Viagogo - Selling Ticket - Issue

Dembele10

Hello,
I bought four tickets for some of the snooker down in York in December, but one of our party had to pull out. I put his tickets up for sale on Viagogo (for less than face value) in the hope someone would buy them. Indeed someone did buy them.

The next step is to 'confirm' the tickets within a 48 hour window. I believe I did this and clicked through on the website. However, evidently I must have made an error as it turns out this was not the case and I actually didn't confirm. The deadline passed.

I have only noticed today (10 days later) that this is the case as another set of my friend's tickets sold and I have definitely confirmed those.

However, I contacted Viagogo to let them know this error and see if there is anything that can be done - at the bottom of my sale information there it states:

"The 48-hour confirmation period has expired. We’re now actively looking to replace your tickets for the buyer. Should we replace your order, we reserve the right to charge you the cost of replacing the tickets for your buyer.In order to avoid this charge, and receive payment for your sale, confirm the sale immediately and provide the buyer with the exact tickets as listed for sale."

They won't do anything for me though and continually give terse, one line answers along the line of 'you missed the deadline, we are now trying to source new tickets for the buyer, you will be liable for the costs and any other fees'.

I find this a wholly unacceptable way of operating and I am now concerned a £20 ticket is going to end up costing me hundreds of pounds.

What can I do to get on top of this? Can I get my bank to block them taking money? I am going to open a formal complaint after this, but would like some advice from anyone with anything helpful to my position.

Thank you.

waamo

Ouch. You are about to learn a hard lesson as to why selling through touts is a bad idea.

Dembele10

Yeah, maybe.
It's the first time I've done it and it wasn't to make money - it was actually below the face value. Won't be using them in future, but it seems to be a pretty unethical way of operating, especially considering the message at the bottom of the notification they have regards the sale.

waamo

Dembele10 wrote: »

Yeah, maybe.
It's the first time I've done it and it wasn't to make money - it was actually below the face value. Won't be using them in future, but it seems to be a pretty unethical way of operating, especially considering the message at the bottom of the notification they have regards the sale.

I've never known a ticket tout have ethics. You could try selling them elsewhere to recoup some of the money.

Having got your card details the bank will honour any payment request.

Dembele10

I was thinking of cancelling my payment methods, but they likely hold the data I am sure.
To be honest, I am happy to take some sort of hit as it's obviously my fault for not confirming (although that process in itself is a little odd, and a potential trap - again, as you say what can you expect from touts).

I am more worried that the hit is going to be something ridiculous like £800 when the ticket is only worth £20!

waamo

They do hold your data and are well versed with people trying to avoid paying them. As I said the bank will pay out.

Dembele10

Thinking outside the box here (and whether or not it may be considered ethical), would they still be able to do that if I simply cancelled my bank card and asked for a new one I wonder.

unholyangel

I seem to recall viagogos terms being shaky.

I've had a quick look over the general terms and their terms actually state that no agency is created - which means they have no power to accept offers on your behalf/enter you into any contract.

Theres also the fact that even if they had the power to accept offers on your behalf, damages for breach of contract would be awarded on the basis of them taking reasonable steps to mitigate their losses and not taking unreasonable steps to increase them. From my understanding of your post, you still have the tickets available and they are still trying to source alternatives....the most sensible thing for all parties involved would be for you to provide the tickets at the agreed price.

Of course expect them to ignore all of that and stick to what company policy says - customer service staff generally have zero training in anything that isn't company policy. You might fare better sending a LBA to the company itself but afaik, their offices are in switzerland.

Dembele10

unholyangel wrote: »

I seem to recall viagogos terms being shaky.

I've had a quick look over the general terms and their terms actually state that no agency is created - which means they have no power to accept offers on your behalf/enter you into any contract.

Theres also the fact that even if they had the power to accept offers on your behalf, damages for breach of contract would be awarded on the basis of them taking reasonable steps to mitigate their losses and not taking unreasonable steps to increase them. From my understanding of your post, you still have the tickets available and they are still trying to source alternatives....the most sensible thing for all parties involved would be for you to provide the tickets at the agreed price.

Of course expect them to ignore all of that and stick to what company policy says - customer service staff generally have zero training in anything that isn't company policy. You might fare better sending a LBA to the company itself but afaik, their offices are in switzerland.

You are correct - I do have the tickets and I am willing to provide tickets at agreed price. I am even willing to take a 'penalty' as it does appear to be a slight error on my end re.confirmation of tickets.

The way it's being relayed to me by the CS is a bit nonsensical, but evidently that is what they seem to be trained to tell people.

waamo

unholyangel wrote: »

I seem to recall viagogos terms being shaky.

I've had a quick look over the general terms and their terms actually state that no agency is created - which means they have no power to accept offers on your behalf/enter you into any contract.

Theres also the fact that even if they had the power to accept offers on your behalf, damages for breach of contract would be awarded on the basis of them taking reasonable steps to mitigate their losses and not taking unreasonable steps to increase them. From my understanding of your post, you still have the tickets available and they are still trying to source alternatives....the most sensible thing for all parties involved would be for you to provide the tickets at the agreed price.

Of course expect them to ignore all of that and stick to what company policy says - customer service staff generally have zero training in anything that isn't company policy. You might fare better sending a LBA to the company itself but afaik, their offices are in switzerland.

They are indeed based in Switzerland. I'm not convinced they pay much heed to Swiss laws let alone U.K. laws.

unholyangel

waamo wrote: »

They are indeed based in Switzerland. I'm not convinced they pay much heed to Swiss laws let alone U.K. laws.

Its not isolated to viagogo or swiss companies unfortunately. A lot of companies you'll find the same thing - they'll answer based on company policy. That mentality in frontline staff is what inspired the "computer says no" sketch I believe.