an informed decision when choosing a ticket provider for their next concert, play, sporting event, or any other type of live entertainment happening in the UK.
Ticket Availability
One of the most important things to look at when picking a ticket site is the availability and selection of tickets. The best platforms will have strong relationships with venues, promoters, teams, and artists that give them access to large inventories of tickets to popular high-demand events. They will also provide tickets to a wide variety of events big and small, across all genres, cities, and venues. Here is an overview of how the major UK ticket retailers stack up when it comes to the availability of tickets:
Ticketmaster
As one of the largest ticketing companies in the world, Ticketmaster has partnerships with many major venues and promoters in the UK and offers tickets to the widest selection of events. Fans can find tickets on Ticketmaster for top concerts at huge arenas like The O2 in London, as well as tickets for smaller club shows, theatre performances, comedy events, and festivals across the UK. They have exclusive ticket deals for some of the biggest tours and events that you may not find on other sites.
StubHub
StubHub primarily focuses on reselling tickets to sports, concerts, and theater shows through individual sellers rather than selling primary tickets. Their inventory comes from season ticket holders, fans, and other ticket owners reselling through their platform. Because of this, StubHub’s availability relies on users posting tickets for sale so the selection is variable. But with their large user base, they often have decent availability for high demand events, even sold out ones.
Viagogo
Similar to StubHub, Viagogo is a ticket resale marketplace that enables individual ticket resellers to list their tickets for sale. They offer seats to major concerts, sports matches, and other live experiences in the UK and abroad. However, Viagogo has faced some controversy over transparency and reliability of tickets. Availability of tickets can be limited at times since it depends on what users choose to resell through their platform.
See Tickets
See Tickets has good access to tickets for the top concerts, festivals like Reading & Leeds, club shows, theatre, comedy and more throughout the UK. While not quite as extensive as Ticketmaster, they are recognized as one of the leading sources for primary ticket sales for live entertainment events of all sizes in the UK.
Skiddle
Skiddle sells primary tickets alongside resale tickets via fan exchanges to provide access to events of all types in cities across the UK. From underground club nights to huge arena concerts, ticket availability is decent but inventory might be more limited for the largest events compared to leading websites. Still, Skiddle can be a good option for niche events.
Ticket Prices and Fees
In addition to availability, ticket prices and fees are an essential consideration when selecting a ticketing platform. Some sites include all fees upfront in advertised ticket prices, while others tack on a variety of service, processing, delivery or other hidden fees during checkout that increase the total cost. Here’s an overview of pricing and fee practices on major UK ticket sites:
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster displays ticket face value prices upfront but adds substantial fees at checkout. These can include booking fees, service fees, fulfillment fees, and more, often adding 15-20% extra to an order. Dynamic pricing may also adjust costs higher for in-demand tickets.
StubHub
Instead of fees, StubHub builds their commission directly into ticket prices shown. This lets buyers easily see an all-inclusive ticket price upfront without any surprises later. Seller sets the price but StubHub takes a cut off the sale.
Viagogo
Like StubHub, Viagogo shows ticket prices inclusive of all fees so the price you see is the price you pay at checkout. Resellers on their marketplace determine listing prices.
SeeTickets
SeeTickets has a reputation for being one of the most transparent UK ticketing sites when it comes to fees. They clearly break down any booking, service, or delivery fees at the end of a transaction so customers know exactly what is included in the ticket price listed.
Skiddle
Skiddle follows Ticketmaster’s model of advertising ticket face values and then adding on additional fees like service charges and fulfillment fees during the checkout process, which bumps up the total cost. They do provide an order summary with a full fee breakdown before payment.
| Ticket Site | Pricing Approach |
|---|---|
| Ticketmaster | Ticket value displayed, substantial fees added at checkout |
| StubHub | All-inclusive ticket prices shown upfront |
| Viagogo | All fees included in ticket prices shown |
| SeeTickets | Transparent breakout of fees during checkout |
| Skiddle | Ticket value shown, fees added at checkout |
Reliability and Trust
In order to confidently purchase tickets from a website, customers need to trust that the site is legitimate, secure, and that their tickets will be valid and authentic. Some platforms have better reputations and track records than others when it comes to reliability.
