Pricing · Ticket resale glossary
Marketplace Fees
Also known as: Seller fees, Buyer fees, Service fees
Marketplace fees are the charges a resale site takes on each transaction: a seller fee deducted from the payout and a buyer fee added on top of the listing price.
Seller fees are typically a percentage of the sale price; buyer fees vary by marketplace, event and country, and in many places must now be shown upfront in the total price.
Fees are the biggest hidden cost in resale margin. The same ticket listing can net very different amounts depending on the marketplace, which is why brokers often list on several.
Seller fees, buyer fees and other charges
A resale transaction usually carries several charges, and not all of them are visible at once:
- Seller fee: a percentage of the sale price deducted from the payout, sometimes with a minimum per ticket.
- Buyer fee: added to the listing price at checkout; it can be a percentage, a fixed amount per ticket, or both.
- Delivery or fulfilment charges: for printed tickets or special delivery methods.
- Payment costs: payout charges and currency conversion when selling in another currency.
- Penalties: charges some marketplaces take from the seller for cancelled sales or late delivery.
How fees change the price buyers see
Buyers compare totals, not listing prices. When a marketplace adds a large buyer fee, the same ticket looks more expensive there than on a competitor with lower fees, and it sells more slowly unless the seller lists lower. Where all-in pricing is required, the buyer fee is folded into the price from the first screen, which makes fee differences between marketplaces even more visible.
This is why the cheapest ticket listing is not always the cheapest ticket, and why get-in price comparisons across marketplaces should use totals wherever possible.
Example: one ticket, two marketplaces
A ticket bought for $110 including booking fees is listed on two marketplaces. Marketplace A charges a 10% seller fee and a 20% buyer fee; Marketplace B charges a 15% seller fee and a 10% buyer fee. Listed at $200 on A, the buyer pays $240 and the seller receives $180, a $70 margin. Listed at $200 on B, the buyer pays $220 and the seller receives $170, a $60 margin.
A pays more per sale, but B's lower total makes the ticket more likely to sell. If A's higher total means the ticket has to drop to $170 to sell, the seller receives $153 there, and B becomes the better outlet.
Building fees into resale margin
Fees are predictable, so they should be in the calculation before you buy, not discovered at payout:
- Calculate payout, not price: resale margin is the payout after seller fees minus the full buying cost.
- Use real sale prices: work from what similar tickets have actually sold for, not from the listing price you hope to get.
- Factor in unsold risk: fees are only paid on sales, but tickets that don't sell cost the full purchase price.
- Check for changes: marketplaces adjust fees by event, country and over time, so last season's numbers may not hold.
Fees across resale marketplaces
StubHub, viagogo, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and others each set their own fees, and they differ by country and event type. fan-to-fan resale platforms such as TicketSwap, and the official resale built into primary sellers, typically charge lower fees but cap the price.
Large brokers often list the same tickets on several marketplaces at once, adjusting the price on each so the payout is similar, and remove the listing everywhere as soon as it sells on one of them. Watching where an event actually sells on the secondary ticket market helps decide where listings belong.
Track it with Eventory
Eventory shows resale activity across marketplaces side by side, so you can compare where an event is selling best.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays marketplace fees on resale tickets?
Usually both sides. The seller pays a fee deducted from the payout, and the buyer pays a fee on top of the listing price. The split and the amounts vary by marketplace, country and event.
Why are resale ticket fees so high?
Marketplaces fund payment processing, buyer guarantees, customer service and marketing from their fees, and set them at what the market accepts. Fee levels vary a lot between platforms and are a major factor in where resellers choose to list.
Are marketplace fees included in the ticket price?
It depends on the marketplace and the country. Some show the all-in price from the start, often because local rules require it; others add the buyer fee at checkout. Comparing totals is the only reliable way to compare prices.
How much do marketplace fees reduce resale margin?
Seller fees come straight out of your payout, and high buyer fees can force you to list lower to stay competitive. A ticket that resells 20% above what you paid can easily break even or lose money once fees on both sides are counted.