The Best Ways to Sell Tickets

Selling sports and entertainment tickets used to be done one of three ways -- through the venue or organization that was hosting the event, with a classified ad in the newspaper, or on the street right before the event took place. Now the Internet offers the best ways to sell tickets you can't use.

  1. Know How Much Your Tickets Are Worth

    • Before selling your tickets, make sure you know how much they are worth. Beyond the tickets' face value, do research to see what similar tickets are selling for. Check prices in your particular city, as well as what similar tickets -- for equivalent events and seat locations -- are selling for in other cities. You must also factor in mailing charges if you're going to send the tickets.

    Look Locally and Beyond

    • The beauty of the Internet is that it allows you to sell tickets across the country as easily as across town.

      To find interested local parties, start with Craigslist.org. This classified-ads website lets you set whatever price you want, it doesn't charge a fee, and you can arrange to meet the buyer in person instead of having to ship the tickets.

      The auction site eBay.com is also a good place to sell tickets. You can still sell to local buyers, but people from out of town will have a crack at them, too.

      StubHub.com is a popular site that specializes in ticket sales. StubHub does charge a commission once tickets are sold, but it does a lot of advertising and marketing that attracts many buyers.

    Word of Mouth

    • Often overlooked in our high-tech world is the old fashioned way to sell tickets -- by word of mouth. Telling your family, friends and co-workers that you have tickets for sale is a great way to find takers. If you are looking to make the biggest profit, however, this might not be the best. After all, you probably don't want to put the squeeze on your family, friends and the people you share a cubicle with at work.