With the rising costs of live events, reselling tickets has become a popular way for people to offset the price of concerts, sports games, and other in-demand events. There are many ticket resale platforms to choose from, so how do you know which site is best for buying and selling tickets? Here we’ll compare the most popular secondary marketplaces and highlight the key factors to consider when picking a ticket reselling site.
Key Factors in Choosing a Ticket Resale Site
When evaluating ticket resale platforms, here are some of the most important criteria to weigh:
- Fees – What commission or other fees does the site charge sellers and/or buyers?
- Buyer protections – Does the site offer refunds or other protections for buyers?
- Seller payouts – How does the site pay sellers their profits?
- Market size – How much inventory and buyer traffic does the marketplace have?
- Ease of use – Is the site easy to navigate and list/purchase tickets?
- Mobile experience – Does the site have a fully-functional mobile app?
The ideal secondary ticket market will charge low fees, offer strong buyer guarantees, provide quick seller payouts, have a large supply and demand base, provide a smooth user experience, and enable transactions on both desktop and mobile. The following sections compare some of the top sites across these criteria.
StubHub
As one of the largest and most established ticket reselling platforms, StubHub offers a robust marketplace for ticket buyers and sellers. Here are some key facts about using StubHub:
- Fees – StubHub charges sellers a commission of around 15% on each ticket sold. Buyers pay around 20% in fees and service charges.
- Buyer guarantees – StubHub offers a FanProtect Guarantee where buyers get refunded if tickets are invalid or the event is canceled.
- Seller payouts – Sellers are paid out by direct deposit within 48 hours after the event date.
- Market size – StubHub sees over 12 million monthly visitors with a wide selection of tickets.
- Ease of use – The site has an intuitive listing and shopping process. Sellers can conveniently transfer tickets electronically.
- Mobile experience – StubHub has mobile apps for iOS and Android with full functionality.
Overall, StubHub is a top choice for frequent resellers due to its large buyer audience, strong seller protections, and smooth user experience. However, the fees on both sides of transactions are higher compared to some competing sites.
Vivid Seats
Vivid Seats is another large marketplace that’s been growing in recent years. Here is an overview of their reselling model:
- Fees – Sellers pay a 10-20% commission fee, while buyers pay around 20% in service charges.
- Guarantee – Vivid Seats offers an 100% Buyer Guarantee on all ticket purchases.
- Payouts – Sellers are paid out within 7 days of successful sales.
- Market size – Vivid Seats gets over 5 million monthly visitors and has a large ticket inventory.
- Ease of use – The site is easy to navigate. Tickets can be transferred electronically.
- Mobile – Vivid Seats has iOS and Android apps with full functionality.
Vivid Seats stands out for its 100% Buyer Guarantee and relatively low seller commissions. It lacks some of the brand recognition of StubHub but provides a similarly solid overall ticket marketplace.
Ticketmaster
As an official primary ticket outlet for many major events and venues, Ticketmaster also facilitates ticket resales through its platform. Here’s an overview:
- Fees – Sellers pay a 20% commission fee. Buyers pay around 20% in fees too.
- Guarantees – Ticketmaster offers refunds if events are canceled but no guarantees on unofficial resold tickets.
- Payouts – Sellers are paid out 7-10 days after successful sales.
- Market size – As a dominant primary ticket seller, Ticketmaster sees huge traffic for hot events.
- Ease of use – The busy site can sometimes be tricky to navigate for resellers.
- Mobile experience – Ticketmaster has dedicated mobile apps.
Ticketmaster is less specialized for resellers than dedicated secondary marketplaces. But its massive buyer audience makes it appealing for highly in-demand events you want to reach lots of fans for.
NFL Ticket Exchange
The NFL Ticket Exchange is the official ticket resale marketplace of the National Football League. Here is how it works for resellers:
- Fees – Sellers pay a 15% commission on sales. Buyers pay a 10% service charge.
- Guarantees – Refunds are issued if tickets are invalid or events are canceled.
- Payouts – Sellers are paid out via direct deposit after successful sales.
- Market size – As the official NFL resale site it sees huge traffic for NFL games.
- Ease of use – Straightforward listing and selling process catered to NFL fans.
- Mobile – iOS and Android apps are available.
For selling NFL tickets specifically, the NFL Ticket Exchange is hard to beat in terms of targeted buyer traffic. The fees are competitive and payouts timely. The main limitation is only NFL tickets can be resold here.
SeatGeek
SeatGeek provides a ticket marketplace covering resales for a wide variety of sports, concerts, theater, and other live entertainment events. Here’s an overview of their reselling model:
- Fees – Sellers pay a 15% commission fee. Buyers pay about 20% in service charges.
- Guarantees – Refunds are provided if tickets are invalid or events are canceled.
- Payouts – Sellers are paid out via PayPal within 5 days after successful sales.
- Market size – SeatGeek has an impressive and growing buyer audience.
- Ease of use – Simple ticket listing and buying process.
- Mobile – Easy-to-use mobile apps are available.
SeatGeek is a strong overall marketplace with competitive fees, particularly for reselling tickets to sporting events and concerts. The growing buyer traffic makes it a good option for reaching interested ticket purchasers.
Gametime
Gametime focuses specifically on last-minute resales of tickets to sporting events, concerts, and theater performances. Here are some key considerations for resellers on Gametime:
- Fees – Sellers are charged a 10% commission fee. Buyers pay around 15% in fees.
- Guarantees – Refunds provided if tickets are invalid.
- Payouts – Sellers are paid out immediately after sales via PayPal.
- Market size – Smaller inventory but targeted audience looking for real-time deals.
- Ease of use – Smooth last-minute listing and buying flows.
