Off Topic - ticket resellers and scams

[The Wiz]

Sorry to bring this up here but I figured it would be the best place for good information.  I bought tickets a few weeks ago for the Bills/Vikings game for my birthday that is that weekend and bought them through a new place I haven't used before (VividSeats).

 

Just curious if anyone else has had any experience with them because I called them today about my purchase and haven't received an update on my tickets other than they will be delivered a week before the game.  I attempted to cancel and they refused and stated their cancellation policy so I moved forward with opening up a dispute with my bank.

 

Any info regarding the matter would be appreciated.

[ColoradoBills]

4 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Sorry to bring this up here but I figured it would be the best place for good information.  I bought tickets a few weeks ago for the Bills/Vikings game for my birthday that is that weekend and bought them through a new place I haven't used before (VividSeats).

 

Just curious if anyone else has had any experience with them because I called them today about my purchase and haven't received an update on my tickets other than they will be delivered a week before the game.  I attempted to cancel and they refused and stated their cancellation policy so I moved forward with opening up a dispute with my bank.

 

Any info regarding the matter would be appreciated.

 

VividSeats has been around for years.  I doubt you are getting scammed.

[Punching Bag]

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/entertainment/vivid-seats.html

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Sorry to bring this up here but I figured it would be the best place for good information.  I bought tickets a few weeks ago for the Bills/Vikings game for my birthday that is that weekend and bought them through a new place I haven't used before (VividSeats).

 

Just curious if anyone else has had any experience with them because I called them today about my purchase and haven't received an update on my tickets other than they will be delivered a week before the game.  I attempted to cancel and they refused and stated their cancellation policy so I moved forward with opening up a dispute with my bank.

 

Any info regarding the matter would be appreciated.

 

I’m pretty sure I’ve used them multiple times. I wouldn’t worry. They too…..…have a process.  

[ColoradoBills]

1 minute ago, Augie said:

 

I’m pretty sure I’ve used them multiple times. I wouldn’t worry. They too…..…have a process.  

 

I never used them for NFL tickets, but we have for concert tickets years ago.

[Augie]

4 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/entertainment/vivid-seats.html

 

To be fair, when things go as planned, nobody notices. You just expect and accept it. It’s usually when there is a problem that people go out of their way to complain, rightly or wrongly. It’s not really like restaurant reviews that people do on a regular basis. 

[The Wiz]

5 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

VividSeats has been around for years.  I doubt you are getting scammed.

 

Just now, Augie said:

 

I’m pretty sure I’ve used them multiple times. I wouldn’t worry. They too…..…have a process.  

I've never used them before so I was more because they have no customer support at all so it felt like it might have been a scam.

 

I have never heard of them before since I usually end up getting my tickets direct from other STHers, family or friends take care of ordering the tickets when we have a big group.

 

 

Appreciate your feedback.

[ColoradoBills]

Just now, The Wiz said:

 

I've never used them before so I was more because they have no customer support at all so it felt like it might have been a scam.

 

I have never heard of them before since I usually end up getting my tickets direct from other STHers, family or friends take care of ordering the tickets when we have a big group.

 

 

Appreciate your feedback.

 

No problem.  I will admit every time I get "electronic" tickets from any of these companies, I'm a little anxious until I receive them.

I guess it's more of an "old man" thing than anything.  I remember buying Sabres tickets a few years ago and they said you'll get them

a week before and it ended up being like 2 days.  So far, I have always got them.

[HOUSE]

Good luck bud 

[Punching Bag]

2 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

No problem.  I will admit every time I get "electronic" tickets from any of these companies, I'm a little anxious until I receive them.

I guess it's more of an "old man" thing than anything.  I remember buying Sabres tickets a few years ago and they said you'll get them

a week before and it ended up being like 2 days.  So far, I have always got them.

Electronic tickets are the worst.  If you do not have a signal you cannot prove you have a ticket.

[ColoradoBills]

2 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Electronic tickets are the worst.  If you do not have a signal you cannot prove you have a ticket.

 

It was bad enough when you still printed them.

[The Wiz]

11 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

No problem.  I will admit every time I get "electronic" tickets from any of these companies, I'm a little anxious until I receive them.

I guess it's more of an "old man" thing than anything.  I remember buying Sabres tickets a few years ago and they said you'll get them

a week before and it ended up being like 2 days.  So far, I have always got them.

That's where I am at with it.  I paid for something they are sending to me electronically.  Not like I need to watch the mailbox.  It should just be a done deal at that point.

