Buying and Selling Burning Man tickets: Helpful Info

[Amphibious Ticket Minion]

HOW TO BUY AND SELL A BURNING MAN TICKET

There are some folks who try to profit off of reselling tickets, fake or legit. This goes against the ethos of our community. Below are some tips to keep these transactions safe and ensure no hassles at the gate.

RESELLING AT A HIGHER PRICE JUST PLAIN SUCKS
If you want to sell your ticket we ask that you please do not sell it for more than you paid. If buying, do not buy a ticket for higher than the face value printed on it. As long as people are willing to get overcharged, there will always be unscrupulous folks out there peddling overpriced tickets.

There are many security features on the tickets including special shiny gold foil on one side, maroon foil on the back and raised embossing in a custom pattern. Buying in person means you can check the tickets for these features and make sure the numbers and price match what you've been told.

SCAM WARNINGS
We suggest you buy your ticket from a legitimate source: the Burning Man website tickets.burningman.com or one of the walk in ticket outlets (listed on the ticket page), and save yourself the hassle of at the very least feeling ripped off and at the most not being allowed into the event because you have a fake ticket. If you choose to purchase through a third party we highly suggest you meet in person for the tickets and not risk buying through the mail. The Eplaya is a good place to post buying or selling tickets.[i] [Added by Moderator: Buyers, please post in the threads with tickets offered, and do not start new threads][/i]

Here are scams to look out for that have happened in the past:
1. Seller gives tickets numbers from another person's tickets and may even produce photos of the tickets, doesn't actually have the tickets though, then collects money via mail or Paypal and cuts off contact with buyer. Recourse: possible chargeback through Paypal, no recourse if money order or cash
2. Seller gives their ticket numbers out, collects money and mails an empty envelope or nothing at all. Recourse: possible chargeback through Paypal, no recourse if money order or cash
3. Seller claims tickets can be printed out at home using a special link they will give out. Collects money and sends bogus email, then cuts off contact. NOTE: BURNING MAN TICKETS CANNOT BE PRINTED AT HOME.
Recourse: possible chargeback through Paypal, no recourse if money order or cash

GET INFORMED
If you are buying a ticket and want to check to make sure it hasn't been reported lost, stolen or part of a scam - send us an email partiserv(at) burningman(dot)com BEFORE you buy it with ALL of the following:
1. The full name of the original ticket holder and the email address they used to purchase the ticket(s)
2. The 8 character ticket serial codes off the back of the ticket(s) as well as the 5 digit number. Without all of that information we cannot check for you.

We will let you know to the best of our ability that the tickets have not been reported lost or stolen or falsely used in any kind of scam. But in the end we cannot be responsible for a dishonest person who is running a scam. We just do what we can on our end.

If you are buying or selling a ticket, please let us know your mailing address so we can make sure to get you the current Survival Guide and other important information about Burning Man 2010. Our permits require us to send every ticket holder a Survival Guide and it contains unique important information each year. We absolutely do not sell or give your information to ANYONE. Send us an email to: partiserv(at)burningman(dot)com with your street address and whose tickets you are purchasing.

Good luck buying and selling and a safe journey to the playa!

BM Ticket Minions

[1962]

I'd love to read any tips for people who bought a ticket but then can't go, and are selling it. I'm selling mine through this eplaya forum and am doing everything possible to have the buyer be sure it's legit. But if you can't find a local buyer (even in Chicago! Geez!) how do sellers protect themselves before putting our glorious ticket in the mail to a total stranger? Is it a given that they pay you first?

[AntiM]

Indeed, they pay you first. Use paypal so if the ticket never appears, they can get their money back. I used paypal but the guy was a flake (sold two tickets and thought I was the happy lady, not the angry lady) and by the time he told me he couldn't figure out how to fill out the UPS insurance claim, my time to claim with paypal was past. (I think he did and kept the money). I got burned, the ticket had vanished in the UPS truck in my hometown. That's why there's a piece of candy in the envelope, so it can't fall behind things.

[Sunkix4]

How long after we email for verification should we expect to hear back?!? I'm so anxious to have my ticket in hand!! :)

[Risky]

*sigh*

[1962]

Here's what we did that worked too:

Seller of ticket (me) videotapes self putting ticket into mailer already addressed to buyer with decoration or other markings to identify it. Make sure you video the package being sealed with the ticket inside.

Then at the post office, stamp and insure it, then again videotape the package up close (for identifying) -- and video it going into the mailbox there.

Immediately send the videos to the buyer.

Doesn't make the seller confident unless payment was received already. But definitely helps the buyer who's waiting for that package to arrive.

P.S. Checking out each other via email, live phone etc helps too.

[Tiglove17]

What are the procedures for selling/buying will call tickets??!

[LindseyRaeFace]

Wil call ticket info:

http://tickets2.burningman.com/faq.php#elsepickup

=)

My Question: Whats the best way to handle this: A person is bartering a ticket fo massage, im ther massae therapist, they are will call tickets. I think they bought their tickets together so they cant change the whole order, can they pick up their tickets and leave mind under my name to pick up with photo ID?

THANKS!

[MrNobodyWTB]

"If you want to sell your ticket we ask that you please do not sell it for more than you paid."

If I [i]were[/i] to be reselling a ticket (for whatever reason). I would merely want to re-coup the entire costs that the ticket cost me.

"If buying, do not buy a ticket for higher than the face value printed on it."

When you buy your ticket online when they go on sale, you also have to pay for shipping, and taxes, which equal to more than the face value.



I'm not saying anyone should charge more than what they paid, I'm merely pointing out that some people might have paid more than face value for their tickets, because of tax and shipping.. my 2cents anyway.


