Quick Answer
It may be possible to resell Eras tour tickets, but there are some important factors to consider. The main options for reselling tickets are through authorized ticket resale platforms, fan-to-fan exchanges, or unofficial third party resellers. However, Taylor Swift’s team has taken measures to make ticket scalping and resales more difficult for this tour. There is a strict limit of 4 tickets per sale during presales, tickets are non-transferable, and resale prices on authorized platforms are capped. Still, nothing legally prevents fans from reselling through unauthorized channels at inflated prices. Overall, selling Eras tour tickets is feasible but risky due to Swift’s anti-scalping efforts. Prices may be capped on authorized resale platforms.
Background on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
Taylor Swift announced her Eras Tour on November 1, 2022. The tour will kick off on March 17, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona and wrap up on August 9, 2023 with two shows in Los Angeles. The Eras Tour will highlight Swift’s decade-plus career by taking fans through the musical eras of her catalog. Demand for tickets has been extremely high, with millions of fans trying to purchase tickets during presales. The tour has already broken Ticketmaster sales records.
Swift has been adamant about keeping tickets affordable for fans and limiting opportunities for scalpers. There is a strict 4 ticket limit per presale transaction, and all tickets are non-transferable. Fans had to register in advance with verified fan presale codes. General public ticket prices start at $49 and go up to $449 for floor seats. Resale prices on Ticketmaster are capped at no more than 50% above face value. Swift’s team also has measures in place to detect suspicious activity and cancel large orders.
Reselling Options
If you are considering reselling your Eras tour tickets, here are some options:
Authorized Resale Platforms
Ticketmaster has an official resale marketplace for tickets. Fans can relist tickets they can no longer use. Ticketmaster will verify that the tickets are legitimately owned by the seller. There is also a Courtesy Hold period where the tickets must remain in the original purchaser’s Ticketmaster account for 72 hours before they can be transferred or resold.
Prices in the Ticketmaster resale marketplace are capped at no more than 50% above the original face value price. So a $100 ticket cannot be resold for more than $150 on Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster charges a service fee to both the buyer and seller for ticket resales.
Other primary market ticket sellers like AXS and SeatGeek also have their own official resale marketplaces with price caps on resale value.
Unofficial Third Party Resale Sites
There are many unofficial resale sites and marketplaces like StubHub, VividSeats, SeatGeek, Gametime, and TickPick. Sellers can list tickets for any price on these third party sites. Buyers may be willing to pay above face value to get hard-to-find tickets.
However, there are risks when using these unauthorized resale platforms. Some sites have looser verification processes. There is a higher chance of fraud, scalpers selling fake tickets, or other scams. Swift’s team can also cancel orders or tickets that they detect being resold against the policy.
Fan-to-Fan Exchanges
Diehard Taylor Swift fans have their own online forums and communities for connecting about her music. Some fans use platforms like Facebook groups, Reddit, Twitter, Discord servers, or Slack groups to connect with other fans and arrange ticket exchanges.
Fans can make arrangements to transfer tickets at face value or reasonable resale prices to fellow Swifties. Agreeing to fan-to-fan exchanges within known Swift communities lowers the risks of scams. However, real-life logistics need to be worked out between fans located far apart.
Factors and Risks When Reselling Eras Tickets
If you are thinking about reselling your Eras tickets, here are some important factors to keep in mind:
Strict Limits and Verified Fan Presales
Taylor Swift’s team implemented several measures to discourage scalping and make it harder to scoop up tickets:
– 4 ticket limit per transaction during presales
– Must use special Verified Fan presale codes
– No transfers allowed, tickets tied to original purchaser
This limits opportunities for someone to purchase a large quantity of tickets solely to resell at higher prices.
Non-Transferable Tickets
The Eras Tour tickets are non-transferable. The tickets are tied to the identity of the original ticket purchaser. Fans had to register with personal information including cell phone numbers.
To enter the concert venues, attendees will need to show IDs matching the original ticket purchaser. This prevents people from buying tickets purely to resell them at a profit.
Cancellations and Bar Code Invalidation
Swift’s team is tracking purchases and activity across resale platforms. They have shown a willingness to invalidate bar codes and cancel orders that breach the terms against scalping and resales.
Sellers run the risk that the bar codes on their tickets could be invalidated if Swift’s team deems the resale unauthorized. This would prevent the buyer from being able to use the ticket to enter the venue.
Price Caps on Authorized Resale Marketplaces
On Ticketmaster and other authorized resale platforms, there are strict price caps in place. Sellers cannot list tickets for more than 50% above the original price.
While authorized resale assures legitimacy, the maximum price limits may be lower than what eager buyers will pay on the unofficial secondary market.
Unofficial Resale Markets Run Risks
By selling Eras tickets through unauthorized resale platforms, sellers can list tickets at any inflated price and access a larger pool of buyers.
However, both buyers and sellers take on more risk dealing outside of approved marketplaces. There is a greater possibility of running into fake tickets, scams, or having bar codes invalidated by Swift’s team.