- Mobile – Gametime is smartphone app-based for ultra-quick transactions.
For unloading tickets at the last minute, Gametime provides an optimized mobile experience. Just don’t expect a high volume of sales given the smaller buyer audience.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Ticket Resale Site
Ultimately there are several factors sellers should weigh when picking a secondary ticket marketplace. Consider the following:
- Your selling volume – High volume sellers need a site that can scale, while occasional sellers want something simple.
- Types of tickets – Some sites specialize more in certain events like NFL or concerts.
- Expected profit – Compare seller fees across sites to maximize your potential earnings.
- Timing flexibility – Some sites cater better to early planners versus last-minute sellers.
- Target buyers – Know which site your potential ticket buyers frequent most.
It’s also a good idea to try selling a few tickets on different platforms to get firsthand experience with each. This can reveal usability issues and help you determine where your tickets fetch the highest prices.
Reselling Etiquette and Best Practices
When reselling tickets online, be sure to follow some basic etiquette and best practices:
- Disclose any details affecting ticket quality like obstructed views.
- Avoid setting extremely high markups over initial ticket value.
- Transfer tickets to buyers with ample time before the event.
- Use secure, recommended transfer methods to avoid fraud.
- Provide order confirmation numbers and documentation.
- Respond promptly to buyer questions and concerns.
Following these steps will help ensure a smooth experience for buyers and minimize the chance of issues. Reselling ethically maintains your reputation and minimizes the risk of complaints or platform policy violations.
Is Reselling Tickets Legal?
In the United States, reselling event tickets is generally legal, with some exceptions. Here are some key facts about the legality of ticket resales:
- Reselling is legal thanks to court rulings affirming tickets as assets able to be resold at market value.
- Some states restrict reselling above face value or without a license.
- Major ticket marketplaces operate nationwide legally.
- tickeththlors may impose contractual restrictions against transfers and resales.
So under most circumstances, casual fans reselling extra tickets in the US is legal. But professional brokers sometimes run into trouble in certain states. Always check your local regulations before heavily investing in ticket speculation.
Avoiding Scams as a Buyer
While most ticket resales are legitimate, buyers should be cautious of potential scams. Here are some tips for avoiding fraud when purchasing tickets:
- Only buy from reputable, known resale platforms.
- Check seller ratings and reviews if available.
- Watch for red flags like deeply discounted prices.
- Verify the tickets through official event channels.
- Use buyer protections offered by sites like Vivid Seats.
- Pay through secure methods like credit card versus cash transfers.
- Confirm the delivery method and real ticket section/row/seat.
Protect yourself by being an informed buyer only dealing with trusted sellers. If a deal seems too good to be true, it very well may be!
Top Mistakes to Avoid When Reselling Tickets
Sellers also need to be careful when engaging in ticket resales. Here are some common mistakes to avoid as a reseller:
- Selling fake or duplicated tickets – Only resell valid tickets legally obtained.
- Markup prices excessively over face value.
- Fail to disclose ticket quality issues like obstructed views.
- Forgetting to transfer tickets in time for the event.
- Not understanding the resale platform’s fees.
- Choosing a platform with limited buyer traffic.
- Relying solely on lowball auction-style listings.
Avoid dishonest practices, undisclosed flaws, and listing mistakes. Choosing the right platform and setting prices intelligently also helps maximize your profits.
Taxes on Ticket Resales
Reselling event tickets above face value constitutes taxable income in the US. Here are some key tax implications to keep in mind:
- Sellers must report profits as taxable personal income.
- Ticket resale platforms will issue 1099-K forms if you exceed $20,000 and 200 transactions.
- Keep careful records of your ticket purchases and sale prices.
- Deduct broker fees, shipping costs, and other valid expenses.
- Consider estimated quarterly tax payments if reselling substantially.
Proper tax reporting is essential for active ticket resellers. Consider consulting a tax professional to ensure you comply with all IRS requirements.
How the Pandemic Impacted the Ticket Resale Market
The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the live event and ticket resale industries. Here’s an overview of the pandemic’s impacts:
- Mass event cancellations resulted in large-scale ticket refunds.
- Resale sites like StubHub had lower seller activity during peak lockdowns.
- Some sites like Vivid Seats saw sellers trying to unload tickets early in the pandemic.
- Many venues and artists postponed instead of canceling shows.
- Demand and prices eventually rebounded as events returned.
After an extremely slow 2020, the ticket resale market recovered significantly in 2021 and 2022 as live entertainment came back. But the huge disruption showed the industry’s vulnerability to external shocks.
Future Trends That Could Impact Reselling
Some evolving factors that could shape the future of the ticket resale market include:
- More paperless ticketing limiting transferability.
- Higher base ticket prices squeezing margins.
- Increasing mobile-focused marketplaces.
- Continued growth of online ticket volumes.
- More ticket guarantees and buyer protections.
- Higher regulation of brokers in some states.
Sellers need to closely monitor developments in the industry that could impact costs, demand, regulations, and platform terms of service. Adapting early to changes can help maximize revenues.
Conclusion
Reselling tickets online provides an opportunity to gain value from extra tickets and high-demand events. Top platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats make it easy for casual sellers to reach a large buyer audience. With protection for both buyers and sellers, these marketplaces enable smooth ticket transactions. By avoiding scams and following best practices, fans can safely offset increasing live event costs through strategic ticket resales.
The key is choosing a trusted site with low fees and strong buyer traffic for the events you want to resell. Compare seller commissions, payout terms, guarantees, and platform features before listing tickets for sale. With some due diligence, both buyers and resellers can have a positive experience in the secondary ticket market.
