Pursuing the best prices for live event tickets isn’t just about getting a great deal online — it’s also about evading ticketing platform fees. No one wants to purchase a $40 ticket only to spend an additional $30 in fees, surcharges, and petty expenses.
Buyers often feel like they’re spending money on needless surcharges instead of valuable perks that add to the experience. Old marketing tricks (like lowering the upfront price to tack on more miscellaneous costs at checkout) don’t work anymore. As a result, more platforms are implementing total price transparency. SeatGeek and Ticketmaster have pledged clear, upfront pricing in 2024 with no hidden fees.
Price hopping, comparison shopping, and visiting physical box offices for tickets waste time and often create more confusion. Buyers don’t always know what to expect and aren’t sure when they’re being taken advantage of.
Determining the most reasonable ticket costs takes industry knowledge. Fortunately, there are a few ways to reduce costs and snag the best seats.
Common Questions About Fees and Ticket Prices
At Ticketnology, our teams monitor ticket price fluctuations every day. As a trusted partner for businesses that want to leverage live event experiences, we pay attention to every ticketing platform on the market.
Questions our clients ask about the ticket-buying process include:
- Which ticket platform has the lowest fees?
- What ticket platform should I use, depending on whether the purchase is for business, personal use, or seasonal ticket packages?
- How can I ensure both the purchase and resale prices are competitive and fair?
Because there are no one-time, standard answers to these questions, investing in a ticketing partner alleviates stress and confusion.
Key Variables Between Ticketing Platforms That Influence Pricing
Several factors determine why tickets are priced the way they are. Additionally, no two platforms’ fee structures are the same, making it difficult for the average buyer to understand why a certain event is listed at a specific price.
Ticketing platforms take the following variables into account when they establish pricing:
- The contract between a venue and a team or business. For example, American Airlines partners with Ticketmaster, so fees are lower between those two partners.
- The documented reseller. Reselling tickets can happen through a team, from individual buyers, or alongside brokers. Typically, a percentage needs to be paid to the resale site (StubHub, Vivid Seats, etc.). Resale costs might factor into fees. For example, individual sellers might pay 15% of the resale cost, whereas a professional ticket broker might pay only 4%.
- Flash deals or promotions. Occasionally, larger platforms offer no-fee or low-fee events as a special incentive. For instance, Ticketmaster may advertise a 0% fee deal when they’re targeting a specific audience or event.
- Industry regulations. As the market moves toward clearer sales practices, state-imposed regulations and other governmental factors may take a toll on fees.
Why Is Researching Ticketing Fees So Difficult?
The complexity of monitoring all the trends and nuances among ticketing platforms is one of the reasons why many corporate tickets go unused. Most buyers don’t have the time or resources to manually check every site or platform, call the venue or arena for questions, and process each transaction manually.
Negotiating fair prices and visiting every online retailer isn’t always feasible, whether buyers are looking for themselves or serving corporate clients. Even just comparing the top five online ticketing platforms is tough. Each one relies on different inventory amounts, seating choices, and extra perks or add-ons.
A ticket concierge can easily access the best deals, purchase tickets in bulk, and eliminate untrustworthy buying experiences.
Ticketnology’s ticket concierge experts have the industry experience needed to secure the best deals on individual or group ticket sales. We make sure businesses save on hidden costs, fees, and surcharges that stand in the way of making the smartest purchase.
A Reliable Platform Eliminates Fee Concerns
Finding the platform with the lowest fees is daunting. When buying tickets in bulk for corporate experiences or client events, hefty fees reduce the impact you can make within a set budget.
That’s where Ticketnology comes in. We have 24/7 access to multiple ticket listings across hundreds of channels. We’ll compare fees and prices quickly to get the best deal for clients.
With Ticket Fund, your concierge gets to work on your behalf. No more endless pricing research means no more hassle.
Book a Ticketnology demo today to resell with confidence and avoid financial loss from unused tickets.