Ticketmaster Reviews
Ticketmaster is a primary ticket outlet for events across the United States; most events that take place in US venues sell tickets through the service. Ticketmaster also sells tickets for worldwide events, on a much smaller scale. Ticketmaster is ultimately a selling agent that connects private buyers with event venues that are selling tickets.
Ticketmaster also maintains a small secondary sales platform, similar to StubHub or eBay, which allows private individuals to sell tickets to other private individuals. This service is called TicketExchange, and is a much smaller scale business than other peer-to-peer ticket sales companies that exist.
REVIEW
The name Ticketmaster is often said with a wry, bittersweet feeling, in much the same way that buyers utter the name WalMart or Amazon. Ticketmaster has largely succeeded in making itself the monopoly on direct ticket sales; for many thousands of events across America, there is no other way to purchase tickets except through the online giant. While this does make it fairly simple for anyone to find tickets to just about any event they could want at a moment’s notice, it also means that Ticketmaster is able to charge quite a few fees without competition to serve disgruntled customers.
One positive note that has kept Ticketmaster in business for so long is their three-day return policy. Consumers have three days after a purchase (up till one week prior to an event) to change their minds and refund a ticket. They also offer refunds for price differences if you can find the same tickets for a better value from them. They also offer refunds in the event that the event in cancelled, or if the event is rescheduled and you cannot make it to the new date.
Consumers cannot pick out their exact seats for most venues, which is a problem that is built-in to Ticketmaster’s selling model. They sell tickets based on what they have in stock at face value, rather than selling certain seats for higher prices, allowing consumers to pick and choose. Venues can sell out in mere seconds after tickets have gone up for sale, and “camping out” on the website before a major ticket release is only “maybe” helpful in scoring tickets.
Ticketmaster does offer tickets that have extra services, like VIP parking and paperless ticket options. They also have a mobile app that allows users to search for, find, buy, and receive tickets all from the app.
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- Most venues across the U.S., and many across the globe, are listed here
- Tickets come straight from the venue, so there’s no worry about counterfeit tickets
- Extra services like VIP parking can be purchased
- Gift cards are available
- Three-day return policy
- Handy mobile app
CONCLUSION
Overall, there’s really no way to get around using Ticketmaster for many venues and events, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While the high fees make it expensive to see a show, and the fact that you can’t choose your seats is frustrating, Ticketmaster does offer a safe and convenient way to get genuine tickets that always work. And with their return policies and useful mobile app, it’s pretty easy to get yourself into the right show at a moment’s notice. Just be sure to check their website often for tickets before they sell out.
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