Radiohead Paperless Tickets Ticketmaster

killerkeychange1010

[FONT=&quot]I would be very grateful for your advice on what I feel is a very unfair, illogical Ticketmaster / Radiohead policy.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT] [FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On Friday 9th March I purchased 4x tickets for Radiohead performing at The O2 London on Monday 8th October (total cost £288.50). Two weeks after I purchased the tickets, I was told by my employer that I am being sent away for work where I will be spending at least 1x month working offshore on a vessel in the North Sea from the 18th September (I am an Engineer in the Oil & Gas Industry). This unfortunately means I cannot attend the concert.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]The tickets I purchased are “paperless” meaning that only I, no-one else but me, can collect the tickets from the Ticketmaster pick-up point on the day of the event with my bank/credit card used to buy the tickets and photo ID (only passport or driving license is accepted). Therefore as I cannot attend the concert, my three friends will also not be able to attend the concert as they are unable to collect the tickets on my behalf.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I immediately contacted Ticketmaster to inform them of my predicament hoping I could obtain a refund (the concert is a sell-out). I was told that there was nothing Ticketmaster could or would do as they are following policies handed down to them by Radiohead’s tour management company.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]As my tickets are the new paperless variety, the tickets would be going straight back to Ticketmaster and no one else (i.e. ticket touts). Ticketmaster could resell them nearer the time of the concert at the usual prices.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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There is no way for me to sell-on the tickets to anyone else. This concert is 4x months away and is sold out. Ticketmaster can resell the tickets if they wish. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I am willing to accept “administration fee” to obtain a refund.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I understand the reasoning behind the "paperless" system so touts cannot financially benefit from selling tickets at inflated prices and fully support it. I am disappointed I am not liable for a refund because the tickets would be going back to Ticketmaster.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I find it ironic that Radiohead, a band who like to challenge the system and do things for the fans, not the corporations, would leave me in this situation.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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Kite2010

It's a shame that the US website Radiohead used for their US fans to re-sell tickets they couldn't attend isn't available in this country.

Ticketmaster would love it, the chance of reselling your tickets for double the face-value on Get Me In.

Paperless tickets is such an idiotic idea, what if you are buying the tickets as a gift, they can't collect them without the card, the queues will be manic.

Stoffy

I'm in the same boat (bought for gifts), see link below.

So far I have got no joy in getting this resolved

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3978797&highlight=radiohead

killerkeychange1010

Update:

I emailed the Money sections of the Guardian (consumer.champions
@guardian.co.uk) and Daily Mail (experts@thisismoney.co.uk) newspapers with my predicament.

In addition, I did a bit of google searching for names and email addresses of Radiohead's tour and management company to ask for help and came across a press release from Ticketmaster about the Radiohead paperless concerts. At the bottom of the press release was an email address for a guy called Jon Wiffen, PR Manager for Ticketmaster:

Jon.Wiffen@ticketmaster.co.uk

So I emailed him and he replied saying that he has already received my query from the Guardian. He said he was looking into my query & would get back to me.

I also emailed Ticketmaster again (via the complaints section) to say i had emailed the Guardian and they replied saying they were looking into my query. I was very surprised at this response as every time I've contacted them about this, they've said "sorry, there's nothing we can do".

So its looking ever-so-slightly better and I'm waiting on replies from Ticketmaster.

I'd email all of the above email addresses and see how you get on...

I'll keep you posted...

Fingers crossed...!

killerkeychange1010

Result!

Just had a phone call from Ticketmaster to say they are canceling my tickets!

They are putting them back on the website for re-sale and once they are sold, I will be refunded! Hopefully that won't take too long as the gig is a sell out...

I won't be charged an admin-fee either...

Had the cheek to tell me it was a "gesture of goodwill"....!

andyf3050

killerkeychange1010 wrote: »

Result!

Just had a phone call from Ticketmaster to say they are canceling my tickets!

They are putting them back on the website for re-sale and once they are sold, I will be refunded! Hopefully that won't take too long as the gig is a sell out...

I won't be charged an admin-fee either...

Had the cheek to tell me it was a "gesture of goodwill"....!

Nice result... although I'm pretty confident you'd rather have the chance to go to the gig instead of working... I've seen them at Glastonbury (quite a few years ago 1997, just after OK Computer was released and again in 2003) and they are the nuts... I would have snatched your hands off for them tickets if it were possible...! But hey, I'm going off topic... glad you managed to get it sorted...!

Andy...:j

killerkeychange1010

End result - got a full refund from Ticketmaster, pretty much thanks to the Guardian..

for some daft reason i'm not allowed to post website links within this reply, but check out the consumer section in the Money page on the guardian website...and you'll see my radiohead story..

good luck to everyone else in the same boat.....

Stoffy

killerkeychange1010 wrote: »

End result - got a full refund from Ticketmaster, pretty much thanks to the Guardian..

for some daft reason i'm not allowed to post website links within this reply, but check out the consumer section in the Money page on the guardian website...and you'll see my radiohead story..

good luck to everyone else in the same boat.....

Thanks for this.

Just informed the missus (who bought the tickets in the 1st place). To say she's livid is an understatement, she has spent countless hours on the phone and sent at least 20 emails back and forth to no avail.

I will let you know how we get on as she's just starting to email them all now

:beer:

Stoffy

Result.

Now been sorted - TM have allowed the names to be transferred to my GF's dads name.

Cheers killerkeychange1010. I owe you a drink!

:beer:

killerkeychange1010

Excellent news!

I thought you were going to reply to say TM were just going to refund her the money, but to change the names in her father is great news!

I hope TM and Radiohead (and any other ticket agency or band for that matter!) think carefully about how the paperless ticket system can be used in the real world..!!

In your face Ticketmaster and big corporations in general!

This is a victory for everyone who has had to deal with smart-!!!! and matter-of-fact Ticketmaster customer services advisors!

All the best...

Andrewptompkins

Hi killerkeychange1010

I have similar situation for tickets bought for Michael McIntyre but I can't attend, all I want is my wife and niece to attend in my absence, but ticketmaster won't amend the paperless tickets that they have.

Do you have anything from ticketmaster saying that they have changed the tickets that you had which I could have a copy of? so I could prove them that if they have done it for one, they should be able to do for others, and they are not as totally inflexible as they would appear to be so far.

Best regards

AT