Price & Availability:  

Because Ticketmaster is the original source and primary ticket holder, they offer the tickets at face value. The price you pay for tickets through Ticketmaster is the price– the original price–not the inflated markup price known as market value. Market value is determined by how much people are willing to pay and how much ticket brokers think they can charge, whereas face value is the actual price of the ticket.

Of course, you should be aware that even when purchasing tickets from the source, there are additional fees to account for. Ticket buyers will be expected to pay a building facility fee, which is determined by each individual concert venue. These fees are usually minimal, and are typically included in the price of each ticket on other ticket sites, whereas at Ticketmaster, they are listed separately.

You can get your tickets from Ticketmaster in a variety of ways. Standard mailing is free, and speedy shipping options are available for an additional price. Most of the tickets bought through Ticketmaster.com can even be printed from your own computer! And while the additional $2.50 service charge seems silly, it is comparatively small and beats paying for full shipping. The ability to print your own tickets is very convenient, especially if you’re ordering the tickets the day of the event.

You will also pay a service fee, sometimes called a convenience charge. Ticketmaster's service fee varies from ticket to ticket, but for concert tickets, we found the average fee to be about 14% of the actual ticket price. This is a pretty steep service markup, but remember, tickets are priced at original face value rather than at higher market value.

When your first see your final cost is different than the original listing price, due to all of the additional charges and service fees, it certainly can be frustrating. May we remind you that even after all the fees, including the steep 14% average service charge, comparable tickets sold through Ticketmaster are typically significantly lower priced than elsewhere.

Of course, because the prices are so low, popular concerts and events sell out quickly. Ticketmaster will likely be sold out of tickets for premium seating. Nevertheless, there are usually some tickets available through Ticketmaster, even up to the day of the concert, but again, these will most likely be the ones furthest away from the stage.

Features:  

Ticketmaster has several features that make locating and purchasing concert tickets easy. They also offer some unique features that are exclusive to Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster is one of the only services we reviewed that allows users to print their own tickets for almost any event. Ticketmaster also offers personalized gift cards, a nice way to give the gift of a live event. Or you can print custom tickets with your own pictures, logos, etc. This is a great business solution or for professionally ticketing your own event.

Ticketmaster primarily offers face value tickets, but they also have Ticketexchange, a service where fans sell their own tickets to others. Tickets sold through Ticketexchange can only change hands three times for security purposes.

One unique feature that Ticketmaster offers is a function to easily find the best available seats. Rather than choosing a seating section or price range, simply check the ‘find best available’ box, and Ticketmaster will present you with the best tickets they have available. Another exclusive feature is a special website specifically designed to be used on mobile devices. Now you can search for and purchase tickets from your cell phone!

Furthermore, because the tickets being sold through Ticketmaster are from the primary source, you will know exactly which seats you are purchasing. Most sites will tell you which section and row you will sit, but only Ticketmaster consistently discloses exactly which seat numbers users are purchasing.

Ease of Use:  

The Ticketmaster webpage is very professionally designed and easy to navigate. You can specify a particular event by searching for the artist, venue or city. Or users can narrow down their searches by choosing a music genre. The concert categories are extensive and effective, including Alternative Rock, Classical, Comedy, Latin, Country & Folk, Dance/Electronic, Hard Rock, Metal, Jazz & Blues, New Age & Spiritual, R&B/Urban, Rap, Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop, and World Music.

Once you locate your specific concert or event, you will determine which date you are hoping to attend. Ticketmaster presents these listings in an easy to use calendar view. After that, selecting tickets is pretty intuitive. Simply designate how many tickets you want, and then you can filter by price or specific seating sections.

The checkout process is a bit intimidating at first because each step is timed. If you don’t complete each step within the allotted time, your tickets are no longer reserved and you have to start over. This can be a bit stressful for first time users, but is straightforward and easy to get used to.

Another nice feature are seating charts, which are provided for almost every venue, showing the layout of the concert arena and where your seats will be located.

Security:  

With Ticketmaster, you are buying tickets directly from the source, so you don’t have to worry about the integrity of third party ticket brokers or other resellers. Ticketmaster.com is a secure website that has a safe checkout system, securing your credit card number and personal information from potential online fraud.

Unlike most online concert ticket sites, Ticketmaster’s purchases are not necessarily non-refundable. Event ticket insurance can be purchased so that if an unexpected emergency arises, you can get a complete refund of your purchase. Coverage also includes additional convenience fees and shipping charges you might have paid. Concert Ticket Insurance is billed separately by Access America, and costs an additional $6 per ticket.

Help/Support:  

Ticketmaster offers several help options and support solutions throughout the entire process of locating and purchasing your concert tickets. You can call Ticketmaster by phone to both order tickets and for any assistance you may need when navigating the process online. Ticketmaster also has several online support options, including email assistance, and a thorough Question and Answer section.

Ticketmaster is the best place to start looking for concert tickets, and may prove to be your only source for one-stop concert ticket shopping. With additional features and a simple but thorough website, Ticketmaster is a great source for online concert tickets. And while Ticketmaster may not have premium seats available by the time get around to looking for tickets, it’s usually the best place to find the least expensive tickets. Buying tickets straight from the source is not only convenient, but reassuring as well. Being able to print your tickets is certainly a convenient option. There are a lot of concert tickets being resold through the secondary market, but for the best primary ticket distributor providing several unique features and simple usability, we recommend Ticketmaster.

See how Ticketmaster compares with other ticketing services for Online Sports Tickets and Online Theater Tickets.