Looking for event tickets online can be a massive undertaking. First, simply deciding what to go see can be nigh impossible. There are countless sites that specialize in certain types of events and shows– sporting arenas, seasonal festivals, music festivals with multiple venues, endless West End or Broadway selections of shows, and more. So, where do you go to find the best deals, the best seats, and the most spectacular shows, all while avoiding scams and loopholes? Maybe there’s a YourKidWillLoveThisShowTix.com or maybe you just assume StubHub or Ticketmaster will give you the best rates because they’re the only ticket websites you can name off the top of your head.
The algorithms that allow different ticket websites to get the best deals vary greatly and can mean that even the people throwing the event have no idea how many seats there actually are available. There are ticket sites that have a direct to fan model and fan to fan sites as well, all trying to tell you that their tickets are cheaper, better, or easier to get than anyone else’s. Guess what? You should never trust what a website tells you in its internal advertising copy. It is the twenty-first century; we all know to look beyond the advertising.
Online Ticket Scams are Nastier Than Ever
While you know that not all tickets websites are equal, some aren’t even in the business of selling you tickets. There are plenty of bad actors out there, and it’s important to figure out if you’re even going to get the tickets you’re paying for. There are tons of sites that build keywords like “Hamilton tickets” or “cheap NFL playoff tickets” into their copy to lure hasty Googlers into a quick demise.
Before you join the crowd singing along to a peppy song about counting cupcakes at the top of your lungs, you’ll need to harness the power of the crowd to help you find which online ticket site is the right one for you. You should be looking for two things.
Use Reviews to Help Determine Which Sites are Legit
First, you should be asking the internet if the site that is dangling those perfect seats in front of your nose is legitimate. Usually a quick “name of site + scam” will work. Professional review sites can be more helpful with this. In some cases, customers have called perfectly legitimate ticket sites scams for crimes like the understudy taking the stage at a Broadway show. The Better Business Bureau or various ticket review sites can help with the scam question.
Next, use this information to get a great deal. Once you’ve made sure the site is a legitimate business, you should delve a little deeper into some important questions about service, accessibility, surety of ticket location, and hidden fees. Many ticket sites will charge service fees on top of the ticket price. These service fees essentially track market indicators for any given show. For example, Ticketmaster’s service fees are hidden and can vary based on lead time and demand. Customers love a service fee that they can predict, but some sites have found that they can lure people farther into the transaction by hiding the service fee until checkout.
Customer reviews online will be quick to illustrate the level of service the company provides. For example, when looking up Good Seat Tickets reviews you’ll find people complaining about which Broadway star was performing on the night they bought tickets, but you’ll also find lots of accurate accounts on customer service and satisfaction.
Accessibility
Accessibility is the next thing to look for: how easy is it to find the tickets you’re looking for. When you click on a search result does it take you to the page you think you’ll find? Ease of navigation is paramount for a good ticket site. Another thing that using customer reviews can really suss out for you is the guarantee of a good seat location. Many sites can sell you specific seats, but some will sell you tickets somewhere in a block of seats, and you’ll never know until you have the tickets in hand.
At eKomi, we manage reviews for companies like BroadTickets.com. The Broad Tickets reviews are plenty and can help uncover details about what it’s like to be a Broad Tickets customer. People are eager to write about their experiences with the Broad Tickets system. They’ll tell you about how accessible and navigable the site may be, how reliable the tickets are, and whether or not they had positive interactions with customer service. With online reviews, you can steer clear of scams and disappointments and have the time of your life at that concert. Go sing your heart out!