When Exactly Are Concert Tickets the Cheapest To Buy?
Most fans look to buy concert tickets as soon as possible. There’s nothing wrong with that. When your favorite band is coming to town it’s natural to want tickets when they first go on sale.
While “the first possible moment” is the most enjoyable time to buy concert tickets (at least for hardcore fans), it’s not the cheapest.
The cheapest time to buy concert tickets is the last minute.
Why The Last Minute for the Cheapest Tickets?
Tickets prices on the primary market almost never fluctuate.
Tickets prices on the secondary ticket market frequently fluctuate but they usually remain high in the first days, even weeks, of going on sale. That’s because the seller isn’t under pressure to move their product.
When are Tickets Cheapest to Buy?
Concert tickets can be cheaper to buy the day before or day of the event.
Primary Tickets vs. Secondary Market Tickets
Quickly, the primary ticket agent is the one that first sells tickets to the general public. The secondary ticket agent resells those tickets.
An example of a primary ticket market agent is Ticketmaster. An example of a secondary ticket market seller is Clickitticket.
You Can Find Cheap Concert Tickets
As the event nears, secondary ticket sellers are more likely to lower prices so they can recoup some of their initial costs. The day before, or the day of, an event is when you’ll likely to find the cheapest concert tickets.
This is especially true if an artist is struggling to sell concert tickets. It’s not common but it does happen. If demand for a concert wanes, you might find tickets on the secondary ticket market, including Clickitticket, at or below their original price.
If an artist really struggles to fill a venue you might be able to find cheap tickets on the primary market. For example, in 2012, low demand forced Kanye West to cut ticket prices in half to his concert in Atlantic City.
You should know that sometimes ticket prices never decrease. Demand to see a concert is so high that ticket prices never go down. There is, in effect, no “last minute.” Even so, patience will better serve your pocketbook when it comes to finding cheap concert tickets.
Give Yourself Time When Trying to Find the Cheapest Tickets
If you’re buying physical tickets you’ll need time to receive them from the seller. In some cities, there are pick-up locations where you can retrieve your tickets but most of the time you’ll receive physical tickets via the mail. This means the “last minute” is actually a couple of days before the concert.
Concert E-Tickets
Fortunately, Clickitticket also sells e-tickets. E-tickets, or electronic tickets, are sent via email and are printer friendly. You take the printed copy to the venue where it’s scanned like any other ticket.
Since you can receive and print e-tickets moments before your live event begins you can literally wait until the last minute (when prices are the best) to purchase them.
So when are concert tickets cheapest to buy?
The answer is the last minute.
It’s not a guarantee, and it might be hard for some fans to sit around ticket-less especially if all their friends are bragging about their seats, but if you want to attend an event without breaking the bank, you’ve got to be patient.
More Cheap Concert-Going Resources:
- Going to a Concert? This is a Must-Read
- When are Tickets Cheapest to Buy?
- The 25 Best Indie Metal Bands
