Be careful when buying tickets!

For authentic tickets, shop at Ticketcorner.

We are fighting against the grey market for tickets

Overpriced tickets and disappointed fans. Also Ticketcorner is not particularly happy about the situation on the well-known resale platforms. In order to deal with the professional grey market and prevent a rude awakening for fans on the day of the event, we will use all means at our disposal.

We have deployed various technical and human resources for this purpose and are continually fine-tuning these measures. This means that we can often detect and prevent fraudulent activities at an early stage. Added to this is our own internet portal for the resale of event tickets – fanSALE.ch. This is where tickets can be resold securely and fairly from one fan to another. “This is how we help to ensure that every fan can experience an unforgettable event at fair prices”, says Oliver Niedermann, CEO of Ticketcorner.

Industry insiders recommend:

«Only trust official ticket websites!»

Doris Knie

«Be careful when buying tickets! Unfortunately, there are a number of websites that charge ridiculous prices for tickets. Some of these tickets may even be counterfeits. Regrettably, this also applies to tickets for Circus Knie. That’s why I strongly advise you to only purchase tickets through official sales channels and promoters’ websites. That way, you can look forward to a fantastic event with peace of mind.»

Stefanie Heinzmann

«Even if you like to assume the best in others: only trust official ticket websites! Other websites often charge sky-high prices – and there’s no way to verify the authenticity of the tickets. If you’re ever in doubt which websites are authorised to sell tickets, check the artist’s website for a direct link to the official outlets.»

Kaya Yanar

«Trafficking in overpriced and in some cases even invalid tickets is a major issue. When you purchase from unofficial resellers, you run a high risk of being ripped off. That can lead to a huge upset you arrive at the venue and get turned away at the door! The safest way to avoid disappointment is to purchase your tickets from official ticket websites and outlets.»

Mike Müller

«Tickets for CHF 139.– instead of CHF 39.–? No problem at all, as long as you don't mind financing a couple of gangsters to sit around doing nothing. Presumably, you don't want that, though. In fact, you'd probably much rather go to the theatre, a concert or the circus two-and-a-half times more often. That's why I recommend you use Switzerland's official ticket platforms, the ones you'll find on promoters' websites. You'll save a lot of money, and we'll be delighted to see you going out more.»

Babette Sigg
President, Consumer Forum kf.

«Safety and fairness are essential for consumers. It’s simply unacceptable that they get ripped off by unlicensed resellers, vastly overspend on a ticket and end up being turned away at the door.»

Doris Knie

«Be careful when buying tickets! Unfortunately, there are a number of websites that charge ridiculous prices for tickets. Some of these tickets may even be counterfeits. Regrettably, this also applies to tickets for Circus Knie. That’s why I strongly advise you to only purchase tickets through official sales channels and promoters’ websites. That way, you can look forward to a fantastic event with peace of mind.»

Stefanie Heinzmann

«Even if you like to assume the best in others: only trust official ticket websites! Other websites often charge sky-high prices – and there’s no way to verify the authenticity of the tickets. If you’re ever in doubt which websites are authorised to sell tickets, check the artist’s website for a direct link to the official outlets.»

Kaya Yanar

«Trafficking in overpriced and in some cases even invalid tickets is a major issue. When you purchase from unofficial resellers, you run a high risk of being ripped off. That can lead to a huge upset you arrive at the venue and get turned away at the door! The safest way to avoid disappointment is to purchase your tickets from official ticket websites and outlets.»

Mike Müller

«Tickets for CHF 139.– instead of CHF 39.–? No problem at all, as long as you don't mind financing a couple of gangsters to sit around doing nothing. Presumably, you don't want that, though. In fact, you'd probably much rather go to the theatre, a concert or the circus two-and-a-half times more often. That's why I recommend you use Switzerland's official ticket platforms, the ones you'll find on promoters' websites. You'll save a lot of money, and we'll be delighted to see you going out more.»

Babette Sigg
President, Consumer Forum kf.

«Safety and fairness are essential for consumers. It’s simply unacceptable that they get ripped off by unlicensed resellers, vastly overspend on a ticket and end up being turned away at the door.»

Protect yourself!

Invalid tickets, inflated prices, frustrated fans: there’s a growing problem with more and more resale websites designed to rip off ticket buyers. But there are a few simple measures you can take to avoid falling for these scammers.

1. Buy tickets from official ticket websites

In Switzerland, the primary official sales channels are Ticketcorner, Starticket/See Tickets, Ticketmaster and Ticketino. These companies have a direct contracts with the promoters and guarantee authentic tickets at the original price.

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2. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into buying tickets

«Almost sold out», «very high demand» or «only two tickets left in this category» – these types of statements are common psychological tricks used by second-hand resellers to pressure buyers into impulse purchases. And they’re a telltale sign that you’re not on an official sales website. In most cases, these statements are blatantly false. Don’t get fooled by a ticking clock, abort the checkout process right away and purchase your ticket via an authorised ticket website.

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3. Don’t automatically click on the first result on online search engines.

When you use online search engines to shop for tickets, the first search results are often labelled «Ad» – top placement for these paid links falls to the highest bidder, not the most trusted source. Many of these results don’t link to authorised ticket websites. So always make sure to check the website URL before you click on the link.

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4. Double-check the ticket price before completing your purchase

Take a close look. Then look again. Second-hand resellers typically tack on exorbitant extra fees right at the very end of the checkout process. Many ticket buyers don't even realise what happened until they get their credit card statement. Never complete a purchase until you have carefully reviewed the final amount due and which services are included.

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5. Compare ticket prices from different providers

Do the ticket prices strike you as unusually expensive? That’s generally a good indicator that you aren’t on an official ticket website. Take your time and look for the right one. Check the promoter’s or artist’s official website to find out which ticket sellers they partner with.

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6. Make sure the barcode hasn't been published

If you choose to purchase your ticket through an unofficial resale website, at the very least make sure that the ticket has never been published anywhere with a visible barcode. Anyone with a copy of the barcode essentially has the same ticket as you – if they arrive early, they can simply enter the venue before you, and you'll be turned away. You should be equally careful with your own tickets: never publish a copy or unredacted photo of your tickets with a visible barcode on a public forum.

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No guaranteed admission for tickets from resellers

Always keep in mind: the promoter assumes no liability for tickets that weren’t purchased through official ticket outlets. They may be invalid or counterfeit.

Personalised tickets

To fight back against the second-hand resale market and skyrocketing prices, certain events only sell personalised tickets – mostly for major events with famous acts. A personal ID is required for admission. If the names on the ticket and the ID card don’t match, admission will be denied.

So purchasing a ticket from a second-hand reseller for these events may disqualify you from admission in any case. Changing the name on the ticket is allowed in specific circumstances, but only when authorised by the original ticket holder. You can find more information on this topic in our Helpcenter.

Resale websites with known issues

Exercise extreme caution when dealing with one of the following resale websites:

Viagogo
Alltickets
Ebay
Ricardo
Stubhub-ch.ch
Safetickets.net
Onlineticketsshop
Worldticketshop
Vienna Ticketoffice
Ticketbande

TRAUFFER says: be careful when buying tickets!

Security as first priority

fanSALE is the first Swiss website dedicated to the secure resale of event tickets. Using a number of innovative and groundbreaking features for buyers and sellers, fanSALE has introduced a trendsetting standard for non-commercial ticket trading between fans: secure, convenient and fast.

fanSALE – tickets from fan to fan

Links

Swiss Music Promoters Association (SMPA): www.smpa.ch

FRC, the consumer federation for French-speaking Switzerland: www.frc.ch

Consumer Forum kf: https://konsum.ch/en/