Be Safe Buying Tickets
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Every event will have one or more official ticket sellers. Until the event is sold out, this is where you should go to buy tickets. Because these tickets come straight from the event organiser, if you buy from here you’re guaranteed to be sold a valid ticket at a fair price.
To find the official ticket seller, check on the artist or venue’s website. Avoid going through internet search or social media, where you might be diverted to an unauthorised resale site with prices way above a ticket’s face value.
Examples include: AXS, DICE, Eventim, See Tickets, The Ticket Factory, Ticketmaster.*
*Not all sites operate in every country
Some event organisers use ticket companies that have an official service that fans can use to resell their tickets, sometimes called a ‘ticket exchange’. Because these services go through the official ticket seller, if you buy from here you’re guaranteed to be sold a valid ticket and provided with accurate information.
In some cases, these ticket exchanges only open once the show is sold out. You can check on the artist or venue’s website to find information on this.
Examples include: DICE Waiting List, Eventim fanSALE, Resident Advisor Resale, Shotgun, Stade de France ticket exchange, Ticketmaster ticket exchange.*
Some events will signpost a different site which they have ‘authorised’ for reselling tickets. Organisers have selected this site as a safer place to get resale tickets, so there’s a much lesser chance of being refused entry if you purchase there. Also, there is usually a limit on resale prices.
However, still use caution – just because a resale site has been authorised for a previous event, that does not mean it has been authorised for this one. Always check on the artist or venue’s website for a list of authorised ticket resale sites.
Examples of resale sites used by certain events are: P1 Travel (used by AC Milan), Twickets (used by Reading and Leeds Festivals).*
In some countries, the only legal way to resell tickets is using a platform authorised by the event organiser. Find out more here.
*Not all sites operate in every country
Some sites allow fans to resell tickets, but put a cap on how much they can charge, for example ‘no more than the face value of the ticket plus booking fee’. This means, as a ticket-buyer, you won’t be charged extortionate prices. However, just because a site’s prices are capped, this doesn’t guarantee that the site has been authorised by the event organiser. Always check on the artist or venue’s website for a list of authorised ticket resale sites.
Examples of face-value resale sites are: DICE Waiting List (face value), Resident Advisor Resale (face value), Shotgun ticket exchange (face value), Ticketmaster ticket exchange (face value + booking fee in the UK and Germany), Twickets (face value + booking fee).*
*Not all sites operate in every country
If you buy from these sites:
- You can have confidence that you’re not going to be charged an extortionate and unfair price
- Tickets purchased are much less likely to not be valid or fake and you can have more confidence that you’ll gain entry to an event
We Say Avoid...
Unauthorised resale is when a website offers tickets for resale but does not have the event organiser’s permission to do so. These sites often let people resell tickets for far more than their original price, meaning they attract profit-making resellers, sometimes known as ‘scalpers’ or ‘touts’.
Always check with the official event organiser or on the artist or venue’s website to see if they have a list of authorised resale partners for their event. If they do not, or if the website you are using is not explicitly listed as authorised, you could be using an unauthorised resale site. Also note, even if a resale site has been authorised for a previous event, that does not mean it has been authorised for this one.
If you buy from an unauthorised resale site:
- You can pay way over a reasonable price for a ticket
- The ticket you buy might not exist! Profit-making resellers have been known to sell tickets they don’t even own
- Even if the ticket is real, you might be refused entry – some event organisers cancel tickets sold through unauthorised resale to stop profit-making resellers from operating – often illegally – and protect fans in the long term
Examples of unauthorised resale sites may include: Gigsberg, MyWayTicket, StubHub, Ticketbande, Viagogo.*
In some countries, reselling tickets without the event organiser’s permission is a criminal offence. Find out more here.
*Not all sites operate in every country
When searching for tickets online, you’ll likely start by using Google. However, this can be risky, as unauthorised resale sites regularly advertise on search engines. This means that they pay to appear at the top of the search results, above any authorised resale platforms, and even the original ticket providers. These search engine listings often look official, but this can be deceiving.
Be very careful when searching for tickets using Google. Where possible, double-check on the artist or venue’s website to locate authorised sellers. If tickets aren’t available, contact the event organiser and ask where you might be able to buy resale tickets.
If you search for tickets this way you run the risk of:
- Clicking on sites that look official, but aren’t
- Buying tickets that are not valid or don’t even exist
- Ending up on sites unauthorised by an event’s organiser, like Viagogo, without realising
We all know what it’s like – you’re desperate to go to a show so you look over the artist’s social media page for information. A comment appears under the artist’s post: “Two spare tickets for Friday night! Can’t go anymore! DM me if interested!”
This seems like your chance.
However, accepting offers like these comes with high risk and leaves you with few ways of getting your money back if there are any issues. Profit-making ticket resellers can use social media to sell you overpriced and even non-existent tickets, and bot accounts are on the hunt to scam the next unsuspecting fan. You might see unexpected offers in the comments of an artist’s post, as a private message, or as a reply to your post.
Some ticket resellers also copy official branding in order to pose as official, and many large unauthorised resale platforms spend huge sums to purchase targeted Facebook, Instagram and Twitter ads that look like they come from the venue or event organiser. You need to be extra vigilant even if the account looks completely official. It’s always best to avoid going via social media and to check directly on the artist or venue’s website.
If you buy tickets from social media:
- You have no protection or route to claim a refund if there are any issues
- You have no way of guaranteeing that the tickets aren’t fake
- You might be refused entry to the event – some event organisers will cancel tickets sold on social media if they have been sold by unauthorised resellers
Be Safe Reselling Your Ticket
Sometimes plans change and you can no longer make an event; that’s okay. Here’s a quick guide to reselling your tickets in a safe way that protects both you and the person buying your ticket:
- First, check the service that you bought the ticket from. Some ticket agents will have options for putting your ticket back on sale safely, transferring your ticket to a friend, or occasionally even have options for a refund
- If it’s not clear from there how to transfer or resell your ticket, check on the artist or venue’s website to find out what your options are
- If no specific reseller is authorised, list your ticket for sale on a face-value resale site like Twickets
- If the platform provides one, you can then post your resale link on social media to let people know you’re selling a ticket. That way, unlike selling directly via social media, if anyone wants to buy it you’re both protected by the ticketing service
Please note: make sure you are not violating any terms and conditions by reselling your ticket, and ensure you are not breaking the law in your country. In some countries such as France, when you want to resell a ticket, it can only be through a platform specifically authorised by the event organiser.
Check if resale is legal in your country
In some countries it is illegal to purchase or sell resale tickets on unauthorised websites, even at face value. Check if resale is legal in the country that your event is happening in before selling or buying tickets.
Laws in your country