How to Deal With Ticket Scalpers

Know the specifics. Before you even hop on the phone with them, know how many tickets you need and the date you want to attend the event. (Sometimes concerts or teams have multiple dates unlike something as big as the Super Bowl.) Also look at the seating chart of the stadium. Think about where you want to sit. By knowing the specifics, you'll be able to be in control of the conversation when you get on the phone.

Search the Web. Go to Stub hub, Barry's Tickets, or Front Row Tickets which are all great Web sites selling scalped tickets. Plug in the event, the date you're looking to attend and the number of tickets you need. This will give you a ball park figure of how much the tickets will cost. If you find what you're searching for, you might as well buy the tickets from one of these sites since they're very reliable. But if the price seems high (which for a good event it will be) keep searching.

Make it personal. Now it's time to hop on the phone with a ticket scalper. You've done your research and know approximately how much the tickets cost, so search the Web and find your local ticket broker. These are usually "mom and pop" shops that have had long standing tickets with local teams for years, especially in the smaller markets. On the phone, the way to deal with a ticket scalper is to engage him. Tell him why you want the tickets using a personal story. You want to take your kid, your father or it's your wife's favorite team. Get the scalper to invest emotionally. Now ask for the price. Because you've done your homework you will know instantly if his price is fair or not. If it's not, hang up and call the next one. If it's a fair price, thank him for his time and tell him you'll get back to him.

Call back. Now of course if the tickets you were trying to buy were NFL playoff tickets and they were the last two, you'd better have bought them already! But you can often finagle a slightly better price by waiting a bit. After a few hours, or the next morning, call the ticket broker back. Reiterate your story, say you'd love to buy the tickets if they were only a tad cheaper. Ask if he can you go any lower. Now if the tickets are premium, this may be the best price you get. And if you can buy them online for cheaper, then return to the Web. In the best case scenario you'll get the tickets at a discount. Worst case, you've taken the leverage away from the broker because you weren't impulsive in your purchase and you'll get them at the same price as originally quoted.