There are a few common reasons why you may be unable to complete a purchase on Ticketmaster:
Your payment method was declined
One of the most common issues is that the payment method you entered was declined. This could happen for a few reasons:
- There are insufficient funds in your bank account or credit card
- Your bank or credit card company flagged the purchase as potentially fraudulent and declined it
- Your payment details were entered incorrectly
If you get a declined message, first double check that you entered your payment information accurately. Also contact your bank or credit card company to make sure there are sufficient funds available and that they did not flag the transaction.
High demand crashed the system
For very popular events or concerts, the Ticketmaster website can get overwhelmed by the high traffic volume. This can cause errors or crash the system, preventing purchases from going through. Generally these issues are temporary as their system recovers and stabilizes.
If you experience an error due to high demand, keep trying periodically until the issues subside. Having accounts already set up with payment information saved can also help get through checkout faster.
Technical issues on Ticketmaster’s end
Like any website, Ticketmaster can experience intermittent technical issues on their end that disrupt the booking process. This could be anything from a temporary server outage to glitches in their software.
Check Ticketmaster’s social media accounts or help pages to see if they have posted about any known issues. If it appears to be a wider problem, you may have to wait until their tech team resolves it.
Your session timed out
If you take too long going through the purchase process, Ticketmaster will time out your session for security reasons. This prevents transactions from going through after long periods of inactivity.
Try to complete your purchase faster next time. Having your information saved ahead of time can help reduce steps. You may also need to go back through the purchase process again if your session ends.
The tickets sold out
For extremely popular events, tickets can sell out in seconds. If you experience an error trying to purchase, it may be that the tickets already sold out before you could complete the transaction.
Make sure to check right when tickets go on sale and enter your payment details rapidly. Consider using Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program for popular events, which helps loyal customers get access to tickets before the general public.
You didn’t meet purchase requirements
Some events have special requirements that you must meet to unlock the ability to purchase tickets. For example, you may need to register for a verified fan code or use a special presale link.
Carefully check the event listing to see if any such requirements exist. Make sure you have completed those steps beforehand in order to access the tickets.
There was suspicious activity on your account
Ticketmaster has safeguards in place to detect suspicious activity on accounts that could indicate scalping or bot usage. If your account gets flagged, it can lead to purchase failures.
Appealing the block or creating a new account can help resolve this. Avoid patterns like rapidly buying up tickets or using multiple accounts, which can trigger risk protections.
Your location is restricted
Some events have location restrictions in place, meaning only customers in certain states, cities or countries can purchase tickets. If you try to buy tickets while outside the eligible region, the transaction will not go through.
Double check to see if any location restrictions are detailed on the event page. You may need to wait until the tickets open up to broader audiences.
There was an error with the code you entered
If you attempt to use a presale code or promo code that is incorrect or no longer valid, Ticketmaster will not accept it and block the purchase.
Carefully check any codes you enter to ensure they are active and entered properly. Contact the source of the code if you are having trouble getting it to work.
Your account is restricted from purchasing
In some cases, Ticketmaster may place restrictions on accounts that prevent purchases. This can happen if you violated their terms of service, have a history of fraudulent purchases, or scalped tickets.
You will need to appeal the restriction and get your account restored to good standing before purchases will be allowed again.
There are browser compatibility issues
In rare cases, the browser you are using to access Ticketmaster may not be fully compatible with their system. This could potentially interfere with the transaction process.
Try using a different mainstream browser like Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge to see if it resolves the issue. Clearing cookies/cache and disabling extensions may also help.
Troubleshooting tips
If your Ticketmaster purchase still won’t go through after reviewing these common issues, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Refresh the page and try going through the process again
- Use a different web browser or device
- Clear your browser cookies and cache
- Disable browser extensions that may interfere
- Try an alternate payment method
- Contact Ticketmaster customer service for assistance
- As a last resort, create a new Ticketmaster account
Avoiding problems in the future
To help minimize errors for future Ticketmaster purchases, consider these tips:
- Save your payment details and billing information in your Ticketmaster account ahead of time
- Make sure you have sufficient funds or credit when attempting to purchase
- Enter payment information rapidly when tickets are high demand
- Read all event requirements carefully and follow presale steps
- Use a mainstream browser that is up to date
- Only access Ticketmaster through the official website/app
Contact Ticketmaster for help
If you continue having unresolved problems processing an order, reach out to Ticketmaster directly for assistance:
- Live chat with customer service on their website
- Call their fan support phone line at +1 800-653-8000
- Contact them via email or social media channels
- Check help articles on their website for guidance
Their team can review your account, order details, and any error messages to troubleshoot and try to identify the underlying issue.
Use an alternate ticket provider
In some cases, you may need to look at buying tickets through a different ticket outlet if difficulties with Ticketmaster cannot be resolved.
Some other places you can check for event tickets include:
- Official venue or promoter websites
- Ticket resale marketplaces like StubHub
- Ticketing apps like Gametime and SeatGeek
- Fan-to-fan exchanges on social media
- Ticket boards at nearby stores
Just be careful to only use reputable ticket sources to avoid fake or fraudulent tickets.
Conclusion
Processing errors when trying to buy tickets online can definitely be frustrating. Hopefully identifying whether the issue is on your end (like declined payment) or an isolated technical problem on Ticketmaster’s side can help troubleshoot. Their customer service team is also there to provide support and get your order completed if something goes wrong. With some persistence and patience, you should be able to secure those coveted tickets for your chosen event.