Selling on Viagogo help

pinkshoes

tinribzzz said:

screech_78 said:

Oasis tickets, I assume. 

You need to be very careful about what you have signed up to. Viagogo are not known for their winning customer service. 

Yep! I'm gutted because I bought the tickets buzzing that I could go. For context I've already been twice. My girlfriend was not so happy I'd decided to get tickets again. 

But listing them on viagogo seemed a good idea as I don't physically have the tickets yet. I cannot believe how mental their policy is. I listed them for £400 each (what I paid off someone) and they sold instantly as all the others are like £1000. What I didn't realise is that if this sale falls through, Viagogo can release the funds back to the buyer they are holding   AND charge me £800. They can also charge for a replacement ticket.

I tried  to cancel within 24 hours of the sale as soon as I realised this but apparently I can't. Their T&Cs have so many flaws as they automatically confirmed my sale when their terms say they should only do this if they are handling the tickets (there not) and that if I didn't confirm I could report an issue within 48 hours.

Overall I am a little screwed. In hindsight I should have just kept the tickets, waited for them to land in my account and then done a private sale OR filed for a refund with PayPal if they didn't come.

I would never ever use Viagogo again. It's set up for the bit tours who are selling multiple tickets and can take the mental fine if all the other sales they've  listed get through.  It is not designed for one off ticket sales!

I thought you could only cancel within 48 hours if the tickets haven't sold?

They won't charge you £800. They charge you a REPLACEMENT fee so I assume that's the cost of 2 tickets at whatever the cheapest price available is to replace the two that you didn't send. That could be MUCH more than £800.

This person on Facebook... what details do you actually have? A full name and address? If the tickets don't materialise, then your only option is to take legal action against the Facebook seller, sending them a letter before action for the £800. Not sure you could claim the amount Viagogo will charge you. 

Also, if it's the Oasis concert, I'm sure they have their own T&Cs about resale platforms, and I don't think FB is one of them. Do you even know your tickets will be valid? It says resale through Twickets and Ticketmaster only.

This could be a very expensive lesson!

tinribzzz

pinkshoes said:

tinribzzz said:

screech_78 said:

Oasis tickets, I assume. 

You need to be very careful about what you have signed up to. Viagogo are not known for their winning customer service. 

Yep! I'm gutted because I bought the tickets buzzing that I could go. For context I've already been twice. My girlfriend was not so happy I'd decided to get tickets again. 

But listing them on viagogo seemed a good idea as I don't physically have the tickets yet. I cannot believe how mental their policy is. I listed them for £400 each (what I paid off someone) and they sold instantly as all the others are like £1000. What I didn't realise is that if this sale falls through, Viagogo can release the funds back to the buyer they are holding   AND charge me £800. They can also charge for a replacement ticket.

I tried  to cancel within 24 hours of the sale as soon as I realised this but apparently I can't. Their T&Cs have so many flaws as they automatically confirmed my sale when their terms say they should only do this if they are handling the tickets (there not) and that if I didn't confirm I could report an issue within 48 hours.

Overall I am a little screwed. In hindsight I should have just kept the tickets, waited for them to land in my account and then done a private sale OR filed for a refund with PayPal if they didn't come.

I would never ever use Viagogo again. It's set up for the bit tours who are selling multiple tickets and can take the mental fine if all the other sales they've  listed get through.  It is not designed for one off ticket sales!

I thought you could only cancel within 48 hours if the tickets haven't sold?

They won't charge you £800. They charge you a REPLACEMENT fee so I assume that's the cost of 2 tickets at whatever the cheapest price available is to replace the two that you didn't send. That could be MUCH more than £800.

This person on Facebook... what details do you actually have? A full name and address? If the tickets don't materialise, then your only option is to take legal action against the Facebook seller, sending them a letter before action for the £800. Not sure you could claim the amount Viagogo will charge you. 

Also, if it's the Oasis concert, I'm sure they have their own T&Cs about resale platforms, and I don't think FB is one of them. Do you even know your tickets will be valid? It says resale through Twickets and Ticketmaster only.

