Question
Can someone explain event ticket auctions to me. I hesitate to do it, but am considering selling some Pitt-Notre Dame tickets for a friend. My understanding is that on ebay you can only sell tickets for the face value+25% or $5. The face value of tickets is $40, but I see all these auctions which state that Pa. residents can't bid above $200-$300, even $475 for (2)tickets. Can someone explain the math to me please?
TIA........cariad
Answer
Hi cariad. I can't help you but here's eBay's page on Event Tickets:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/event-tickets.html
Blanche
Answer
Thanks Blanche,
That is the formula I refer to, and according to my rusty math, the most you could charge for a ticket to this game would be $50(face + 25%)-yet I am seeing $375-400+ limits on 2 ticket auctions.
cariad
Answer
There is an exception to the pricing rules if both seller and buyer are not in the same state as the event. I suspect this is how the pricing policies are being skirted.
Remember a person can set up an ID and say they are located anywhere. You could set up a PO BOX by mail to add legitimacy if desired.
Answer
Hi WBBell,
The auctions I saw indicate the sellers are Pa and ebay's disclaimer-which isautomatically added to every auction- is that Pa residents can't bid more than $250, 375, etc.
So it still doesn't add up to me.
cariad
Answer
cariad: I have sold (and bought) quite a few tickets to Tennessee Titans games on eBay. However, ticket scalping is not illegal in Tennessee so I haven't had to worry about the face value thing. My guess would be that you are seeing these prices on 1-3 day auctions and the seller probably thinks they won't get caught. Good luck!
Answer
Hi TAQ,
I considered that too, but many are regular 7 day auctions-and no buy it now. Since ebay puts in the disclaimer to Pa. residents, I'm wondering if the sellers are not quoting the real price of the ticket, but making one up.
My first instinct was not to do it and I won't because I can't figure out how it works-and I'm not taking any risks for anyone else. But these are desirable seats so I'm sure she won't have any trouble selling them locally without my help. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
Whatever is going on--there are so many auctions for this and other games above the actual price of the tickets(in restricted areas), seems like this whole area of selling seems to be another ebay farce/fiasco.
cariad
Answer
Yes, cariad, you hit the nail on the head. In order to limit the max bid of the tickets, eBay has to know the face value of the tickets. And how does ebay know this ? The user enters it. (I just tried this on SYI 2.0).
So of course, they are entering a seriously inflated number for the face value, which allows bidding to go as high as they like, effectively.
Naturally, eBay's hands are clean here, because they provided a mechanism to ensure laws are complied with. It's not eBays fault if folks abuse the system.