6 Places I Search for Tickets
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Those of you who have read my profile know that I don’t just sell tickets, I buy them. I am a fan just like you!
When I need tickets for an event - here is where I search:
1. Ticketmaster
I get two emails a day from fans wanting to buy tickets for events that are NOT sold out. Don’t assume an event is sold out! Go straight to the source because buying face value that are guaranteed authentic is better than just about every other option.
2. Ticketmaster’s Ticket Exchange
This Ticketmaster’s answer to eBay, Stubhub, and every other ticket reseller. Basically they allow people to buy and sell tickets that were originally bought on Ticketmaster. They charge a fee to Buyers and Sellers, but the big plus is that they cancel the original tickets and reissue new ones - making their guarantee that the tickets are authentic the best in the Business.
3. Stubhub
Now owned by eBay, Stubhub is advertised as the place where “Fans Buy and Sell Tickets.” Truth is, 90%+ of the sellers on StubHub are Brokers. Their site is easy to navigate and the maps make it easy to quickly see how much tickets cost for each section. They have a huge selection of tickets (2nd only to eBay) and have an iron clad guarantee. Basically if you don’t get the tickets you ordered in time, they replace them with comparable or better seats. Overall, you will find Stubhub’s prices to be higher than some of the other options mentioned here.
4. eBay
Still the powerhouse and largest marketplace for tickets. The best thing about eBay is that the prices are often lower than other sites. You can also find real fans selling tickets, which sometimes leads to a great deal. On the downside, finding tickets is not nearly as easy as Stubhub or Ticketmaster’s two options. And eBay no longer has any fraud protection that comes automatically with a purchase.
5. Local Ticket Brokers
If you live in a large city, chances are good that there are local Ticket Brokers. You can find them online, in the yellow pages, or the newspaper. Most people don’t realize that there is software that Brokers use to view other Broker’s inventories. So almost any Broker you call can sell you tickets from another Broker’s inventory. Obviously if 2 Brokers are invloved, your price is likely higher. Cut out the middleman, and deal with a local Broker who may have your actual tickets in their inventory - saving you 10% or more. In additon, a local Broker like has a much larger selection for hometown shows and sports.
6. Craigslist
Everyone’s favorite free classified site often has real fans selling tickets for face value. In fact, the site prohibits selling over face value (in theory.) The major downside is wondering if the tickets are real, where do you meet to exchange tickets and money, etc. Don’t be afraid to place a “Wanted Ad” so that someone selling tickets may find it and contact you directly before listing them for sale.
Good luck!