 

I paid, you send.  Maybe I'm just used to ticketmaster in that regard but it made me very anxious like you said.

[msw2112]

I've used VividSeats a few times with no issue, but I did have a problem a couple of years ago when I bought NHL tickets (not in Buffalo) and did not receive them.  I had a couple of calls with their customer service and I got a refund, but I missed the game....I think they are a legitimate company, but their "controls" as to relationships with third party sellers may not be a good as some of their competitors like StubHub.  On my NHL ticket deal, I think the fault was with the third party seller and not with VividSeats, but VividSeats, as the middleman, was responsible.

[WhoTom]

16 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Electronic tickets are the worst.  If you do not have a signal you cannot prove you have a ticket.

 

I open the ticket app at home using my WiFi signal, and just leave it open in the background..

 

[ColoradoBills]

5 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

I open the ticket app at home using my WiFi signal, and just leave it open in the background..

 

 

So that image just sits in memory even if you don't have a signal?  That's a great tip, if so.  Thanks!

[WhoTom]

Just now, ColoradoBills said:

 

So that image just sits in memory even if you don't have a signal?  That's a great tip, if so.  Thanks!

 

Yeah, as long as you keep the app open. I've done it with the TicketBastard app a few times. I know there was no signal because I normally keep my data minutes turned off unless I absolutely need to do something online and I'm away from home or a trusted WiFi. (I have a cheap phone plan.)

 

 

[The Wiz]

6 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

So that image just sits in memory even if you don't have a signal?  That's a great tip, if so.  Thanks!

 

2 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

Yeah, as long as you keep the app open. I've done it with the TicketBastard app a few times. I know there was no signal because I normally keep my data minutes turned off unless I absolutely need to do something online and I'm away from home or a trusted WiFi. (I have a cheap phone plan.)

 

 

I usually open mine in the parking lot at the game (both bills and sabres) because when I get close to the stadium/arena I drop coverage and it still works.

[RiotAct]

32 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Electronic tickets are the worst.  If you do not have a signal you cannot prove you have a ticket.

assuming you have an Apple or Android phone, just add em to your phone’s “wallet”.   No wifi (or LTE service) necessary!

[Son of a K-Gun]

I feel your pain on using a lesser known ticket reseller @The Wiz… I used points through my company’s recognition program to buy Bills tickets for Thanksgiving in Detroit and when I completed the transaction it was “fulfilled” by some company called Ticket Jones.  They provided the reassuring message that my tickets are sent via email or courier on the day of the event.  Not exactly inspiring confidence 😬 

[Kirby Jackson]

They’re legit. Sometimes these resellers post in multiple areas and have a whole network of people involved. The reason that you might not get them yet is because they have to assign them, pull them off other sites, get them from someone else in their group, etc… It’s a professional operation though and the reseller probably does that for a living. I have a buddy that works for one of these groups. They probably control something like 10,000 tickets across 100+ properties. It isn’t like the old days when someone had a couple of tickets that they weren’t using so they sold them.

[KDIGGZ]

I have tickets for sale. I only accept Venmo, Zelle, Bitcoin, or cash. Tickets will be emailed to you.... maybe 

[Lost]

53 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

 

I usually open mine in the parking lot at the game (both bills and sabres) because when I get close to the stadium/arena I drop coverage and it still works.

 

Can't you just screenshot the ticket image too?  Then you need no signal whatsoever and don't have to worry about closing the app

[The Wiz]

1 hour ago, Lost said:

 

Can't you just screenshot the ticket image too?  Then you need no signal whatsoever and don't have to worry about closing the app

It's a rolling image built into the app with some sort of algorithm so, no.   You can't. 

[Da webster guy]

Theyre legit but they're another ticketmaster owned ripoff artist.

 

Ticketmaster sells a 150 seat and gets 35 in fees for the original sale, then the tickets get resold through vivid seats or ticketmaster themselves and they tack on ANOTHER 35 for the second sale because, you know, they're "verified resale tickets" and god forbid you buy them using paypal and have someone electronically transfer tickets to you.

 

So at this point the Bills have made 115 from the original sale and ticketmaster has made 70 on the same ticket.   But ticketmaster isn't done yet, now they tell you that you have to download their app and give them all your information, cell phone,  location, credit card etc because you just can't get in anywhere without some random scanning arcode BS which isn't actually true at all (screenshots DO work, you don't even have to have them in an Ewallet) and they sell your data to third party companies and get massive profits from that as well.

