Can someone help me understand Ticketmaster’s refund policy please?

JBEAN

My adult son has Asperger’s and has unfortunately felt peer pressured into booking some concert tickets for himself and some friends    

He has now rightly decided that he can’t travel to Belgium to this festival in the summer, and has contacted ticketmaster in Belgium for a refund for his ticket only.

this was their response…

Britt (Ticketmaster BE)  Feb 6, 2023, 11:58 GMT  Hello,   Thank you for your email, and I’m sorry to hear that you can’t make it to this event.   We understand that plans can sometimes change which might be beyond your control and make it difficult for you to attend the show, and with our Fan Guarantee we can refund any order within 72 hours of placing your original order or making your original reservation; and 7 days or more prior to the event (or start of the event) to which your order relates. As your request doesn't apply under these conditions, unfortunately we wouldn’t be in a position to offer a refund on your order, as this falls outside the refund window.   Click here for more information about our Fan Guarantee en here for our general terms and conditions.   If the ticket buyer wishes to make use of the additional cancellation insurance purchased, we would like to refer you here.   We thank you for your support and understanding.   Kind regards, Ticketmaster   to me this sounds like he can only get a refund if he changed his mind within 3 days of booking, or if he was to cancel at short notice? He thought by purchasing the Fan Guarantee he would have more protection against a change in circumstances - but it looks like he has no option to receive a refund? any advice would be VERY MUCH appreciated  Thanks in advance  Katrina

MorningcoffeeIV

Correct - he has no right to a refund, including at short notice.

Can he sell them?

JBEAN

MorningcoffeeIV said:

Correct - he has no right to a refund, including at short notice.

Can he sell them?

Thanks…sorry if I sound stupid, but in what situation would a refund be possible?

….they refer to 7 days before the start of the event?

I Don’t know where it would be possible to sell tickets..but will explore this as an option.

thanks again for taking the time to comment 

onashoestring

JBEAN said:

with our Fan Guarantee we can refund any order within 72 hours of placing your original order or making your original reservation; and 7 days or more prior to the event (or start of the event) to which your order relates.

Both terms must apply to receive the refund.

You can change you mind and receive a refund if you do this within 72 hours of placing the order… but only if the the second term also applies … which is that there  are  7 days or more before the event ..

So if you order tickets today for an event this weekend and changed you mind tomorrow you wouldn’t be entitled to a refund …because there would be less than 7 days before the event .

saajan_12

JBEAN said:

to me this sounds like he can only get a refund if he changed his mind within 3 days of booking, or if he was to cancel at short notice? - no, it would be if it was within 3 days of booking AND NOT not at short notice (at least 7 days prior). When did he book?  He thought by purchasing the Fan Guarantee he would have more protection against a change in circumstances - but it looks like he has no option to receive a refund?  - well more protection for those 3 days.. Now, it seems no refund option.  any advice would be VERY MUCH appreciated  Thanks in advance  Katrina

Comments in line.. sounds like he only had the protection for 3 days (as opposed to being locked in immediately). 

CKhalvashi

JBEAN said:

MorningcoffeeIV said:

Correct - he has no right to a refund, including at short notice.

Can he sell them?

Thanks…sorry if I sound stupid, but in what situation would a refund be possible?

….they refer to 7 days before the start of the event?

I Don’t know where it would be possible to sell tickets..but will explore this as an option.

thanks again for taking the time to comment 

For selling, it's likely to be a condition that he goes through the fan to fan sales site, mainly so Ticketmaster can get their fees again. He would then be refunded the face value of the ticket (but not the fees) after the event.

There are no automatic refund rights or cooling off periods for ticketed events so the response given is completely correct unless there is something else within the contract that would enable this.