The fact that you noticed that StubHub is cheaper than Ticketmaster shows that you are an explorer and you love attending events.
StubHub and Ticketmaster have become your go-to source to purchase tickets for your favorite events.
Both platforms are easy to use. Whether you’re looking for a sporting event, a concert, or a theater performance, you’ll surely find what you love.
But you can’t help but wonder, why is StubHub cheaper than Ticketmaster? It’s easier to assume that the reason lies behind StubHub being merely a ticket resale website while Ticketmaster is a much bigger ticketing company.
While this is true to an extent, there’s more to it! And that’s why I have rounded this article to help you understand better why the tickets sold on StubHub are much more affordable than those on Ticketmaster.
I will first explore how these platforms work from the seller’s and buyer’s perspective and finally how different their ticket reselling strategy is.
Without much ado, let’s dive right in!
What is StubHub?
StubHub is an American-based online ticket platform where event lovers can buy and sell tickets for different live events like concerts, sports, games, and theater performances.
The company was founded in 2000 by two American Businessmen, Eric Baker and Jeff Fluhr, and has since then become one of the leading platforms for ticket reselling.
Now, StubHub does not sell tickets directly from the event organizers or hosts, rather they act as an intermediary between ticket sellers and buyers.
That means, only those who have purchased tickets for an event but can no longer attend can list their tickets for resale on the platform.
Additionally, if you’ve been planning to attend an event but somehow missed the initial ticket sale, you can always browse StubHub’s listings to see if anyone is reselling the tickets.
This is one of the primary features that set StubHub apart from primary ticket vendors. As a buyer on the platform, you can easily get event tickets that are already sold out.
The juiciest part is that StubHub houses more than 10 million sports, music, and theater events in over 40 countries. How incredible!
Also, for every 1.3 seconds, someone is buying a ticket there. That shows how widely-used the platform is.
Another feature to note about the platform is that it ensures a secure and reliable ticket exchange process. After purchase, your ticket will be delivered to you in time for the event. And it will be valid and exactly what you purchased.
If there’s any disparity between what you purchased online and the ticket delivered, you can always reach out to customer support. They will get you a comparable or better ticket or, in extreme cases, offer you a refund or credit for a future order.
There’s no need to worry if the event later got canceled and not rescheduled. You’ll still receive a full refund. As a seller, you’re free to list your tickets, set your price, and adjust it anytime before your tickets sell.
The ticket delivery is prompt and fast, and your payment is made promptly as well. Once you list your tickets, StubHub takes it from there and handles all the communication with the buyers.
Overall, the platform is a popular destination for event-goers seeking last-minute or hard-to-find tickets for their favorite live performances.
What is Ticketmaster?
The most striking fact I stumbled upon when reading about Ticketmaster is that it is one of the largest and most established online ticketing companies in the world.
It has been in existence since 1976 and was created by Peter Gadwa and Albert Leffler who were college staffers at the time.
Seeing how long this platform has existed, it now makes sense that it’s named “Ticketmaster.” Unlike StubHub that’s a secondary online marketplace, Ticketmaster is both a primary and secondary ticketing platform.
As a primary ticket vendor, the platform relies on its partnership with event organizers, promoters, and venues to sell tickets directly to the public. That is to say, rather than buying tickets from a third party, you’re buying directly from the event organizers.
You can search for and purchase verified tickets for different live events. Another striking feature is that it’s usually the first platform that offers tickets as soon as the sales window is open.
Ticketmaster is user-friendly and provides a straightforward and stress-free ticket-buying experience. You can choose your preferred seat, ticket type, and quantity before checking out.
Usually, if you’re buying an event ticket from a third party on the platform, the name on the ticket is that of the original purchaser.
That does not hinder your entry to the event as it’s just the barcode that’s needed for entrance.
Now let’s look at how these platforms work.
Also Read: Is Viagogo Legit For Buying Tickets?
How does StubHub work?
Because StubHub is a secondary online ticket marketplace, sellers decide the resale price for their tickets.
That’s why prices on the platform usually fluctuate based on supply and demand. There’s no definite price for tickets even though they are for the same event.
Let’s explore how sellers and buyers navigate the platform.
How to sell on StubHub?
Selling on StubHub is as easy as pie and can be done either from your mobile app or website. Here’s how it goes:
1. To get started, you should create an account on the platform with your name, email, phone number, and password. Or you can simply sign up with your Google, Facebook account, or Apple ID.
