Tips on how to buy last chance Coachella tickets for those late to the party

Whether you missed the boat on presale tickets or only recently decided to attend, there’s only a small window left to buy tickets for 2014. Don’t find yourself empty handed by the time the official Coachella lineup is released in February. Follow these basic tips

Plan Ahead

Decide which weekend you want to attend Coachella ahead of time. Be advised that weekend 1 passes typically sell faster than weekend 2 — if you’re trying to give yourself the best chance of landing tickets, you might want to spring for the back end of the festival. The point is you don’t want to be figuring out schedule conflicts during the limited sale. Also be advised that layaway payment options are no longer available this close to April, you’ll need to set the money aside before making the purchase.

Grab a Friend

There’s power in numbers. The last few years I’ve purchased Coachella tickets was purely through the virtue of a friend fortunate enough to move through the cue and their credit card. Besides, it’s always better to attend Coachella with at least one of your closest friends.

Use Multiple Devices

Part of the reason it’s so difficult to advance through the Coachella ticket cue is the flood of users trying to do the same thing, often with multiple devices. Rather than preach users to play by the rules and use a single device, let’s face reality — this is the Internet, that’s never going to happen. When tickets go back on sale, join the cue on your phone, computer, iPad — whatever you have on hand. This strategy was widely successful during this year’s presale.

Miss out on the final sale?

If you find you’re unable to purchase Coachella tickets during the final sale, you can always purchase resale tickets. The drawbacks are obviously an increased risk of fraud coupled with inflated ticket prices, and it’s advisable you wait closer to the date of the Coachella for the prices to drop down. Second-hand sellers capitalize off people desperate for a ticket immediately after the festival sells out.