Ticketmaster is the largest primary ticket outlet and market place for events in the United States. When you purchase tickets through Ticketmaster, there are a variety of different fees that may be added to your order. These fees can vary depending on the event, venue, and method of purchase. Ticketmaster states that their fees help cover the costs of operating their ticketing platform and services.
Ticket Price
The ticket price is set by the event organizer or venue. This base price pays for the seat (or general admission) to the event. Ticketmaster does not set or receive money from the initial ticket price, that revenue goes to the organizer of the event. The fees that Ticketmaster charges are on top of the ticket price.
Service Fee
This is a fee that Ticketmaster charges on all ticket purchases. It applies per ticket. As of 2022, the Ticketmaster service fee typically ranges between $5-$20 per ticket for events in the United States. This fee goes to Ticketmaster to cover their operating costs and services like online ticket sales, customer service, ticket delivery and more. The exact service fee will display during the checkout process before you complete your purchase.
Order Processing Fee
The order processing fee is a per order fee, rather than per ticket, charged on all purchase orders through Ticketmaster. This fee covers the costs of processing the ticket order and is typically around $6-$12 per order in the US as of 2022. It will display if applicable during checkout.
Delivery Fees
If you choose to have your tickets delivered by mail or courier, Ticketmaster will charge a delivery or shipping fee per order. This helps cover the logistics costs of getting the ticket to you. Ticket delivery method and fees will display at checkout. Often mobile ticket delivery by email has the lowest delivery fee option.
Mobile Ticket Delivery
Have tickets delivered to your smartphone via the Ticketmaster app, typically a $5-$7 fee per order.
Standard Mail Delivery
Have tickets mailed to you, typically an $8-$12 fee per order.
Courier Delivery
Get tickets delivered by courier service, which has the highest delivery fees of around $20+ per order.
Will Call Pickup
Have tickets held at the venue box office for pickup on the day of the event. There is usually no additional fee for this basic delivery method.
Facility Charge
The facility charge (sometimes called a venue charge) is a fee that the venue hosting the event chooses to charge per ticket. This helps the venue cover their overhead costs related to hosting the event. Not all venues will charge a facility fee. If applicable, the facility charge will display during checkout.
Taxes and Fees
There are often local taxes and fees charged on tickets, such as municipal tax, sales tax, or entertainment tax. These will vary by the local policies of the venue. Make sure to account for these taxes and fees when budgeting the full cost of your ticket order.
Dynamic and Surge Pricing
For very high demand events, Ticketmaster utilizes dynamic and surge pricing practices on the service fees. This means the fees can fluctuate higher based on market demand for those particular tickets. The fees can change by the minute leading up to an onsale based on projected demand. The goal is to spread out buyer demand and prevent traffic surges on their website. Controversially, this leads to people paying different prices for the exact same seat at an event just based on when they place their order.
Optional Donations and Benefits
There are sometimes additional fees offered as optional donations or benefits for particular events. For example, some events may let you optionally donate $1 per ticket to a charity or cause. There could also be add-on benefits like a coupon for event merchandise or a donation to the performing artist. These optional fees display during checkout and can be declined by the purchaser.
Summary of Primary Ticketmaster Fees
To summarize, here are the main fees that Ticketmaster may charge:
| Fee | Amount | Applied Per |
|---|---|---|
| Service fee | $5-$20 typical range | Per ticket |
| Order processing fee | $6-$12 typical range | Per order |
| Delivery fee | Varies by method | Per order |
| Facility charge | Varies by venue | Per ticket |
| Taxes and fees | Varies by locality | Per ticket |
Ways to Save on Ticketmaster Fees
Here are some tips to help avoid high fees when buying through Ticketmaster:
Buy During Pre-Sales
Get access to special pre-sale events a few days before the general public onsale. Pre-sales frequently have lower service fees or none at all for fan club members or credit card holders.
Use Mobile Tickets
Choosing mobile ticket delivery straight to your smartphone ticket app can save on delivery fees compared to physical tickets. Mobile entry is also convenient on the day of the event.
Buy Bundles and Packages
Look for ticket bundles or event packages like a meet and greet. The fees are often distributed over the package, lowering the per ticket fees.
Go for General Admission
If buying general admission non-reserved seating, you can sometimes avoid the per ticket facility fees that reserved seating has.
Buy at Box Office
Buy at the venue box office to potentially avoid service fees. But the box office has limited hours and ticket availability.
Get Refundable Tickets
Certain fully refundable tickets let you get a full refund including fees if your plans change.
Use Promo Codes
Look for special promo codes that waive service fees for first time buyers or other promotions.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster service and processing fees can add a significant cost to event tickets, but are unlikely to go away any time soon given their dominant market position. Being an informed buyer, planning ahead, and knowing where to look for deals can help you reduce the fees and costs associated with your ticket purchase. With some work, you can get access to the events you want while saving the most money possible on annoying tacked on fees.