Strategies and Tips for Reselling Eras Tickets
For fans considering reselling Eras tickets, here are some tips:
Sell As Early As Possible
Ticket prices tend to be higher right after the presales when there is a lot of hype around the tour announcement. List tickets for sale as early as permitted under the Courtesy Hold period.
The longer leading up to the concert dates that you wait, prices may start dropping as demand cools off. So take advantage of the initial rush.
Price Lower than Current Market Rate
On unofficial resale sites, check completed listings to see the current market rate that buyers have been willing to pay. Price your tickets a bit lower than recent sale prices to attract buyers quickly.
Be Flexible on Your Asking Price
Consider gradually lowering your ticket price if it is not selling. Some income from reselling tickets is better than nothing if you end up not being able to attend the show yourself.
Sell in Pairs or Groups
It is easier to resell tickets if you have a pair, group of 3, or group of 4 since most fans attend concerts with other people. Mixed single tickets are harder to resell.
Weigh the Pros and Cons
Look at authorized resale options versus unauthorized resale options and consider the trade-offs in both maximizing profit and minimizing your risks:
Authorized Resale | Unauthorized Resale |
---|---|
Lower price caps | Higher selling prices possible |
Less profit potential | Greater profit potential |
Safer purchase guarantee | Higher fraud/scam risk |
Convenience of platform | Wider buyer reach |
Be Wary of Scams
Be very cautious of any suspicious buyers who want to pay with fake checks, pay too much, or use shady payment methods. Only accept verified payments. Meet locally for cash if possible.
Avoid Desperate Buyers
Last minute buyers who wait until right before the concert to purchase tickets will pay irrationally high prices. But they also increase your risk if they have no time to verify ticket legitimacy. Stick to buyers making purchases at least a week or two in advance.
Impact of Anti-Scalping Efforts
Taylor Swift’s strict measures against scalping and resales for the Eras Tour have significantly impacted the secondary ticket market compared to previous tours. Here are some of the notable effects:
Lower Resale Ticket Supply
With the 4 ticket limit per presale transaction, non-transferable policy, and fan verification requirements, far fewer Eras tickets have reached resale markets compared to typical tours. There is very high demand and low supply.
Price Spike on Secondary Markets
Because supply of legit resale tickets is constrained, prices on unauthorized resale platforms have spiked drastically. Eras floor tickets with a $349 face value are selling for $2000-$3000 on some secondary sites.
Cancellations of Suspected Scalped Tickets
Swift’s team has proactively cancelled hundreds of ticket orders that they identified as violating policies. This has denied potential profits for aggressive scalpers.
However, it has also impacted some innocent fans reselling tickets at reasonable prices.
Ethics of Reselling Eras Tickets
Given the high demand for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and anti-scalping measures in place, there are some ethical implications to consider when reselling tickets:
Taking Tickets from Other Fans
Every ticket purchased solely for resale profit potentially stops one more genuine Taylor Swift fan from gaining access to seeing her live. Some feel profiting from this scarcity unethically prices out fans.
Disregarding Swift’s Wishes
Swift implemented policies specifically aiming to keep tickets affordable. By reselling tickets at huge markups, a case can be made that fans are going directly against the spirit of Swift’s intentions.
Exploiting Scarcity
The enormous demand compared to limited supply for Eras Tour tickets creates conditions ripe for exploitation. Some believe profiting exorbitantly from an artificial scarcity caused by Ticketmaster’s sales system is unethical.
Capitalizing on Fan Enthusiasm
Taylor Swift has an incredibly passionate fanbase. Some argue it is wrong to capitalize on their enthusiasm by reselling tickets primarily for personal gain.
However, these accusations do not necessarily apply to reasonable resale prices. And for some fans, reselling tickets for a modest profit may be the only way they can afford to see Taylor Swift live.
Future Taylor Swift Tours
It remains to be seen if Swift will implement similar anti-scalping efforts for future tours:
Depends on Public Perception
If Swift receives backlash over the Eras ticket chaos, she may feel pressure to loosen restrictions in the future. But if public opinion supports her measures, she may continue down this path.
Partnership with Ticketmaster
Swift’s leverage to dictate terms depends somewhat on her relationship with Ticketmaster. If she breaks ties, she may lose influence over presales and resale policies.
Evolving Market Conditions
If market practices shift where artists have greater control over restricting ticket transfers, Swift would likely lead the way. But the ticketing industry also evolves in ways she cannot control.
Impact on Future Sales
Swift will assess if anti-scalping efforts actually maximize her revenue overall. If the hindrance to easy resale reduces initial sales enough, she may rethink this approach. But for a tour as massive as Eras, she can likely afford sticking to her principles.
Conclusion
Reselling Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tickets is possible but comes with hurdles and risks due to her team’s anti-scalping efforts. Fans have the options of authorized resale platforms like Ticketmaster with price caps or unauthorized resales with greater profit potential. However, policies limiting transfers and verifying purchasers aim to keep tickets affordable and restrict scalping. Consider Swift’s principles, effects on other fans, and potential ethics violations before choosing to resell tickets. Swift’s future approaches will evolve based on fan feedback, industry trends, and impact on her bottom line. The Eras Tour has fundamentally shifted expectations around ticket access and ownership. But the coming years will show if Swift’s bold measures spark real change.