Hope to see you all out there, and be safe!!!

[ShyAtShambhala]

Hey All, and Amphibious,

Just came across this thread digging through some post from the past year and it reminded me of, well, myself!

I was so anxious to go to the burn in 09 that I started resorting to craigslist, etc. for tickets and it was sickening the prices that some people were trying to get (like sometime 200 percent more than face value). Finally I found an individual who I felt good about, kind person and everything and even they pulled a quick one on me and raised the price. I ended up buying the ticket out of desperation (and some stupidity) and have since learned how to go about my business in a more observant manner.

Thank you so much for taking the time to educate the community. The burn has been infiltrated in the past years according to some homies who have been going from the start, but we need to remember that for the most part we are all here for the same reason!

[adam link]

The burn has been infiltrated in the past years according to some homies who have been going from the start

particulars please.


for the rest of the tin foil hat crowd, it is important to name sources and provide details.

otherwise you're just some dumb schmuck in a rickety schoolbus.

[funhappyguy]

E-Bay purchase. Is purchasing a ticket via e-bay safer for the buyer? Does the buyer have any recourse if they do not receive the tickets purchased via e-bay?
Thank you.
Robert

[lucas.swick]

Wanted to bump SunKix4's question about verification wait times as I'm in the process of purchasing a pair of tickets and would like to reasonably set the seller's expectations:

How long after we email for verification should we expect to hear back?!? I'm so anxious to have my ticket in hand!!

Thanks!

L

[Firelight]

I have verified 2 tickets this year and both tickets were verified within hours.

[lucas.swick]

Great! Thank you so much Firelight.

[Okika94]

What about picking tickets up at will call? Is there a way to validate those?

[Savannah]

BUYING A THIRD PARTY TICKET
If you are buying a ticket and want to check to make sure it hasn’t been reported lost, stolen or is part of a known scam - send us an email partiserv(AT)burningman(DOT)com BEFORE you buy it with ALL of the following:
1. The full name of the original ticket holder and the email address they used to purchase the ticket(s)
2. The 8 character ticket serial codes off the back of the ticket(s) as well as the 5 digit number. Without that required information we cannot verify the tickets.

We will let you know to the best of our ability that the tickets have not been reported lost or stolen or used in any kind of scam. But in the end we cannot be responsible for a dishonest person who is running a scam. We just do what we can on our end. Also, please be aware that we may not be able to respond to emails on nights and weekends.

If you are buying a ticket, you are responsible for reading the back of your ticket as well as the Survival Guide for that year. It will be available in July on our website to read online or print out.

Here's how to switch the name on a Will Call ticket. The original buyer must switch the name for you into your legal name via an online form, and you must have ID and the confirmation number.
http://tickets2.burningman.com/faq.php#elsepickup

[Okika94]

Yeah. I saw all those things. But I mean is there any way to verify that the ticket is real once the will call nAme has been changed? I don't think will call tickets have all the serial codes and whatnot. Correct me if I'm mistaken.

[theCryptofishist]

Yeah. I saw all those things. But I mean is there any way to verify that the ticket is real once the will call nAme has been changed? I don't think will call tickets have all the serial codes and whatnot. Correct me if I'm mistaken.

They do. they are serious printed deals, not just names on a guest list.

[Okika94]

I know. But it seems to me that will call ticket holders dont have all the codes since their tickets are at will call. They can't simply look at the ticket and read it off since they don't physically have the ticket in hand. I'm aware that they should for sure have a confirmation number. The will call ticket link tells sellers to give buyers (like me) the last four digits of their confirmation number as well as their full name. So once I have those digits and name, I want to verify it with Burning Man or whoever before I send money.

[hinacer]

We really needed this info about buying and selling Burning Man tickets as so many of us find it such a big hassle to buy them and many a time we’ve been taken for a royal having to pay much more that their actual amount!! This is a real help and being able to check out for the genuine tickets through this site and will sure be a huge relief for people like me who almost always have to pay through my nose to get hold of one!!

[theresap]

good luck all!

[FIGJAM]

Nuff said?

[chrisp]

E-Bay purchase. Is purchasing a ticket via e-bay safer for the buyer? Does the buyer have any recourse if they do not receive the tickets purchased via e-bay?
Thank you.
Robert

I'm wondering the same.I have a friend with a card she said I could use but I'm not sure if it will work on my paypal account through ebay.
We both have the same address and the cards billing address is the same too.......
Any help?

[funhappyguy]

I tried several vendors on Craigslist and decuted them to be scams.
Decided not to go thru that hassel and instead bought one of the last tiered thru BM. Less hassel.

[chrisp]

Why would you even look on CL if you had the oppurtunity to buy one from BM?
Should of,
could of,
Little late now!

[lady_godiva81]

I'm trying to verify tickets but haven't gotten a response. How long should it take? I saw that someone posted theirs had been verified within hours?

Kelly

[trilobyte]

Verification should generally turn around within 24-48 hours. If things slow down and they're able to get to it more quickly, awesome.

[SoundInvestmentNW]

I work for a company that is providing sound/speakers to a moving piece of art to be displayed this year @ BM and I need to know what to do about one of our employees who DOESN'T have a ticket. He just needs to be able to help set up the speakers for the sound system at three different camps. We're working with Funktion1, Robot Heart, and Insomniac to bring sound to Funkworks and Antwons Nexus.

Is there some kind of pass that will allow one of our employees to come help out the two company reps who DO have tickets set up and then leave?

Anyone with advice or info on who I can contact about this situation? Thanks so much!

[trilobyte]

Those kinds of logistics are usually worked out months in advance. Unfortunately, vendor/delivery passes are no longer available for the 2011 event. The FAQ page can be found here.