It’s a frustrating experience when you purchase tickets for a concert or sporting event, only to find out later that the tickets still aren’t ready yet. This often happens when buying tickets through Ticketmaster, one of the largest ticket vendors in the world. There are a few key reasons why your Ticketmaster tickets may not be ready right away.
High Demand Causing Delays
For major concerts and championship games, there is incredibly high demand for tickets. Millions of fans may be trying to purchase just a few thousand available tickets online. This flood of traffic can cause delays and lag times in Ticketmaster’s system. All the incoming requests have to be processed, which can take longer when demand vastly exceeds supply.
In some cases, you may receive a confirmation for your ticket order, but the actual ticket barcodes won’t be generated until the initial sales rush has calmed down. This prevents overselling tickets and helps maintain an orderly sales process. So even if you purchased your tickets immediately at the start of sale, you may have to wait a few hours or days before the barcodes are issued to your account.
Verification Steps to Prevent Fraud
Ticketmaster has measures in place to verify orders and prevent fraudulent purchases. This may involve checking your payment method, address, and other account details. These verification steps add more time to the ticket fulfillment process. Ticketmaster wants to ensure your purchase is legitimate before generating the usable ticket barcodes.
For instance, if you used a new credit card or a different shipping address than normal, Ticketmaster will do some extra verification. This causes a delay, but is necessary to reduce illegal scalping and other fraudulent activities that hurt fans.
Technical Issues Causing Failures
With millions of fans accessing the Ticketmaster website and app at the same time, there are bound to be some technical issues. Network outages, website crashes, and server overload can occur when traffic spikes beyond normal levels. This can lead to error messages, frozen screens, and failed ticket transactions.
All the incomplete or failed orders then have to be re-processed once Ticketmaster’s systems are back online. That re-processing and order recovery takes further time before you get your ticket delivery. Technical problems on Ticketmaster’s side are usually the culprit for significant delays across a large number of ticket purchases.
Class Action Lawsuits
Ticketmaster has faced multiple class action lawsuits over the years regarding their fees, services, and timing of ticket delivery. Two major class action cases were settled in 2018:
- A lawsuit concerning UPS delivery fees and deceptive practices. Ticketmaster paid $45 million in settlement fees.
- A lawsuit concerning delayed ticket transfers. Ticketmaster paid $86 million in settlement fees.
As a result of these lawsuits, Ticketmaster may now take extra precautions and verification steps when fulfilling and delivering tickets. This legal exposure can translate into longer delivery times in some cases.
How Long Does Ticketmaster Usually Take?
In general, here is the standard Ticketmaster ticket timeline:
| Stage | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Purchase received and confirmed | Instantly |
| Payment processing | 24-72 hours |
| Ticket barcode delivery | 1-5 days before event |
However, the verification steps, demand issues, and technical problems described above can lengthen the process from a few days to potentially weeks in rare cases.
Ways to Get Your Tickets Faster
Here are some tips to help expedite your Ticketmaster order and get your tickets sooner:
- Purchase tickets as early as possible, rather than waiting until right before the event.
- Use Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program when available to get earlier access.
- Make sure your payment method, address, and account are all correct to avoid verification delays.
- Contact customer service if your order has been pending longer than expected.
- Consider expedited delivery or will call pickup to get tickets in hand sooner.
Be Patient and Plan Ahead
The best remedy is to be patient and allow plenty of time before your event. While it can be stressful waiting for your Ticketmaster tickets to process and deliver, it’s rare that they never materialize at all. With high volume events, unexpected delays of 2-4 weeks are not unheard of.
To save yourself the worries, order as early as possible. Then you can sit back and rest assured your tickets will arrive with time to spare. With upfront planning and extra lead time, you can avoid the headaches of Ticketmaster’s infamously slow delivery process.
Check Your Tickets ASAP
Once your Ticketmaster tickets do finally arrive, check them right away. Make sure you received the correct quantity, seat locations, and barcode access. Occasionally mistakes happen, so it’s important to verify everything looks good. If there is an error, contact Ticketmaster immediately to get it resolved.
Most importantly, never buy from unofficial ticket resellers. There is no guarantee you will receive valid tickets in time. Your safest bet is still purchasing directly through Ticketmaster, even with the longer processing and delivery times.
Leverage Digital Tickets
To avoid postal mail delays, make use of Ticketmaster’s digital tickets when possible. You may have the option to access your tickets via their mobile app for online entry. With digital tickets, there is no shipping wait time. You can access your barcodes immediately on your phone as soon as Ticketmaster releases them.
Voice Your Concerns
If Ticketmaster consistently takes too long to deliver your tickets, let them know. Reach out to their customer service team and vocalize your concerns. The more that customers speak up, the more incentive Ticketmaster has to improve and expedite their systems. Your feedback helps hold them accountable for timely ticket fulfillment.
Consider Other Vendors
While Ticketmaster still has a stronghold on many major event ticket sales, there are alternatives. Many teams, theaters, and promoters offer tickets directly through their own websites. There are also secondary marketplaces like StubHub. Comparing a few vendors can reveal faster options in some cases.
That said, buyer beware when using secondary ticket sites. There is an increased risk of fraud, so you must verify legitimacy carefully before purchase. Slow delivery with Ticketmaster may be preferable to not receiving valid tickets at all.
Plan Your Visit Accordingly
To avoid stress, accept that Ticketmaster delivery will take time when planning your event visit. Make any hotel or rental car reservations flexible, in case your tickets arrive later than expected. Have backup options ready if your tickets do not arrive in time. With proper preparations, you can still enjoy the event experience even with late ticket delivery.
Additionally, keep checking your Ticketmaster account regularly as the event approaches. The barcode links can appear any day without notice. The sooner you access and print/screen shot the barcodes after they appear, the better.
Follow Up Regularly
Stay on top of Ticketmaster by contacting them every few days to check your order status. Politely follow up and inquire for updates on your ticket fulfillment timeline. This helps demonstrate you are an eager customer still waiting on delivery. Frequent check-ins may help bump your order up in priority if it has stalled out.
Leverage Buyer Protection
If Ticketmaster takes exceptionally long to deliver tickets you ordered well in advance, you may have buyer protection options:
- File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
- Report issues to your state attorney general.
- Consult with a consumer rights lawyer about steps you can take.
- Dispute the charges with your credit card company.
While frustrating, most customers do eventually receive their tickets from Ticketmaster. But consumer laws still protect you from unreasonably late delivery on goods purchased. Use these protections if Ticketmaster drags on for too long.
In Summary
To summarize, there are several key reasons you may be left asking “Why aren’t my tickets ready yet Ticketmaster?”:
- High demand and sales volume
- Fraud verification procedures
- Technical issues and outages
- Class action lawsuit precautions
It’s an inconvenient part of buying popular tickets. With smart planning ahead, checking your account frequently, and utilizing digital delivery when possible, you can minimize the frustrations of Ticketmaster’s slow process. Be proactive following up, but remain patient knowing your tickets will likely arrive in time for the big event.