Concerts & scalpers in 2019
August 15, 2019 9:46 AM Subscribe
What’s it like to buy concert tickets from a scalper right outside the venue, in 2019?
Years ago, I'd often see artists in concert by buying tickets outside the venue, right before the show started, from one of the many scalpers onsite. The process was easy - bring cash, negotiate, exchange for ticket. However, it's been 12 years since I last did this, and now most people are walking in with digital tickets. What are scalpers doing these days? Do they still bring printed copies? Are there any issues with transferring tickets from the purchaser to the buyer? Tell me how it all works now please!
Years ago, I'd often see artists in concert by buying tickets outside the venue, right before the show started, from one of the many scalpers onsite. The process was easy - bring cash, negotiate, exchange for ticket. However, it's been 12 years since I last did this, and now most people are walking in with digital tickets. What are scalpers doing these days? Do they still bring printed copies? Are there any issues with transferring tickets from the purchaser to the buyer? Tell me how it all works now please!
With digital tickets being so easy to fake/duplicate, I make the scalper scan the ticket in at the door with me to prove it works before I hand them the cash.
posted by homodachi at 10:16 AM on August 15, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by homodachi at 10:16 AM on August 15, 2019 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: To clarify - I’m not interested in paying more than face. I only do this with shows I otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. That’s why I wait until close to showtime - so the prices drop.
posted by yawper at 10:17 AM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by yawper at 10:17 AM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
Prices drop the same way on StubHub.
posted by rhizome at 10:21 AM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 10:21 AM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
Physical scalpers have been mostly replaced by StubHub, as far as I can tell.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:03 AM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by tobascodagama at 11:03 AM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
my ex, who I would not describe as "streetwise," managed to buy perfectly good front-section tickets to Katy Perry in San Jose a couple years ago, with a credit card that did not bear her name, for a price that I would describe as inflated but not extortionary. I think they came in the form of scannable printouts. HTH
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:09 AM on August 15, 2019
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:09 AM on August 15, 2019
The only time I see much of a scalper presence is (1) sold out shows with huge demand & high prices (not what you're asking) and (2) significantly oversold shows with low secondary demand, where Stubhub prices have been rock-bottom for weeks. The other option is (3) significantly undersold shows which get put on Goldstar. So, my advice would be to monitor Stubhub and Goldstar, with the caveat that ticket sales end at showtime (or rather when doors open) or some cases earlier.
posted by acidic at 11:21 AM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by acidic at 11:21 AM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Stubhub and the resellers have changed up the scalper world, for sure. First and foremost, if this is not one of those out of control bigtime shows, wait as long as you can (right before the doors open) and buy them online.
But also its still kind of the same, there are scalpers out there. People can fake tickets, but its risky for them to do that AND sell fakes right outside a venue; so if you find a real flesh and blood person selling a ticket right before a show, its *probable* they are real tickets. Fake tickets tend to be sold on Craigslist or whatever, before the show (where they can sell multiple copies of fakes)
Also, a big concert v. a smaller venue will matter. Scalpers aren't going to work a little show, but you will definitely find people there who need to unload tickets b/c someone in their party flaked out. And those are the best to buy from b/c they will be face value or below and physical.
posted by RajahKing at 11:31 AM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
But also its still kind of the same, there are scalpers out there. People can fake tickets, but its risky for them to do that AND sell fakes right outside a venue; so if you find a real flesh and blood person selling a ticket right before a show, its *probable* they are real tickets. Fake tickets tend to be sold on Craigslist or whatever, before the show (where they can sell multiple copies of fakes)
Also, a big concert v. a smaller venue will matter. Scalpers aren't going to work a little show, but you will definitely find people there who need to unload tickets b/c someone in their party flaked out. And those are the best to buy from b/c they will be face value or below and physical.
posted by RajahKing at 11:31 AM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
In my area, there are some badass mods running a Facebook group (yeah, I know, but the ban-hammer is strong) for face value or less. I've been buyer and seller a few times.
Typical process is:
- buyer sends dough via PayPal goods & services to enable refunds for fraud.
- seller transfers tickets via flashseats
I've bought with cash and physical Tix by meeting up in person. Seller showed receipt.
Maybe there's a group like this in your area.
Craigslist has a ticket sale area, but it's usually flooded with rip-off resellers. Occasionally I find a terrific face value deal from an individual.
ProTip: get to the venue box office right when it opens day-of-show. Frequently the band and promoter release blocks of tickets they had reserved for friends/colleagues/promotions.
posted by j_curiouser at 12:20 PM on August 15, 2019
Typical process is:
- buyer sends dough via PayPal goods & services to enable refunds for fraud.
- seller transfers tickets via flashseats
I've bought with cash and physical Tix by meeting up in person. Seller showed receipt.
Maybe there's a group like this in your area.
Craigslist has a ticket sale area, but it's usually flooded with rip-off resellers. Occasionally I find a terrific face value deal from an individual.
ProTip: get to the venue box office right when it opens day-of-show. Frequently the band and promoter release blocks of tickets they had reserved for friends/colleagues/promotions.
posted by j_curiouser at 12:20 PM on August 15, 2019
Admittedly, I am a sample of just 1, however, I just went to a large concert (KISS) at a large venue (The Pru Center in Newark), and as an experiment, I tried to do what I used to do when I was a kid and try to find someone selling better tix than mine, and see if I could work out a deal... Walking around, I could find plenty of tshirt sellers, but not a single scalper. If I was trying to score cheap tix now, I think I'd go to the venue, and keep refreshing stubhub until the prices went down.. IIRC most sellers provide "instant" download of the tickets, so you could just walk up to the gate and have then scan it...
posted by niteHawk at 11:26 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by niteHawk at 11:26 AM on August 16, 2019
If I was trying to score cheap tix now, I think I'd go to the venue, and keep refreshing stubhub until the prices went down..
This is the way to do it. If you live close to the venue you can be leisurely about it.
posted by rhizome at 11:31 AM on August 16, 2019
This is the way to do it. If you live close to the venue you can be leisurely about it.
posted by rhizome at 11:31 AM on August 16, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you're going to pay more than face, and support 3rd party sellers, you might as well use a service like Stubhub where at least there's some assurance you're getting a real ticket, as far as I know.
posted by bondcliff at 10:07 AM on August 15, 2019 [5 favorites]