Moneymagpie Team
15th May 2025
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8
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The summer is always a riot when it comes to entertainment. From local outdoor festivals to massive events like Glastonbury, there’s a ton of fun to be had in the sunny months. However, tickets can be expensive – and that also makes it easy to get sucked in by ticket scams. Learn how to save money on your summer entertainment tickets without being fooled by ticket scams.
Consider Cashback Sites to Save
Why Ticket Prices Rocket
There was a huge hoo-haa when Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and bands like BlackPink were revealed to use something called ‘dynamic pricing’. This means that the more people that are trying to buy the tickets, the higher the price would rise. While some artists denied allowing this strategy was their choice, using verified ticket retailers that do this (like Ticketmaster) can be seen as implicit agreement to using dynamic pricing in ticket sales.
What this means for you, the customer, is that you might have budgeted around £300 for a pair of concert tickets for your loved one’s special birthday. You sit in the ticket queue waiting for them to be released… and then those tickets now cost £600! And, because live music has die-hard fans, there are many who will take the hit on the higher price because the experience is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for them.
There are no rules against dynamic pricing in the UK. And while it is supposed to be a strategy to ‘stop touts and give more back to artists’, what it is actually doing is pushing second-hand ticket sales through the roof at even higher prices. And the people who can afford to buy these tickets to resell? They’re often the ticket touts this strategy is designed to stop.
Use a Verified Retailer
So, how can you make sure you’re not a victim of ticket scams? Well, unfortunately, some venues and some artists will only use a single ticket sales outlet like Ticketmaster. This means you can only officially buy a ticket through them. While it gives you some buyer protection, for example if the concert is cancelled you can claim a refund, it does limit your options.
However, using a verified retailer is much safer than buying tickets second-hand from auction sites or your local Facebook Marketplace. Many tickets are not transferable to others, and need to be sold back to the original ticket seller agency if the buyer can no longer attend. This means that the ticket you’ve bought from Mr. Mysterious down the local pub might not let you inside the venue, and you won’t have any recourse for a refund from him either.
While using a verified retailer means you have to pay the price they set, you do get buyer protections. They also have resale platforms which are official, so if you need to resell your ticket you can do so properly without risking losing your money or getting scammed.
Common Ticket Scams : The Last Minute One
Ticket scams also come in the form of ‘last minute’ sales – someone says they can’t make it at the last minute, but you can meet them at the venue to get the ticket off them if you send them cash to ‘reserve’ it first.
Again, tickets are usually for the buyer only – but even if they aren’t, meeting a stranger to get a ticket isn’t going to end well (and they usually won’t even turn up). If they do turn up, they might demand more cash from you before handing the (dud) ticket over.
Common ticket websites include TicketMaster, LiveNation, See Tickets and StubHub. TicketSwap and ViaGoGo are verified ticket reseller websites. TicketSwap caps resale prices at 20% above face value to avoid ticket scams.
Get Cashback on Tickets
We talk about cashback sites a lot on Moneymagpie – and for good reason! It’s a great way to essentially get a discount on anything you can buy through them. When you’re buying a gig or festival ticket, that could amount to a nice chunk of change back in your pocket, for doing nothing!
All you need to do is sign up to a cashback site and find the ticket sales website through it. So, if you use TopCashBack, you’d log in and search ‘TicketMaster’ or look at the ‘Tickets and Events’ category to find a ticket sales retailer that will give you cashback. Click the link and buy as usual – just remember to select ‘allow all cookies’ when you get to the ticket website, as this means your purchase will be tracked by the cashback site. In order to ensure that you receive the correct amount of cashback, it is important for the site to verify your ticket purchase. To ensure the authenticity of your festival tickets, you can also visit the Secure Tickets from Authorised Retailers website or the Association of Secondary Ticket Agents to verify if a website or reseller is reputable. Avoid purchasing tickets from social media platforms, forums, or websites offering unrealistically low prices. Always use your debit or credit card for payment, and check the ticket terms and conditions for resale or refund policies before making a purchase. Be cautious of fraudulent links and verify payment failures with the ticket sales website before attempting another transaction.
If you are looking to attend a festival on a budget, consider volunteering instead. Festival volunteers typically work short shifts in exchange for free tickets, including camping passes. While volunteering may require physical exertion and could limit your ability to see certain performances, it is a cost-effective way to enjoy the festival experience. Just make sure you are in good physical condition to handle the demands of volunteering. The statement is that the boy is playing soccer in the park.