Have you ever been stuck with extra Broadway tickets or had a last minute change of plans that prevented you from attending a show? As anyone who has purchased tickets knows, official box offices typically have strict no refund policies. Thankfully, you have options to recoup costs by reselling unwanted Broadway tickets online.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn the ins and outs of reselling Broadway show tickets in 2024. Discover where to list tickets, how to price them competitively, steps for safe transactions, legal considerations, and more. With the right approach, you can offload extra tickets while potentially earning some money too.
Why You Might Need to Resell Your Broadway Tickets?
There’s various reasons you might need to resell Broadway show tickets you’ve already purchased instead of attending yourself:
- Last Minute Schedule Changes: Your plans fall through, an emergency comes up, or work demands sudden travel. Any unexpected events can make it impossible for you to go.
- Bought Extra Tickets: You purchased a batch of tickets thinking more people would join, but ends up with extras when some friends bail out.
- Bad Reviews: The show gets panned by critics after you’ve already bought non-refundable tickets. Now you’re stuck with tickets to a Broadway show you’ve lost interest in seeing.
Rather than letting already paid for tickets go to waste, reselling them through trustworthy marketplaces allows you to recoup some costs back.
Options for Selling Broadway Tickets
You have several options when it comes to offloading tickets to a Broadway show you can no longer attend. Here are some of the most popular methods:
Box Office Refund/Exchange
First, it’s worth trying the show’s box office directly to request a refund or exchange for a different date/time even if stated policies are “no refunds.” Exceptions can be made if done in person well in advance.
However, the success of this depends on factors like:
- How far ahead you make the request
- Popularity of the show
- Which employee you speak with
There’s no guarantees, but always worth a shot before paying secondary market fees.
Online Ticket Marketplaces
If the box office won’t accommodate refunds/exchanges, online secondary ticket marketplaces are the easiest way to resell Broadway tickets. These sites connect you to eager buyers looking for tickets:
- StubHub – Largest ticket marketplace. Charges 15% fees but wide buyer reach.
- VividSeats – All-in-one platform to sell almost any ticket. Lower 10% seller fee.
- eBay – Classic auction/resale site. Flexible pricing but less buyer protections.
The main downside is these platforms charge seller fees and commissions, usually around 10-15%. But in return you benefit from their large existing buyer bases versus trying to find takers on your own.
Directly to Friends/Family
Finally, you can always try selling Broadway show tickets directly to people you know who were hoping to purchase tickets. Sites like Facebook Groups, School Communities etc focused on buying/selling can also work.
The main benefits of direct buyer-seller ticket transfers are avoiding fees and potentially earning more money. The hard part is finding an interested buyer.
Pricing Your Broadway Tickets
Setting an attractive yet profitable price for your Broadway tickets helps them actually sell. When pricing consider factors like:
- Popularity of Show – Hits like Hamilton and Wicked fetch higher resale prices based on demand.
- Date/Time – Weekend evening shows out-earn Tuesday matinees. Holiday weeks out-earn random weeks.
- Seat Quality – Front orchestra out-earns rear mezzanine. Obstructed views must be lower prices.
- Site Fees – Account for 10-15% commission sites like StubHub charge to ensure you still profit.
Research the going rates for other current resale listings for the exact same Broadway show and performance date to gauge market value based on above criteria.
Aim to price competitively to actually sell the tickets, unless you have a truly hot high demand show where you can increase profit margins.
Listing Your Broadway Tickets For Sale
Once you’ve settled on an asking price, it’s time to list those Broadway tickets for sale. Here are some tips:
- Provide Accurate Ticket Details – Section, row and seat numbers at a minimum. Note obstructions, ADA spots, etc that impact price.
- Pick Reputable Sites – Use only trusted platforms like StubHub to ensure safe transactions. Avoid direct peer-to-peer payments to verify buyer legitimacy.
- Electronic Delivery – Digital tickets buyers can access instantly drives more sales than physical ticket shipping.
- Respond Quickly – Timely replies providing any extra info builds trust to ink the deal.
The best Broadway ticket marketplaces make listing straightforward. Simply create an account, verify your identity, then submit the event details and ticket info (barcodes etc if available).
Completing the Broadway Ticket Transaction
Sold those spare Broadway tickets? Finish strong by ensuring smooth payment and delivery:
- Communicate Next Steps – Once a buyer commits, keep the lines open on how payment will process and delivery/pick-up logistics.
- Ship Rapidly If not e-tickets, use USPS/FedEx to quickly get physical tickets in buyers hands. Avoid last minute mailings.
- Understand Payment Timelines – Know when you’ll receive Sale proceeds in your connected payment account (PayPal, direct bank deposit, etc).
Reputable ticket marketplaces have robust protections against fake/flaky buyers. However direct peer-to-peer exchanges bring higher risk requiring precautions like public meetups or ID checks for large transactions.
