I know firsthand how frustrating buying tickets can be – and the chaos that ensues when having to purchase resale tickets. We’ve talked about presales, getting the best concert tickets, how to list and sell your own ticket, and avoiding online scammers. Now it’s time to dive into where and how to safely purchase your next concert ticket.
Let’s start off by breaking down the different types of tickets.
- Standard: Face-value tickets where the price is decided by the event organizers.
- General Admission: A ticket in a standing or seated area that is not reserved or assigned. These areas are on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Platinum/Premium: A standard ticket but the price is raised based on the demand of the artist and event. This is not a VIP ticket and you do not get any additional perks when buying a Platinum or Premium ticket.
- VIP: Ticket packages that include preferred seating and extra items (i.e meet and greets, pre‑show parties, exclusive merchandise).
- Resale: Tickets resold by fans.
I, personally, suggest purchasing directly from the venue (online or at the box office) or from the original ticket marketplace like Ticketmaster or AXS. But I understand, that shows sell out, or sometimes it’s a last-minute decision to go so you have to use online second and third-party resellers. This is to help you decide which ones to safely purchase a ticket from.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket marketplace. You can purchase tickets on ticketmaster.com or on the Ticketmaster app.
Three of Ticketmaster’s unique features are: Verified Fan Sale, the Smart Queue, and SafeTixs. Verified Fan Sale is a ticket-buying system set in place to stop bots and give fans an “equal advantage” to access tickets. The Smart Queue is a virtual queue that requires each user to sign in and provide a phone number for validation. SafeTix encrypts your ticket, which prevents the ability to screenshot or photocopy. This drastically lessens the ability for fraud and counterfeit tickets.
Ticketmaster also lets you purchase tickets seamlessly on their platform with Fan-to-Fan Resale. According to Ticketmaster, the tickets that are resold are verified before being reissued to you.
AXS
AXS is a “safe, simple, and worry-free” paperless ticketing system. You can purchase tickets on AXS.com or on the AXS app.
AXS’ unique feature is its virtual waiting room. Unlike Ticketmaster’s virtual smart queue, this is just a holding area. There’s no difference whether you join 30 minutes before the sale starts or 1 minute before. Once in the waiting room, you’ll be processed to the online sale as quickly as possible. The goal of the waiting room is to stop bots and control traffic.
Like Ticketmaster, AXS has an official resale platform. According to AXS, AXS Official Resale guarantees every ticket is 100% valid. AXS handles everything from processing the payment to delivering the ticket so the buyer and seller never have to interact with each other. In the UK, resale tickets are set to at most 10% above the price paid!
SeatGeek
SeatGeek is a mobile-focused ticket platform. You can purchase tickets on seatgeek.com or on the SeatGeek app. They are a secondary market where sellers (licensed ticket brokers and fans) can resell their tickets to concerts, sporting events, comedy shows, and more.
SeatGeek’s three standout features are its Deal Score, SeatGeek Swaps, and Buyer Guarantee. The DealScore tells you exactly how good (or bad) a deal you’re looking at. It ranges from 1 to 10 — with 10 being the best ticket deal. SeatGeek Swaps is where eligible tickets can be returned to SeatGeek in exchange for a Promo Code. Eligible tickets can be returned up to 72 hours before the event. And lastly, their Buyer Guarantee ensures that you can trust the ticket you buy will be delivered on time, provide entry to the event, and are the same as you ordered. If you receive a fraudulent ticket, SeatGeek will provide comparable or better tickets to the event or a refund.
Plus, my followers get $20 off their first SeatGeek ticket purchase with my code “TERRELL”
TickPick
TickPick is another online ticket marketplace. Tickets can be purchased on tickpick.com or in the TickPick app.
Best part? No fees, ever! They also have a best-price guarantee in place. According to their site, “If you find the same seats elsewhere at a better price than TickPick, we’ll give you 110% of the price difference in the form of TickPick credit.” Plus, their latest app feature is the Price Freeze. You can earn up to $25 per ticket if the prices go up. Similar to SeatGeek, they have BuyerTrust Guarantee which ensures the ticket will be authentic, you’ll receive them before the event, a refund if the event is canceled, and a replacement of equal or better quality in the event of an emergency.
Want $10 off your first Tick Pick order? https://tickpick.page.link/awLD
StubHub
StubHub is a third-party ticket resale site. You can purchase tickets on stubhub.com or on the StubHub app.
StubHub was one of the first online ticket resellers and is owned by eBay. Their FanProtect Guarantee (similar to TickPick and SeatGeek’s) ensures valid tickets. If your order has an issue, StubHub promises to make it right with comparable or better tickets or your money back. If your event is canceled and not rescheduled, you have the option for a full cash refund or a credit worth 120% of the amount you paid. On StubHub, sellers are also required to include any discloses printed on the tickets. This includes side view, limited views, possible obstructions, behind the stage, and more.
Their unique feature is the Last Minute Service. Some events have pickup options – the pick-up locations vary depending on the event and city. Your tickets are typically available to pick up at the venue’s will call or one of StubHub’s Last Minute Service Centers. You’ll need a valid photo ID and your StubHub order number in order to retrieve them.
Vivid Seats
VividSeats is a third‑party ticket marketplace. Tickets can be purchased on vividseats.com or on the VividSeats app.
Like the other third-party resellers, VividSeats’ 100% Buyer Guarantee promises that your transaction will be secure, that your tickets will be delivered before your event, and that those tickets will be valid and authentic. If your event is canceled, you have the option for a full refund or a 110% credit to use in the future on VividSeats.
Their unique feature is a rewards program! After purchasing 10 tickets on VividSeats, you receive a reward credit which essentially makes your 11th ticket free!
Box Office
Lastly, you can purchase tickets directly at the venue, on the day of the show. It’s a risk waiting but sometimes great tickets become available last minute (and you know they’re 100% legit this way).
Tickets, when purchased in person from the venue’s box office, are priced at face value plus you avoid the additional online service fees. Sometimes the savings can be less than $10. Sometimes it can be $50+. Check your local venue’s box office operating hours – they sometimes change on show days.
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