Buying tickets online to concerts, sports games, and other events can sometimes feel risky. You browse listings on a site like SeatGeek, make your purchase, and then just cross your fingers hoping your tickets turn out okay. Does SeatGeek provide protections if something goes wrong?
Yes, SeatGeek does have a buyer guarantee in place for all ticket orders through their platform. This is done to assure customers that they will receive valid tickets on time and be able to actually attend the event. SeatGeek’s guarantee also covers issues with canceled or postponed events.
In this detailed blog post, we will cover:
- The specifics of what SeatGeek’s buyer guarantee includes
- How the guarantee handles event changes like cancellations or postponements
- Ways SeatGeek works to prevent fake/invalid tickets
- What to do if you encounter issues with an order
- Why SeatGeek is a recommended ticket marketplace
What is Included in SeatGeek’s Buyer Guarantee?
SeatGeek wants its buyers to feel confident purchasing tickets through its ticket marketplace platform. That’s why orders made on SeatGeek come with a Buyer Guarantee that includes the following protections:
Tickets Will Be Delivered in Time for the Event
The Buyer Guarantee states that your tickets will be delivered with enough time for you to actually attend the event purchased. This generally means you will receive your tickets at least 24 hours before event start time. Mobile transfer tickets in particular may not be available right away but should populate in time.
Specific ticket delivery timeframes include:
- E-tickets: Uploaded to your SeatGeek account within 24 hours of the event
- Mobile transfer/AXS tickets: Delivered via email within 24 hours
- Shipped tickets: Arrive at your door within 48 hours of event
If you don’t receive tickets in time, you can contact SeatGeek support for help.
Tickets Provide Valid Entry
The guarantee also covers the validity of tickets – your tickets will allow you proper entry to the event you purchased them for. This provides assurance against issues like duplicate tickets or fraudulent listings.
If a ticket fails to grant entry for some reason excluding you, the Buyer Guarantee means SeatGeek will make it right.
Ordered Tickets Will Match Delivered Tickets
You are also guaranteed to receive the exact tickets (same quantity, seating location etc.) that you purchased through the SeatGeek platform.
Resolution for Any Issues
Finally, SeatGeek promises that if problems arise with your ticket order related to any of the above guarantees, they “will work with you on a case-by-case basis to resolve any verified issue”.
This generally means comparable replacement tickets will be offered if available. If replacement tickets can’t be obtained, you would receive a full refund for your order instead.
How Does the Guarantee Address Cancelled or Postponed Events?
In addition to the delivery and validity guarantees outlined above, SeatGeek’s Buyer Guarantee has specific policies regarding canceled and postponed events as well:
Cancelled Events
If an event is cancelled altogether and no rescheduled date is set, SeatGeek will provide either:
- A full refund of the ticket purchase price paid
- A credit for future use on the SeatGeek platform equal to the original order value
This allows you to get your money back or use the funds to order different tickets instead if the event you bought tickets for gets canceled.
Postponed Events
For events that get postponed to a future date instead of fully canceled, the original tickets are still considered valid for use on the new event date in most cases.
However, some rescheduled events do require new replacement tickets to attend. In these situations, SeatGeek’s buyer guarantee means they will obtain replacement tickets if needed and provide them at no extra charge to you.
If you can no longer attend on the rescheduled date, it is encouraged to re-sell such tickets on SeatGeek yourself if possible. But outright refunds are generally not offered for postponed events unless required by certain state laws.
What Measures Help Prevent Invalid Tickets?
While buyer guarantees are important for recourse when problems occur, avoiding issues altogether is the ideal situation when buying tickets. SeatGeek utilizes several measures aimed at preventing fake tickets or other fulfillment problems for customers.
Seller Requirements and Protections
All ticket sellers listing inventory on SeatGeek must follow applicable laws, regulations, and platform policies. This includes requirements around accurate ticket details and inventory tracking to avoid situations like duplicated barcodes.