Is Reselling Broadway Tickets Profitable?
While you can earn extra money, reselling Broadway tickets has narrow profit margins after considering effort and fees. Still, profits are possible if:
- You snag hot show tickets early, before demand spikes pricing. Time it when anticipation peaks.
- Avoid weekend/holidays when everyone competes for buyer attention.
- You have premium seat locations – front & center out earns the rear.
Commissions between 10-15% quickly put you in the red if you overpaid initially or are stuck offloading less popular show tickets.
Use broadway ticket resales to recoup costs on unused tickets when possible, but approach as side income with caution.
Are There Legal Issues With Reselling Tickets?
While no federal US restrictions prohibit Broadway ticket resales, some states implement local laws including:
- New York – Reselling for over 10% above face value illegal. Also no resale activity within 500 feet of theaters.
- Ohio – Caps ticket markup at $5 above face value maximum.
- Connecticut – Requires ticket reseller license approval before selling tickets.
If selling Broadway tickets locally, research state level anti-scalping laws. Fines for violations can be hefty. When unsure, call your State Attorney General.
Differences Between Ticket Brokers vs Scalpers
As you explore the Broadway tickets resale ecosystem, you’ll encounter two distinct reseller types – Brokers and Scalpers. Here are the key differences:
Brokers
- Reputable registered business, typically with brick and mortar office presence.
- Specialize in hot show tickets they buy speculatively to resell at profit.
- Utilize tools like pre-sale code access to secure inventory.
- May have minimum order sizes or service fees.
Scalpers
- Independent operators without formal business registration.
- Typically solicit directly outside theaters offloading extra inventory before curtains.
- Often interconnected with brokers receiving unwanted surplus tickets.
- Higher fraud risk given lack of accountability.
While brokers provide safer transactions, their convenience comes at higher premiums. Scalpers bridge last minute buyers and sellers though require due diligence.
Tips for Avoiding Scams When Reselling Broadway Tickets
As with any high value resale item, Broadway tickets attract scammers on both buyer and seller sides. Here are some tips for secure, scam-free transactions:
- Vet Out Buyers – Ask for LinkedIn profiles or social connections to verify buyers are real people.
- Avoid Wire Transfers – Nearly impossible to reverse makes them prime targets. Use payment platforms with buyer/seller protection.
- Meet Publicly When Possible – If delivering physical tickets locally, conduct exchanges in high traffic areas like coffee shops.
- List Only on Established Sites – Reputable marketplaces remove fraudulent listings and ban sketchy users. Don’t take chances elsewhere.
While less likely from major secondary Broadway ticket sellers, individuals with too-good-to-be-true prices often peddle invalid tickets to unwitting buyers so do your homework.
Key Takeaways – Selling Your Broadway Tickets
Selling those extra Broadway tickets rather than eating the cost requires some effort but pays dividends through recouped expenses or even profit:
- Keep trying box office refunds/exchanges before paying secondary market fees when possible. Be polite yet persistent!
- Understanding ticket market dynamics – from show hype cycles to summer lulls – sets optimal listing strategy and prices.
- Mobile viability grows increasingly important. Ensure your Broadway ticket sales process frictionless across smartphones – from listing to getting paid.
- Balancing patience against enough urgency in communications and delivery cements sales. Overnight shipping shows you’re reliable.
- Due diligence around fraud prevention separates hobbyists from serial successful Broadway ticket resellers. Mastering protections early reduces lifelong losses.
- Incorporate lessons learned from each completed Broadway ticket sale into future transactions until expertise is second nature.
Getting Started With Reselling Broadway Tickets
Once ready to dive into Broadway ticket resales, recommend focussing on these areas upfront:
Pick Reliable Marketplace
Avoid jumping across multiple Broadway ticket platforms. Master one then expand. Reduces verification requirements and training across different seller tools.
Specialize in Few Shows
Curate tried and true Broadway shows with seller friendly dynamics. Start there. Expand show breadth over time after gaining experience.
Structure Payments & Taxes
Consider opening dedicated business banking and payment accounts to cleanly categorize Broadway ticket sale income and expenses for taxes. Keep compliant from day one.
Conclusion
Selling extra or unwanted Broadway tickets provides the flexibility to recoup costs from unused show tickets rather than absorbing the loss. While theaters themselves rarely offer refunds or exchanges, trusted online marketplaces conveniently connect eager buyers – though eating into profits.
Approaching Broadway ticket resales as a side hobby or business requires understanding show selection, pricing dynamics, delivery logistics, and sale regulations. But over time expertise translates into sizable savings or revenue.
Now you’re equipped with a complete playbook detailing every facet of successfully selling Broadway show tickets online. So next time life happens and you’re stuck with tickets to Hamilton that the neighbors would die for, at least you’ll profit from the situation!