 

This company has been doing this price gouging for so long it's pathetic.  But they have exclusive contracts in place and pay the venues upfront so it's hard to part with them.  A middleman should take a modest service fee, they just laugh in your face and say haha you have to pay this because we have the contracts and you don't.   Total parasites and a zero value add.

 

 I hope when Mark Cuban is done cleaning up the immoral and unethical generic pharma industry he sets his sights on ticketmaster and buries those Aholes, so the next time some poor working class guy wants to take his family to see a football game he doesn't have to pay these scammers $200 just for the right to go see a game.

 

The future will be peer to peer verified, blockchain style purchasing, and all the credit card, convenience fees and ticketmaster absurd surcharging goes away.  Owners make more, fans pay less, everyone wins.  

 

 

[bobobonators]

3 hours ago, The Wiz said:

Sorry to bring this up here but I figured it would be the best place for good information.  I bought tickets a few weeks ago for the Bills/Vikings game for my birthday that is that weekend and bought them through a new place I haven't used before (VividSeats).

 

Just curious if anyone else has had any experience with them because I called them today about my purchase and haven't received an update on my tickets other than they will be delivered a week before the game.  I attempted to cancel and they refused and stated their cancellation policy so I moved forward with opening up a dispute with my bank.

 

Any info regarding the matter would be appreciated.

ive used them 2x. Both times tix were sent a few days before event (I believe they disclose that when you purchase). They’ve been around awhile. I think you’ll be fine. 

[RiotAct]

@Da webster guy, great synopsis.

 

I’ll add, I sold a few tickets for Pearl Jam in Toronto via their “Fan-to-Fan” resale platform (face value only) last month, as I was able to upgrade my seats.

 

While in the process of listing said tickets, I added my (U.S.) bank account info for the direct deposit no problem, but today I reached out to them since I still haven’t been paid for said tickets.

 

Turns out that they “meant” to limit it to only Canadian bank accounts, and they’ll cut me a physical check (in Canadian funds, no less!) and mail it physically to me.  Which could take up to 12 weeks.

 

So as of right now they have the $471 CAD (plus fees) that I originally paid for those three tickets, as well as the $471 CAD that whomever bought the tickets on Fan-to-Fan paid. 

 

Rat bastards.

[The Wiz]

I appreciate all the input that I have received regarding this topic.  It seems like everyone that has been involved has resolved the issue of my own paranoia.

 

Mods, you can feel free to lock it if you like or move to OTW.

[ExWNYer]

3 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I never used them for NFL tickets, but we have for concert tickets years ago.

 

Same. Concert tickets only, several years ago...but I received them.

[Breakout Squad]

I’m a big fan of Seat Geek. 

[HOUSE]

I find it hard to believe people would be so dishonest,  what would your mother think of you ?? 

[Son of a K-Gun]

12 hours ago, Da webster guy said:

Theyre legit but they're another ticketmaster owned ripoff artist.

 

Ticketmaster sells a 150 seat and gets 35 in fees for the original sale, then the tickets get resold through vivid seats or ticketmaster themselves and they tack on ANOTHER 35 for the second sale because, you know, they're "verified resale tickets" and god forbid you buy them using paypal and have someone electronically transfer tickets to you.

 

So at this point the Bills have made 115 from the original sale and ticketmaster has made 70 on the same ticket.   But ticketmaster isn't done yet, now they tell you that you have to download their app and give them all your information, cell phone,  location, credit card etc because you just can't get in anywhere without some random scanning arcode BS which isn't actually true at all (screenshots DO work, you don't even have to have them in an Ewallet) and they sell your data to third party companies and get massive profits from that as well.

 

This company has been doing this price gouging for so long it's pathetic.  But they have exclusive contracts in place and pay the venues upfront so it's hard to part with them.  A middleman should take a modest service fee, they just laugh in your face and say haha you have to pay this because we have the contracts and you don't.   Total parasites and a zero value add.

 

 I hope when Mark Cuban is done cleaning up the immoral and unethical generic pharma industry he sets his sights on ticketmaster and buries those Aholes, so the next time some poor working class guy wants to take his family to see a football game he doesn't have to pay these scammers $200 just for the right to go see a game.

 

The future will be peer to peer verified, blockchain style purchasing, and all the credit card, convenience fees and ticketmaster absurd surcharging goes away.  Owners make more, fans pay less, everyone wins.  

 

 

I think I’ve figured it out… @Da webster guy is Eddie Vedder