The Harris Center for the Arts is warning patrons to use caution when purchasing tickets online as third-party resellers increasingly advertise tickets to performances at the Folsom venue — sometimes before those tickets have even officially gone on sale.
In an advisory issued Wednesday, Sept. 2, the Harris Center said unauthorized reseller websites may offer tickets they do not yet possess, often at prices significantly higher than those available directly through the Harris Center Box Office.
The Harris Center emphasized that it has no ticket resale partners and that all of its official ticket inventory is sold directly through its Box Office.
According to the Harris Center, some third-party websites engage in what are known as “speculative sales,” in which a reseller advertises and accepts payment for tickets it does not actually have at the time of the transaction.
“The reseller does not actually have the tickets in hand to sell you at the time of your purchase,” the Harris Center explained in its notice, adding that those sellers also “do not have inside access to the Harris Center ticket inventory.”
The practice can be particularly confusing for consumers because reseller websites may appear legitimate or show up prominently when someone searches online for tickets to a particular performance.
The Harris Center cautioned that purchasing through such websites does not guarantee patrons will receive the seats they requested, receive their tickets in a timely manner or, in some cases, receive valid tickets at all. Patrons also may pay considerably more than the ticket’s original price.
“There are no guarantees the ticket you purchase from a third-party site is the ticket you will actually receive,” the Harris Center said.
To avoid those problems, the Harris Center is urging patrons to purchase tickets directly through the Harris Center Box Office at HarrisCenter.net or by calling 916-608-6888.
Buying directly from the venue ensures that tickets are valid, patrons know exactly which seats they are purchasing and buyers receive confirmation directly from the Harris Center Box Office. It also ensures customers are paying the official ticket price rather than a reseller’s marked-up price.
The Harris Center is also encouraging patrons to join its email list, which provides official performance announcements, ticket on-sale dates and links to legitimate Harris Center ticket inventory.
Officials are asking patrons to share the warning with family and friends, particularly as third-party ticket sales become increasingly common online.
“The Harris Center is committed to protecting its patrons from misleading ticket practices and will continue working to identify and address unauthorized ticket resale activity,” the venue said. “Every visit to the Harris Center should begin with the confidence that you have purchased a legitimate ticket and received the best possible value and service.”
The Harris Center Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and beginning two hours before performances.
The Harris Center’s advisory also points patrons toward broader consumer-protection efforts surrounding online ticket sales, including a petition seeking clearer differentiation by Google between primary ticket sellers and secondary resellers. The center also references California Assembly Bill 1349, legislation concerning consumer protections related to ticket sales.
For Harris Center performances, officials stressed one message above all: purchase tickets directly through the Harris Center Box Office.
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