In this case
- A Dead & Company fan spends $3,350 on tickets, assuming he can resell them based on a clever comparison on Ticketmaster’s site.
- But when he discovers the tickets are locked and can’t be transferred, he finds himself stuck in a two-month-long customer service jam with no answers.
- Find out if he was left singing the blues or if a little outside help was the miracle he needed to get his money back.
When Ticketmaster sells Nathaniel Meyer his Dead & Company tickets, it leads him to believe he can resell them. But he can’t. Is he stuck with them?
Question
Ticketmaster sold me tickets to Dead & Company: Dead Forever — Live at Sphere that did not indicate transfer or resale restrictions prior to sale, while advertising another category of tickets for the same event that clearly stated that those tickets were nontransferable.
The comparison of the two ticket categories side by side implied that the tickets I purchased could be transferred or resold. After my purchase, I found out that I can’t resell them.
I have tried for two months just to gain knowledge of whether this restriction would eventually be lifted and have been given no resolution or answers. In the process, Ticketmaster inadvertently called the wrong party to discuss my situation, which was a breach of my personal information.
I’d like a full refund of the $3,350 I paid for my tickets. — Nathaniel Meyer, Sheboygan, Wis.
Answer
Ticketmaster never explicitly said you could resell your Dead & Company concert tickets, but as you point out, it certainly implied it.
Hear a discussion of this case
But before I get to the answer, a word or two about the Grateful Dead and Dead & Company. I spent almost 20 years doing extended road trips around the United States before moving abroad, and I have concluded that the Grateful Dead is the ultimate driving soundtrack. I always turn my Sirius XM to Channel 23 and leave it there for the duration of the drive. (Thank you, David Lemieux.) As is a tradition in this column, I will be featuring lots of Dead & Company song titles in the story. Are you ready?
It looks like the event’s organizer, The Sphere, controlled the transferability of the tickets. Sometimes, organizers initially do not allow ticket transfers, but after they sell all their tickets and are sitting on top of the world, they change the terms as the concert date gets closer. (Am I making this too easy, fellow Deadheads?) (Related: She canceled her credit card. Will she ever see her refund for the BTS concert?)
Your voice matters
This case highlights a tricky consumer issue: What happens when a company implies something without explicitly stating it? Nathaniel Meyer’s $3,350 Dead & Company tickets were locked, despite an interface that suggested they were transferable, raising questions about corporate responsibility and transparency.
- Have you ever purchased tickets or a service based on an implied promise that a company didn’t honor?
- Should Ticketmaster be held responsible for creating a misleading comparison, even if it never explicitly said the tickets were transferable?
- Do you think event organizers should be required to clearly state all restrictions (like non-transferability) on every single ticket listing?
In this case, the Sphere had indicated the tickets were not transferable, but it told Ticketmaster that it might loosen its rules. So there was some uncertainty, but it sure felt like Ticketmaster was stealin’ your tickets — and it left you singing the blues. (Related: Shouldn’t Ticketmaster give my money back if the opera is canceled?)
What made this a difficult case was that your tickets didn’t say they were transferable. You made that assumption based on other tickets for the same event that were explicitly nontransferable. That was a fair, but ultimately flawed, assumption. (Related: I couldn’t see P!nk because of a foul-ball net. Can I get a refund from Ticketmaster?)
It looks like the event’s organizer did not indicate the transferability when it sent the ticket information to Ticketmaster. That could have been an innocent mistake, but it led you to buy tickets that you thought were transferable. You must have felt like a passenger on a ship of fools.
Read more insightful reader feedback. See all comments.
If you’re ever in a situation like this again, it’s best to confirm the terms of a concert ticket before buying it. And when you’re talking about a $3,350 expenditure (worth every penny, if you ask me), you want to get that in writing. Otherwise, you could end up the loser.
How to find out if your Tickemaster tickets are transferable
Are your concert tickets transferable? With Ticketmaster, it’s not always a simple yes or no. Here’s how to figure it out:
1. Log into your Ticketmaster account. All the ticket terms are online in your account.
2. Go to “My Events.” You’ll see all your upcoming tickets here.
3. Select the event in question. Click on the specific tickets you’re wondering about.
4. Look for a “Transfer” button. If it’s there, you’re in luck. If not, transferring might not be an option.
5. More questions? Check the fine print. Even if you don’t see a transfer option, you should check the event details. Sometimes there’s info there that may help you transfer your event ticket.
If you’re still unsure, reach out to customer service.
What about ticket insurance?
In your correspondence with Ticketmaster, a representative also recommended event ticket protector insurance. A claim would have been hard to handle because most insurance covers issues such as an illness, a mechanical breakdown on the way to a concert, or death. But it probably wouldn’t have applied to a transferability problem. (Related: No accessible seats at my Springsteen concert. Can I get a refund?)
Help is on the way
Did you need a miracle to get this case resolved? Maybe. You could have appealed this to a manager. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the Ticketmaster executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. You might have also disputed the charges on your credit card, although it might have been difficult to win, since you didn’t have a written promise of transferability.
But don’t worry, help is on the way. I contacted Ticketmaster on your behalf. A representative called you and offered a full refund for your Dead & Co. tickets, which you accepted. Nathaniel, I hope you keep on truckin’, and I’ll see you at the next show.
Can you resell those concert tickets?
A guide to understanding transfer restrictions before you buy
Don’t make assumptions
An implied promise is not a guarantee. Just because one set of tickets is marked “non-transferable” doesn’t automatically mean another set is. Always look for explicit confirmation.
Check your account for a “Transfer” button
The easiest way to check is to log into your Ticketmaster account. If the “Transfer Tickets” button is active for your event, you’re clear to transfer them.
Read the fine print
The rules are often set by the venue or artist, not Ticketmaster. Check the event’s specific details page for any notes on transfer restrictions, which can change at any time.
When in doubt, get it in writing
For an expensive purchase, don’t leave it to chance. If you can’t find clear confirmation online, contact customer service and ask for an email verifying the transfer policy.
File a credit card dispute if necessary
If you were misled and the company won’t help, a chargeback is a powerful tool. Arguing that the product was “not as described” can be effective if the interface was confusing.
Key takeaways
Implied isn’t official
What a site suggests is not a binding contract. Look for explicit terms.
Venue has final say
The artist or venue often sets the resale rules, not the ticket seller.
No button, no transfer
If the transfer option isn’t active in your account, assume you can’t resell.
Insurance won’t help
Ticket insurance typically doesn’t cover resale or transferability issues.
Stuck in a customer service loop?
When your emails go unanswered, you need a direct line to someone who can help. We publish the names, titles, and direct email addresses for the executives at Ticketmaster. Get the Ticketmaster executive contacts
What you’re saying
This tale of locked-down Dead & Company tickets touched a nerve, sparking a debate on whether the buyer was a fan or a scalper, and whether Ticketmaster’s restrictions help or hurt the real fans.
A fan or a scalper?
Many of you, like Bob Blackburn and doreen, were suspicious of the buyer’s motives, suggesting this was an “investment opportunity that backfired.” But others, like Marty Biscan, felt the buyer made an honest mistake based on Ticketmaster’s confusing interface.
The resale riddle
The core of the debate centered on ticket transferability. Some readers argued that once you buy a ticket, it’s your property to resell as you please. But many others, including DC1976, countered that transfer limits are a necessary evil to keep bots and professional scalpers from hoarding tickets.
The old-school solution
Top commenter Walt Berger offered a different path, advising fans to skip the online hassle altogether. His advice to “look for your tickets in the lot” and find a last-minute “miracle” resonated with many readers who miss the days of physical tickets and face-to-face deals.