| As always, if you can buy the concert or event | | | | to another show, if possible. For instance, |
| tickets from the event center or box office, they | | | | Broadway Shows are shown several times a |
| will most likely have the lowest prices. If that is | | | | week and at various times. If you are flexible, |
| not an option, I will discuss a couple of ways to | | | | you can probably find a better price if you look at |
| save money when buying Broadway, concert, | | | | all the shows and times that you could attend. |
| NFL tickets, etc. online in the secondary ticket | | | | For concerts, comedians and events that are on |
| market. | | | | tour, they will often play the same city two or |
| First of all, timing is very important. As a general | | | | more times. Visit the official site for the event to |
| rule you should try to buy your tickets 3-4 | | | | see if the band, comedian, etc. is going to be |
| weeks before the event. Some exceptions would | | | | playing your area again. Even if tickets are not |
| be NFL and NASCAR Tickets. Most NFL and | | | | available yet, you can probably get a better price |
| NASCAR Events will sell out. There will also be | | | | if you are willing to wait. Lastly, if you live near |
| very limited tickets available to the general public. | | | | more than one large city, you can see if tickets |
| So in both cases buying as soon as possible is | | | | at one of the other event centers are selling for |
| usually the best practice. There are other | | | | a lower price. |
| exceptions to the 3-4 week rule. In general | | | | I would never recommend using an auction or |
| though, as the concert or event date gets closer, | | | | classified type of site to purchase tickets. Even |
| the prices will start to rise and the amount of | | | | though most transactions are completed without |
| tickets available will decrease. | | | | any issues, and the sites normally have a |
| If you are looking for specific seating, such as | | | | mechanism for filing complaints about sales gone |
| front row or box office seating, they may not be | | | | bad, that will do you little good. Most likely you will |
| available from the original ticket source, even if | | | | not get the tickets in time from the site if at all. |
| the event is not sold out. This is another case | | | | Even if you do have time to purchase tickets |
| where you would want to buy as soon as | | | | from another source, you will most likely pay |
| possible. Remember in the internet age 100s of | | | | more since ticket prices will have gone up while |
| people may be searching for the same tickets. In | | | | you were waiting for a resolution from the |
| some cases the tickets will sell out in seconds. If | | | | auction or classified site. |
| there are a small amount of tickets available for | | | | Also, since you are dealing with individuals, you |
| the event, they can easily be gone in hours if not | | | | have no real way to verify the trustworthiness of |
| minutes. | | | | the seller. Even though ticket brokers receive |
| Secondly, try to use a site that list tickets from | | | | many tickets from individuals also, they have |
| multiple sources. Sites such as "Your Official | | | | verified that the tickets are legitimate. And unlike |
| Tickets" list tickets from over 100 ticket sellers | | | | individual ticket sellers, most brokers are |
| and brokers. There are many similar sites. In | | | | members of the BBB, the local chamber of |
| many cases multiple sites will have the same | | | | commerce and/or the NATB(National Association |
| ticket inventory. So shop around if you have time. | | | | of Ticket Brokers). |
| You may find the same ticket at many price | | | | As I said, most private sellers are honest. If you |
| points on different ticket sites. As long as the site | | | | do happen to run into a shady private seller |
| checks out with the BBB and Google, I would | | | | though, you will have little recourse if things go |
| recommend paying the lowest price you find. I | | | | bad. A ticket broker who has been in business for |
| would like to emphasize doing some research on | | | | any length of time, will not want to jeopardize |
| any company before you purchase anything | | | | their business over one bad sale, and will do |
| online. That goes for tickets or any other product | | | | anything possible to resolve the situation. |
| you buy from a online store. | | | | Hopefully these tips will help you save a little, or a |
| The last thing you may want to consider is going | | | | lot, of money on your next ticket purchase. |