Where to Find Unused Tickets

By Michele Blandino

There is no doubt that eBay has made it infinitely easier to locate and purchase hard to find items. Once regarded as a place to unload unwanted items (think flea market) this online giant has evolved into a bustling market-place where you can locate virtually anything, including tickets to major sporting events.

Given the enormous popularity of the site, it’s no surprise that so many people automatically turn to eBay when they are looking for sporting event tickets. And, while it is likely you will find what you are looking for there, chances are you will be paying a price that is several times the ticket’s face value, in addition to taking the risks associated with dealing with total strangers.

Fortunately, there are alternatives such as the one found in StubHub. This secondary market outlet for tickets was founded in March of 2000 and since that time has grown into a big player in the resale market, ringing up nearly $100 million in sales during 2003. In fact, many professional teams, including the NFL’s New York Jets and the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers use StubHub as their official seller of unused season tickets.

How it Works

Most of the tickets available at StubHub are being sold by season ticket holders who find themselves unable to use tickets for a specific event. Sellers are asked to register with the site and provide a credit card number in an effort to minimize the potential for fraud. Sellers then choose their selling method: fixed price, declining price or auction.

As its name implies, the fixed price selling method allows the seller to name the price they would like to receive for their tickets. This is the price at which the tickets will be offered. The declining price method allows the seller to establish a maximum and minimum acceptable price as well as the final date on which the tickets will be available for sale. The tickets are initially offered at the maximum price and then decrease gradually toward the minimum price each day they are still available, arriving at the minimum price on the last day. Finally, the auction method works pretty much as you would expect: people interested in the tickets bid against one and other with the highest bid winning.

Those who are successful in selling their tickets at StubHub are charged a transaction fee equal to 15% of the total selling price.

Buyers searching for tickets to specific sporting events simply log into the StubHub site and search for their event. Sporting events are organized by sport (i.e. football, basketball, baseball, hockey), then by league (i.e. NBA, WNBA) and finally, by team. Within each team’s page is a listing of games for which tickets are available. Clicking on an event will lead you to a page where the specific tickets are listed.

Receiving Your Tickets

StubHub exclusively uses Federal Express to get the tickets to their buyers. Once a transaction is completed, the seller is provided a link for printing a mailing label. Shipping costs, which range from $9.95 for 2-day service to $24.95 for same day delivery, are paid by the buyer.

Probably the best feature of this service is that StubHub guarantees that buyers will receive the tickets for all confirmed transactions. According to the service’s policies, sellers are required to confirm transactions within 48 hours of their completion. This confirmation process essentially means that the seller has possession of the tickets and has accepted the buyer’s price. Failure to confirm a transaction within 48 hours of its completion can result in the seller being banned from listing any other tickets for sale.

The Fine Print

As in any online transaction, it is wise to do some research before making a purchase. StubHub is no different from many of the other secondary ticket sources in that you can expect to pay an amount greater than the ticket’s face value. For example, two tickets to an upcoming New York Giants football game that have a face value of $65 each are listed at StubHub for $195 each. For comparison purposes, tickets for the same event are available at EZ Ticket Search for $210 each and at Sold Out or Not for $165 each.

Needless to say, you won’t be getting the cheapest prices at StubHub, but you should be able to complete your transaction with a fairly high degree of confidence.