Ticketmaster
As one of the largest primary ticket sellers, Ticketmaster is widely considered to be a reputable and reliable option for buying genuine event tickets in the UK. They guarantee valid tickets and provide secure online purchasing. However, some consumers complain about overpriced tickets and fees.
StubHub
StubHub offers guarantees on valid event tickets backed up by customer service and support. They use technology features like QR barcodes to validate authenticity and have anti-fraud monitoring. As a major resale marketplace, they’ve built trust but some counterfeit tickets can still slip through.
Viagogo
Viagogo unfortunately has a very poor reputation when it comes to reliability and trust in the UK ticketing industry. They have received numerous complaints over potential fraud, invalid tickets, lack of disclosures, and more. Their guarantees are considered inadequate. Strict UK regulations now require Viagogo to follow new rules to improve, but doubts remain.
See Tickets
As an authorized primary ticket seller for thousands of events, See Tickets is regarded as a reliable and trustworthy ticketing site within the UK. They sell authentic tickets on behalf of event organizers and venues. Customers can purchase with confidence from their secure site knowing their order is legitimate.
Skiddle
While smaller and less well known than platforms like Ticketmaster, Skiddle has built a reputation as a trusted source of tickets for UK events. They sell verified primary tickets as well as vetted resale tickets, backing them with a guarantee to instill confidence in buyers. Their customer service team is responsive to any issues.
Customer Service
If any issues arise, like questions about an order, problems with tickets, or complaints, the quality of customer service and support that a ticketing platform provides is extremely important. Here is how the top UK ticket sites stack up when it comes to serving their customers:
Ticketmaster
With Ticketmaster being such a large corporation, some customers complain about long call center wait times and receiving impersonal service. But they do provide customer support by phone, email, and via social media channels.
StubHub
In contrast to Ticketmaster, StubHub is known for providing stellar customer service, with quick responses and helpful resolution of ticket problems. They offer support by phone, email, web chat, and their mobile app.
Viagogo
Given their reputation, Viagogo unsurprisingly has subpar customer service reviews. Contacting their customer support can be difficult and responses inadequate for resolving ticket problems. Their operations remain very opaque.
See Tickets
See Tickets delivers excellent customer service, earning praise for transparent communication, fast responses, and strong resolution of issues. Customers can get support via phone, email, and social media.
Skiddle
Skiddle provides good customer service with quick responses and helpful guidance from their support team. Contact is available by phone, email, web chat, and Facebook Messenger. Their small size allows for personalized service.
User Experience
The user experience on a ticket website encompasses everything from website design and mobile app functionality to the purchasing process and ease of use. Smooth, seamless experiences enhance customer satisfaction. Here are some insights into the user experiences the top UK ticketing platforms provide:
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster offers a polished, professional website and mobile apps. But some users complain about frustration over complex purchasing flows, unintuitive design, and confusion over hidden fees. The busy layout also makes browsing hard.
StubHub
StubHub provides a clean, simple, and intuitive user interface on both mobile and desktop. Their layout makes event browsing, ticket filters, and the buying process easy with transparent pricing. Strong sorting and comparison features aid decision making.
Viagogo
Viagogo suffers from a dated site design that can be cumbersome to navigate. Search and filters lack refinement, key info is buried, and their purchasing flow has from complaints over complexity and lack of transparency.
See Tickets
See Tickets offers a straightforward, organized site and app that allows smooth searching and ticket buying. Their clear pricing and fees, relevant filters, and robust event details help customers make informed decisions.
Skiddle
Skiddle provides a functional mobile and web experience covering key needs like browsing events, ticket availability, purchase process, and customer support access. While not as slick as some competitors, their design is clean and simple.
Conclusion
After considering the key factors – availability, pricing, reliability, service, and experience – a few of the UK’s ticket websites stand out as providing greater overall value. See Tickets emerges as a top choice, offering an excellent combination of large ticket inventory, transparent fees, reliability, stellar customer service, and a smooth user experience. For reselling tickets, StubHub is a leader with robust availability, upfront pricing, confidence in authenticity, and superior support. Despite being the largest, Ticketmaster lags behind in fees, service, and user experience. Viagogo is by far the worst option based on widespread criticism. For smaller events, Skiddle provides a solid alternative. The right choice depends on individual needs and preferences, but following the criteria outlined here can help identify the ideal platform.
