How to sell concert tickets you can't use

The short answer

If your tickets can be transferred electronically, you can usually list them on a resale marketplace in a few minutes. You need access to the account holding the tickets, a price, and a way to get paid. The marketplace finds the buyer. Your job is to deliver the exact tickets you listed once they sell.

What to check before you list

1. Can the tickets be transferred? Some events turn transfers off, and some tie entry to the original buyer's ID. If a ticket cannot be transferred, it usually cannot be resold either. Check in the account that holds the tickets. How to transfer tickets explains what to look for.

2. Are the tickets in your account yet? After some presales, tickets are not released to buyers until closer to the event. Marketplaces set their own rules for listing tickets you cannot deliver yet, so read the seller terms before you list.

3. What did you pay, and what are similar seats listed at? You need both numbers to set a sensible price. What is face value? explains the first one.

How to list tickets, step by step

1. Create a seller account and finish any verification the marketplace asks for. Verification helps buyers trust that sellers can deliver, so expect it to include confirming who you are.

2. Add the listing: the event, section, row, quantity, and whether the seats are together. Be exact. Seats that do not match the listing are a frequent cause of disputes.

3. Set a price. Compare with similar seats for the same event, not with what you paid.

4. Add a payout method. Marketplaces differ: some pay into a bank account and some through a payment service.

5. Wait for a sale. You can normally change the price or remove the listing while it is live.

6. Deliver when it sells. For mobile tickets, that means transferring them to the buyer. Do it promptly and before the deadline the marketplace gives you.

How to price your tickets

• Price against current listings, not against what you paid. What you paid does not change what buyers will pay today.
• Look at seats like yours. Compare the same section and a similar row and quantity. A lower bowl seat and an upper level seat are different markets.
• Move sooner on slow events. A ticket has no value once the show starts, so holding out on a show that is not selling can leave you with nothing.
• Read the marketplace's pricing rules. Some marketplaces or events limit resale prices, and a listing outside those limits may not go live.

What you owe the buyer after a sale

Listing is the easy half. Delivering is the obligation. Sellers are generally expected to deliver the exact tickets they listed, by the stated deadline, and not to sell the same tickets somewhere else in the meantime.

When a seller fails to deliver, the marketplace has to help the buyer, and seller terms usually spell out what that means for the seller. For how this works on SeatCommons, see seller accountability. The binding rules are in the Terms of Service.

Selling privately instead of on a marketplace

Selling directly to someone through social media or a payment app skips the marketplace. It also skips the protections for both sides. The buyer has no one to turn to if the tickets never arrive. The seller has no one to turn to if the payment is reversed after the tickets are sent. Neither person's identity is checked.

If you do sell privately, send the tickets through the official transfer option rather than a screenshot, and know that you are carrying the risk yourself.

Where to list

If your tickets can be transferred and you know your price, you can list them on SeatCommons.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell tickets I bought in a presale?

Usually, once the tickets are in your account and transfers are open for that event. Presale tickets are ordinary tickets once they are issued to you.

What if my tickets don't sell?

You keep them. Most marketplaces let you lower the price or remove the listing while it is live, and listings typically end before the event starts.

Can I sell only some of my tickets?

Usually yes. Most marketplaces let you list part of an order. Be accurate about the quantity and about whether the seats you are selling are together.

Do I have to pay tax on tickets I resell?

It depends on your situation. Tax rules for resale income vary and change, so check current official guidance or ask a tax professional.