Finding tickets to sold-out shows --- without spending a fortune
Dying to attend a show or sporting event, but discover it's sold out? Consumer Reports' August issue has all the info about buying tickets through ticket resellers.
If you've bought tickets online, you've probably seen ads for sites such as StubHub and RazorGator. CR found that when shows sell out in record time they can often be found on resale sites such as these --- at inflated prices.
The article includes smart tips for getting a deal to see a popular show:
1. Buy early. If you're a fan, try to sign up for pre-sales, through venues or promoters or the artists' Web sites or fan clubs. According to CR, sometimes they offer a discount as well! You can also pay to play, by paying for access to alerts about presales and the passwords themselves at PresalePassword.net or Presalenow.com.
2. Credit-card promotions. CR sez cards such as American Express, Visa Signature, and MasterCard snag choice seats and discounts to events such as "The Lion King" on Broadway and the U.S. Open tennis tournament for their cardholders.
3. Go direct to the source. You can usually avoid fees by paying for tickets in person. The magazine points out that the fees are also probably lowest at the official Web site of your team or venue. (P.S. Sometimes this holds true for airline tickets as well!)
4. Hit reload. Ticketmaster lets customers take their time before finalizing their purchases, which can make it appear as if events are sold out, according to CR. But if they change their minds, those seats become available again.
Still seatless? Then here are CR's tips for going the reseller route:
1. Supply and demand. It's easier to get tickets to see losing teams or pre-season NFL games --- as well as games with competitors who have not made the playoffs, CR points out. You can usually find cheaper seats for concerts at larger venues or in less popular tour destinations, as well as matinees and weekday shows.
"A good time to buy concert tickets is just after a performer has added extra tour dates," according to the article.
2. Track prices and be patient. Don't buy from a reseller immediately after striking out through other means. Wait for a while and see how the prices change over time by tracking prices at reselling sites. According to the article, tickets to the 2008 baseball All-Star game started at $29,500. Super Bowl tickets, on the other hand, sank to $1,000 with only hours left to kickoff. No matter where the prices start, the items aren't worth much after the events begin, so you can take advantage. If you can get electronic tickets or pick them up on site, you can make a game-day decision about weather or other potential issues.
3. Know what you're getting into. Many venues tack on plenty of ticket fees that really make you wonder what the base price of the ticket actually pays for, according to CR's breakdown. The resellers are no different, charging tons for delivering the tickets or even to print electronic versions.
A native of Vietnam, 