When looking to purchase tickets for concerts, sports games, theater shows, or other events, it’s important to find a trustworthy source. With so many ticketing platforms and resellers out there, how do you know which ones you can truly rely on? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the key factors to consider when evaluating ticket sellers, provide an overview of the major industry players, and make recommendations for the most trustworthy places to buy tickets.
Key Factors for Evaluating Ticketing Sources
There are several key factors to look at when determining how much you can trust a ticketing platform or reseller:
- Reputation – Look at reviews, complaints, ratings, and general feedback about the company’s customer service, reliability, transparency, and more.
- Security – Ensure the site uses encryption and other measures to protect your personal and payment information.
- Terms and policies – Review the company’s terms, conditions, and policies related to pricing, fees, cancellations, transfers, and more.
- Availability guarantees – Some sites guarantee tickets, while others don’t. Understand refund policies if tickets fall through.
- Price transparency – Are all costs and fees clearly disclosed upfront? Watch for hidden charges.
- Verification – Can the company prove it has the tickets it’s selling in hand?
- Industry standing – Well-established players with solid business practices tend to be more trustworthy.
Keeping these factors in mind as you evaluate ticketing options will help lead you to reputable sources.
Overview of Major Ticketing Players
Here’s a rundown of some of the major ticketing platforms and resellers in the industry today:
Primary Ticket Sellers
- Ticketmaster – This is the largest primary ticket seller, serving major venues and events around the world. They have a mixed reputation in terms of fees and customer service.
- AXS – This is a major primary ticket seller owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns many major venues. Similar reputation to Ticketmaster.
- Official venue websites – Some venues, teams, theaters, etc. sell direct through their own site or box office.
- Band/artist websites – Musicians may sell tickets directly as well.
Secondary Market Resellers
- StubHub – One of the largest secondary marketplaces, StubHub offers ticket resales between users. Reputation is generally solid.
- Vivid Seats – Similar secondary marketplace as StubHub, with competitive prices and a positive reputation.
- SeatGeek – Aggregates inventory from various sellers into one marketplace. Good option for comparison shopping.
- TicketNetwork – Large secondary seller with mixed reviews. Inventory and pricing not always consistent.
Discount Resellers
- Groupon – Offers heavily discounted tickets for certain events. Limited availability but can represent good deals.
- LivingSocial – Daily deals site that sometimes has ticket offers. Hit or miss availability.
- Goldstar – Specializes in discount event tickets. Great prices but limited selection.
There are also many smaller resellers, brokers, marketplaces, and aggregators out there, along with individuals reselling tickets online. Be especially cautious about unknown sellers.
Most Trustworthy Places to Buy Tickets
Based on reputation, policies, security, and other evaluation criteria, here are our top recommended ticketing sources:
Venue Box Offices
Purchasing directly through the box office of the venue hosting an event is often the safest choice. You know you’re getting legitimate tickets directly from the source. The major downside is lack of convenience if you don’t live near the venue.
Primary Sellers
Despite some complaints about fees, major platforms like Ticketmaster and AXS are generally reliable. They have the inventory control and security that protects you from fakes or scams. There’s peace of mind dealing with major brands.
StubHub
For a secondary marketplace, StubHub is about as reputable as it gets. Their 100% guarantee backs up tickets and provides a refund if issues come up. Solid customer service reputation as well.
Credit Card Purchase Protection
One last option is using a credit card with strong purchase protection. That provides recourse if you buy questionable tickets and they turn out to be fraudulent. Do your homework first before relying on this.
Avoiding Scams and Fake Tickets
While the ticketing sources above are trustworthy, buyers still need to beware of potential scams and fake ticket issues. Here are some tips for avoiding problems:
- Only buy from official, reputable sellers – counterfeits are common!
- Check security features on physical tickets
- Register tickets with the issuer if possible
- Don’t buy from sellers with no money-back guarantee
- Watch classified/person-to-person sales closely
- Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true
Scrutinize all tickets, transactions, and policies closely. If in doubt, reach out to the venue or box office directly to verify if tickets are legitimate.
Conclusion
Finding trustworthy tickets is crucial to avoiding problems and ensuring entry to events. While no seller is 100% perfect, sticking with major primary sellers like Ticketmaster and reputable secondary marketplaces like StubHub will give you the best odds. Avoiding lesser known sellers reduces risk. Wise shoppers follow best practices for identifying fakes, verify all tickets, and leverage buyer guarantees from sellers they use.