2. Then include the required ticket info including the number of tickets you’re selling, the seats, and delivery details.
3. Now, it’s time to set your price. You can always look at listings from other sellers and compare their prices before setting yours.
4. Wait for buyers to come to you!
As a seller, there are different ways to deliver tickets on StubHub. You can either opt for mobile transfer. Flash seats, barcodes, PDF tickets, or simply the traditional paper tickets.
How to buy tickets on StubHub?
I noticed that there are two ways to buy tickets from StubHub. You can either create an account before making your purchase or buy as a guest.
However, StubHub recommends that you create an account before making your purchase. That way, you can track your purchases and also re-sell your tickets if you want to.
Signing up only requires your name, email address, and password. Or you can simply sign up with your Facebook account, then follow the procedure below:
1. Find your desired event from the platform’s homepage.
2. You’ll see the available tickets. Click on the one you want and then “Checkout.”
3. You’ll be asked to log in on the next page. Select “Continue as guest.”
4. When your purchase is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to create a password that you’ll need to access your order.
That’s all! Just sit back and wait for your ticket to be delivered.
How does Ticketmaster work?
The tickets sold by Ticketmaster are directly from the event organizers. Let me give you a short breakdown.
Let’s say Venue A is hosting a music concert and wants to sell tickets. It reaches out to Ticketmaster for partnership so that attendees can easily purchase tickets from the platform.
Now, if you buy an event ticket but for some reason, you’re unable to attend the event, you can also resell it on Ticketmaster. However, the ticket must have been purchased from Ticketmaster and the event organizer must permit such resell.
Let’s look at how sellers navigate the platform.
How to sell your event ticket on Ticketmaster?
To sell your ticket, you must first create an account on the platform, after which you follow the procedure below:
1. Sign in to your account and navigate to the “My Tickets” section. Click on it to see the details of the event.
2. Now, click on the “Sell” button. You’ll be greeted with several options like “Sell Instantly” or “Instant offer.” The choice is yours.
3. Next is to set the price of the ticket. You can use the platform’s pricing tool to compare and see exactly how much you’ll be paid when your tickets sell.
4. Go ahead and pick your payment option.
5. Finally, review the listing, publish, and you’re all set!
The beautiful thing about Ticketmaster is that it handles the heavy lifting once your tickets sell. I love that the platform ensures that the ticket gets to the buyer and that your payment is transferred within five to seven business days after the sale.
Also Read: Is Stubhub Legit For Tickets Resale?
How to buy event tickets from Ticketmaster?
To buy event tickets from Ticketmaster, you need to first create an account or sign in if you already have an account. After that, follow the steps below:
1. Search and find your desired event either from the homepage or search for it using the search bar.
2. Now, click on the event to view the details. You’re free to choose from the available seats.
3. The system takes a few seconds to secure your verified ticket, then you can proceed to add it to your cart and check out.
4. Don’t forget to state how you want the ticket to be delivered to you. You could want the mobile tickets, print-at-home tickets, or physical tickets mailed to your house address.
5. The next stage is to make your payment and as soon as you have done that, Ticketmaster will send you a confirmation email with your order details including ticket delivery information.
Now you’re all set! All you need to do now is sit tight and wait for your ticket to be delivered.
So Why Is StubHub Cheaper Than Ticketmaster?
StubHub is cheaper than Ticketmaster because the sellers you meet on the platform are people eager to sell off their tickets and recoup their money.
They don’t mind selling at a lower price, as long as they get a buyer and at least make half of the money they spent on the ticket.
In most cases, the competition on the platform isn’t about who sells at a higher price but who sells at a cheaper rate.
If you have a ticket to sell but notice that other sellers are offering the same ticket at a higher price, you can swiftly reduce yours to attract buyers as fast as possible.
Also, as the event date draws closer, the cost of event tickets will reduce drastically as well because people want to meet up.
This is unlike Ticketmaster where resellers must be selling tickets purchased from the platform. If I were in the seller’s shoes, I would sell them at a higher price.
And that’s because I know that the tickets can’t be seen outside Ticketmaster. Also if the event is sold out, and the event organizers permit a resale, the demand for the ticket will skyrocket.
When sellers know that buyers are in dire need of event tickets, they will surely increase their prices to make a bigger profit.