Strict rules prohibiting sale of unpossessed inventory and stolen tickets also protect buyers from fraud. And if sellers do fail to deliver valid tickets, financial penalties incentivize compliance.
Use of Mobile Transfer Tickets
Increasingly, event tickets are issued electronically as mobile transfers rather than traditional printed tickets. This practice enhances security against counterfeits and scalping compared to paper tickets.
Many tickets sold on the SeatGeek ticket marketplace utilize such mobile delivery, especially for primary market inventory sourced directly from teams, venues, etc. This intrinsically reduces chances of fake ticket concerns.
Low Rate of Invalid Tickets
Statistics shared by SeatGeek representatives indicate that fewer than 120% of all ticket orders through their platform involve fraudulent tickets or related fulfillment issues.
Their buyer guarantee offers recourse for even these rare occurrences. But with all the seller protections and mobile transfer tickets in place, receiving invalid tickets from SeatGeek is highly unlikely in the first place.
What Should You Do If You Have an Issue with Tickets?
Despite best efforts, there is always a small possibility that you may encounter trouble with an order such as:
- Not receiving tickets in time as guaranteed
- Tickets failing entry and being invalid
- Getting different tickets than you purchased
If any such problems do occur with tickets bought on SeatGeek, it is important to act quickly for the best resolution:
Contact SeatGeek customer support immediately if you experience issues with your tickets.
Specific contact options include:
- Helpdesk support form
- Email: hi@seatgeek.com
- Phone: 1-888-506-4101
Explain your ticket order issue fully and a representative will help troubleshoot it for you.
As long as you reach out for assistance promptly, SeatGeek’s buyer guarantee should apply to your situation if eligibility requirements are met. This means you would receive comparable replacement tickets if possible or a full refund otherwise.
By getting customer support involved quickly, they can attempt to resolve problems before the event occurs and potentially source last-minute alternate tickets if needed as well.
Why Choose To Buy and Sell Tickets on SeatGeek?
Beyond the buyer guarantees and protections outlined already, SeatGeek offers a few key advantages that make it a recommended online ticket marketplace generally:
Reputable Brand & Platform
Operational since 2009, SeatGeek certainly qualifies as an established and reputable player in the ticket resale industry. They have official partnerships with dozens of major teams, artists, and venues as well.
Their ticket search engine aggregates affordable tickets with buyer guarantees, great accessibility on both desktop and mobile, and transparent pricing. Over 75% of SeatGeek customer reviews rate them as “Excellent” overall.
Great Availability & Deals
In addition to sourcing exclusive primary market ticket inventory no longer available directly from box offices, SeatGeek also allows everyday fans to re-sell extra tickets.
This means increased availability – especially for sold out events – and more chances for discounted seats as sellers compete for buyers.
Their Deal Score rating system lets you easily spot especially fairly priced tickets recommended based on seat quality, historical demand levels, and other data.
Secure Transactions for Buyers & Sellers
Fraud protections already touched upon provide assurance for ticket buyers on SeatGeek. Requirements around accurate listings and seller payout conditions improve matters for selling side as well.
Overall, SeatGeek delivers a safer, more transparent exchange platform markedly improving upon risky alternatives like buying tickets on Craigslist or scalpers. This peace of mind benefits both buyers and sellers.
Conclusion
To wrap up, SeatGeek does offer buyer guarantees – backed up via customer service as well – to ensure customers receive valid event tickets on time and handle any order issues. Their protections address cancelled or postponed events too.
Measures like strict seller requirements, mobile transfer tickets, review processes, and fraud detection also help minimize problems to begin with on top of the official policy guarantees.
It’s still important to contact support promptly about any ticket troubles for the best assistance and resolutions of course. But between upfront protections and responsive helpers, SeatGeek has your back.
With a smoother search and buying experience all around compared to alternatives, we recommend SeatGeek as a go-to online ticket marketplace – for both buyers and re-sellers. Give them a try next time you need tickets to that hot concert or sold out game in town!
