StubHub Review

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StubHub was founded in San Francisco in 2000, so it has nearly two decades of experience as an online marketplace. It has such a commanding presence in the industry that many people immediately think of StubHub when they want to purchase tickets online.

How Does StubHub Work?

Since StubHub is an online marketplace, it lets members buy and sell tickets. Selling tickets is a good option for people who have already paid for admission but cannot attend events. Buying makes it possible for people to purchase tickets to events that have sold out or have limited seating.

Regardless of whether you want to buy or sell tickets, you need to start by creating a profile on the website. (You can also sign up via Facebook.)

Buying Tickets on StubHub

If you want to buy tickets on StubHub, you can use the website to search for specific events or browse events happening near you. StubHub will show you a list of available tickets along with the section, row, seat number and price. Depending on the venue, StubHub can show you a map of where each ticket’s seat is.

Having all of this information makes it easier for you to find tickets that match your budget and interest. Instead of buying blindly, you know exactly where you will sit. Since StubHub lists all of the prices, you can compare them to find affordable options. You can even filter tickets by lowest price, best value and best seats.

Once you find the tickets that interest you, you can purchase them on the website without dealing with the individual seller. StubHub’s fee for buyers is an additional 10 percent of the ticket price. In most cases, you can choose to receive electronic or paper tickets. If you want paper tickets, StubHub may charge you a shipping fee to cover the additional cost.

Selling Tickets on StubHub

If you have tickets that you don’t need, you can always sell them on StubHub. You start by listing the tickets that you want to sell on the StubHub marketplace. The website makes the process as easy as possible.

When creating a listing, you tell StubHub how many tickets you have to a certain event. If you already have the tickets in hand, then you can choose to upload them as a PDF or ship them to the buyer via the postal service.

When uploading a PDF, you must use the original file sent to you by the first seller (such as Ticketmaster). StubHub has an informational video that will walk you through the process, so you don’t have to worry about running into problems.

After someone purchases your tickets, you either send the tickets to the buyer or the buyer can download the PDF from StubHub. Once the buyer receives his or her tickets, StubHub starts to process your payment. StubHub fees for sellers include a 15 percent processing charge. All payments are sent electronically via PayPal or direct deposit. It usually takes about five days for you to gain access to your money.

What Makes StubHub Stand Out?

StubHub stands out for having such a large number of tickets on its marketplace. Since the company has been serving consumers for so long, it has had a chance to grow its popularity. As one of the largest ticket marketplaces online, StubHub often has tickets that other websites lack. If you can’t find tickets from other online sellers, there’s still a good chance that someone on StubHub can help you.

Common Reviews of StubHub

StubHub gets an A- from the Better Business Bureau, which means it’s a reliable company that you can trust. For the most part, people enjoy using the company’s services because it lets them purchase tickets to events that interest them or sell tickets when they cannot attend events.

Even though StubHub gets a lot of positive reviews, it also receives negative comments from buyers and sellers. Some sellers complain that their sales were canceled abruptly. Because of this, they were left with tickets that they couldn’t use. In some cases, it was too late for the seller to relist the tickets.

Most complaints, however, come from buyers who weren’t satisfied with their experience using StubHub. Many of the negative reviews are from buyers who didn’t receive their tickets on time. Since independent sellers are supposed to send the tickets to their buyers, this isn’t really StubHub’s fault. Not everyone understands StubHub’s business model, though, so they blame the company.

The worst reviews come from people who say that StubHub wouldn’t reimburse them after receiving late tickets. FanProtect ensures that buyers won’t have to pay for late or lost tickets. According to these unhappy customers, though, the company did not uphold its promise.

Keep in mind that StubHub’s marketplace sells thousands of tickets per day. Unfortunately, mistakes will happen. Overall, though, the company manages to facilitate smooth transactions between sellers and buyers.

Is StubHub for Me?

StubHub is perfect for people who want to safely buy or sell tickets to sold-out concerts, sports games and other events. As long as you don’t mind paying a little extra for the convenience of using the company’s services, you will probably like StubHub.

About the Author

Jeff Hindenach

Jeff Hindenach is the co-founder of Versus Reviews. He graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He has a long history of journalism, with a background writing for newspapers such as the San Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Examiner, as well as writing for The Huffington Post, New York Times, Business Insider, CNBC, Newsday and The Street. He believes in giving readers the tools they need to get out of debt.