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How concert presales work: 10 steps and presale types explained

Learn how concert presales work, from Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration to credit card, fan club and Spotify presales, and what a presale code can and cannot do

For many major tours, the general on-sale is not the first chance to buy tickets. By the time public sales open, several earlier windows may already have come and gone. Each one has its own entry rules, and each one admits a different group of buyers.

Those earlier windows are presales. A presale is a sales period that opens before the general public on-sale. Access usually depends on one of three things: a code, an advance registration or a qualifying payment card. A fan who holds the right code or card can shop before the general public. A fan who does not must wait for the public on-sale.

Artists and promoters use presales for two main reasons. The first is to reward core fans — the people who join fan clubs, stream the music and sign up for mailing lists. The second is to manage demand.

Understanding how concert presales work starts with knowing who runs each window. Some are run by ticketing companies. Ticketmaster's Verified Fan program, for example, asks fans to register ahead of a specific on-sale. Ticketmaster says the process is meant to screen out bots and resellers. Card issuers such as American Express $AXP, Citi and Capital One $COF offer presales to their cardholders. Artists run their own presales through official fan clubs and mailing lists. Spotify $SPOT, venues, promoters and ticketing platforms can also offer presale access. Some local radio stations have handed out codes through on-air or online promotions.

The rules differ from one window to the next. A fan club code usually arrives by email. A Verified Fan code often arrives by text message. A card presale generally requires paying with the eligible card.

This guide covers a selection of common presale types and the steps around them. It explains how Verified Fan registration and selection work. It also walks through how credit card and fan club presales operate, and where Spotify, venue and radio presales fit in. Another section covers how to prepare a ticketing account before a sale begins. The final section explains what a presale code can and cannot do. A code grants access to a sale. It does not guarantee a ticket.

What a concert presale is and why artists hold them

A concert presale is a ticket sales window that opens to a defined group of buyers before the general public on-sale begins. Buyers typically get in with a presale code, an advance registration or a qualifying payment card.

The general public on-sale is the point at which anyone can buy tickets, with no code or sign-up needed. A presale comes before that moment. It narrows the pool of buyers to people who meet a specific condition. That condition is set by the artist, the promoter, the venue or a partner company.

Each of the three access routes works differently. A code is a string of letters or numbers that unlocks the presale on the ticketing site. A registration means signing up in advance for a particular show or tour. The buyer then waits to learn whether access has been granted. A qualifying payment card ties eligibility to how a buyer pays. The purchase generally has to go through that card.

Presales serve artists and promoters in two ways. They reward core fans — the people who follow an act closely, join its mailing lists or sign up early. They also help manage demand. Separate windows let ticket sales open in stages rather than all at once.

A single tour can run several presales before the public on-sale. One window might be reserved for fan club members, another for holders of a particular credit card and another for a venue's mailing list. Each one usually has its own start time, its own code or eligibility rule and its own end point.

That layered structure means the same show can have more than one way in. A buyer who does not qualify for one presale may still qualify for another. Anyone who misses every presale window can still try the general on-sale, if tickets remain.

The mix of presales differs from event to event. Which groups get early access, and in what order, is decided show by show rather than fixed by a single industry rule.

How to register for Ticketmaster Verified Fan

Ticketmaster Verified Fan works through advance sign-up. Fans register for one specific on-sale before it happens, and that registration........

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