I Think I've been ripped off by Ticketmaster

Geordie1987

Hello all, I am looking for some advice on how to proceed with Ticketmaster.

Back in January, Britney Spears announced some UK tour dates. As soon as they went on sale, I was on Ticketmaster's website trying to get some. The only ones offered to me were platinum tickets, priced at £280 each. In total, with shipping I paid £563.45. As a huge fan, I bought the tickets.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, the tickets were sent to me. The price on the tickets is £190, which is obviously less than I bought them for. I was confused, so I e-mailed TM. This is their reponse:

Hello Geordie

Thank you for your email.

I'm very sorry for any confusion caused. You booked Platinum Tickets, which offer some of the most in-demand tickets in the venue, sold at market driven prices. Although there may have been a different face value printed on the tickets, the price for platinum tickets is adjusted according to supply and demand, similar to how airline tickets and hotel rooms are sold therefore the more in demand a seat or a show is, the higher the price. The goal is to give the most passionate fans fair and safe access to the most in-demand tickets, while allowing the artists and everyone involved in staging live events to price tickets closer to their true value.

We do everything we can to make sure the price that you paid for your seats are printed on your tickets. However, on this occasion your tickets were printed by a third party who don’t have access to our systems – this means that they can’t see the individual price paid for your seats. For them to be able to print the tickets for us to send out to you, they have to apply some kind of value – so, they went with the price of tickets elsewhere in the venue.

We’re sorry again for any confusion caused, and if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes,


Steff
Customer Care Team

And now I am a bit peeved... My entire transaction took place through the official Ticketmaster website. At no point was I informed that I was buying 3rd party tickets or that a 3rd party were involved.

Additionally, at no point during my transaction was the "RRP" of the tickets given to me. I did not know that I was paying more than the tickets are worth.

Anyway, so I now want a refund. Is this possible? I paid by debit card, so I can't go through that route.

Any help would be much appreciated!

waamo

Live Nation are the official sellers for this gig. You've bought from touts at tout prices.

Sadly there isn't much you can do. Touts tend not to play fair.

Geordie1987

Thank you for responding.

I don't understand though. I bought directly from Ticketmaster, who are a reputable seller. I did not buy them "2nd hand".

If it makes a difference, the show I am going to is at the SSE Hydro (Glasgow). If you go to their website for Britney tickets, it leads you to Ticketmaster's website. That is why I presumed they were the official sellers for this show.

Plus, how are touts allowed to sell "re-sell" tickets two minutes after the show goes on sale.

Geordie1987

Plus, do they not have an obligation to tell buyers the real price of their tickets? i.e. the RRP? I was not once informed of this when purchasing.

SuperHan

Livenation own Ticketmaster, so they are the official seller.

Platinum tickets are not resale tickets, they're "dynamically priced" tickets, and tend to be the best ones in the house. Ticketmaster take the 'best' 10% of seats in a venue and sell them at a price based on demand. If there's high demand, they get sold at a higher price. You could by general tickets for less, but they may not be as good seats (although there has been dispute about this),

Unfortunately it's a case of you saw the price and were willing to buy. And Ticketmaster are just maximising that. The face value of your ticket is less, but they know people will pay more (and do on tout websites), so they may as well get that cut instead of the touts.

Whether that's an ethical business practice, however, is for you to decide.

Caz3121

Geordie1987 wrote: »

My entire transaction took place through the official Ticketmaster website. At no point was I informed that I was buying 3rd party tickets or that a 3rd party were involved.

did you check what a Platinum tickets were?
https://help.ticketmaster.co.uk/what-are-official-platinum-tickets/

Geordie1987

Caz3121 wrote: »

did you check what a Platinum tickets were?

No. I was offered them whilst in the queue for regular tickets. Once I was offered them, I accepted straight away. There is a time limit once tickets are allocated to you. I only had around ten minutes to complete my transaction, so I was hurrying.

Aylesbury_Duck

Geordie1987 wrote: »

No. I was offered them whilst in the queue for regular tickets. Once I was offered them, I accepted straight away. There is a time limit once tickets are allocated to you. I only had around ten minutes to complete my transaction, so I was hurrying.

Then I'm afraid you've fallen for their sales tactics, which are very obviously designed to rinse as much money as possible out of the most dedicated fans. You want the tickets badly enough, they reason you will pay over the odds, which you have.

I can't see how you are due a refund, sorry.

NCC-1707

Geordie1987 wrote: »

No. I was offered them whilst in the queue for regular tickets. Once I was offered them, I accepted straight away. There is a time limit once tickets are allocated to you. I only had around ten minutes to complete my transaction, so I was hurrying.

That's what they want you to do...you were suckered.

photome

Geordie1987 wrote: »

No. I was offered them whilst in the queue for regular tickets. Once I was offered them, I accepted straight away. There is a time limit once tickets are allocated to you. I only had around ten minutes to complete my transaction, so I was hurrying.

when i want concert tickets, I research where the seats are using seat maps etc, and what ticket prices are, before I go on sites like ticketmaster, for exactly that reason.


you have learnt for next time


are you happy with your seats

bertiewhite

photome wrote: »

are you happy with your seats

For £280, I'd want a back stage pass and a night out with the girl as well!!