This could be a very expensive lesson!

pinkshoes said:

tinribzzz said:

screech_78 said:

Oasis tickets, I assume. 

You need to be very careful about what you have signed up to. Viagogo are not known for their winning customer service. 

Yep! I'm gutted because I bought the tickets buzzing that I could go. For context I've already been twice. My girlfriend was not so happy I'd decided to get tickets again. 

But listing them on viagogo seemed a good idea as I don't physically have the tickets yet. I cannot believe how mental their policy is. I listed them for £400 each (what I paid off someone) and they sold instantly as all the others are like £1000. What I didn't realise is that if this sale falls through, Viagogo can release the funds back to the buyer they are holding   AND charge me £800. They can also charge for a replacement ticket.

I tried  to cancel within 24 hours of the sale as soon as I realised this but apparently I can't. Their T&Cs have so many flaws as they automatically confirmed my sale when their terms say they should only do this if they are handling the tickets (there not) and that if I didn't confirm I could report an issue within 48 hours.

Overall I am a little screwed. In hindsight I should have just kept the tickets, waited for them to land in my account and then done a private sale OR filed for a refund with PayPal if they didn't come.

I would never ever use Viagogo again. It's set up for the bit tours who are selling multiple tickets and can take the mental fine if all the other sales they've  listed get through.  It is not designed for one off ticket sales!

I thought you could only cancel within 48 hours if the tickets haven't sold?

They won't charge you £800. They charge you a REPLACEMENT fee so I assume that's the cost of 2 tickets at whatever the cheapest price available is to replace the two that you didn't send. That could be MUCH more than £800.

This person on Facebook... what details do you actually have? A full name and address? If the tickets don't materialise, then your only option is to take legal action against the Facebook seller, sending them a letter before action for the £800. Not sure you could claim the amount Viagogo will charge you. 

Also, if it's the Oasis concert, I'm sure they have their own T&Cs about resale platforms, and I don't think FB is one of them. Do you even know your tickets will be valid? It says resale through Twickets and Ticketmaster only.

This could be a very expensive lesson!

Sadly, you are correct! This could be an expensive lesson!

A_Geordie

Viagogo are a real piece of work so I think your best position here is to take all steps necessary to remove any bank or card details (and if appropriate cancel the card) and close your Viagogo account down if possible. Try to make it as difficult as you can for Viagogo to reclaim any money from you because if they do, it is going to be a right faff to try and get that back. 

I guess they might store your personal details somewhere notwithstanding removal of them or closing of your account but if an attempted debit is successful then I would go to my bank and claim that it is an unauthorised payment and seek a refund and ask them if they are able block any attempted transactons from Viagogo (maybe contact the bank before any attempted debti is performed and tell them they are not authorised to take payment).

Better to argue the toss/have a pop at suing your bank than an unscrupulous company based in Switzerland who has frequent run-ins with the Competition and Markets Authority for non-compliance with consumer rights.

tinribzzz

A_Geordie said:

Viagogo are a real piece of work so I think your best position here is to take all steps necessary to remove any bank or card details (and if appropriate cancel the card) and close your Viagogo account down if possible. Try to make it as difficult as you can for Viagogo to reclaim any money from you because if they do, it is going to be a right faff to try and get that back. 

I guess they might store your personal details somewhere notwithstanding removal of them or closing of your account but if an attempted debit is successful then I would go to my bank and claim that it is an unauthorised payment and seek a refund and ask them if they are able block any attempted transactons from Viagogo (maybe contact the bank before any attempted debti is performed and tell them they are not authorised to take payment).

Better to argue the toss/have a pop at suing your bank than an unscrupulous company based in Switzerland who has frequent run-ins with the Competition and Markets Authority for non-compliance with consumer rights.

Thank you for the response. I believe what I will do is wait till transfer is open. If this lady has legitimately sold me a ticket then all is good. If not, I will have to follow the above steps.

I have countless documentation sent to Viagogo literally hours after I posted the listing trying to explain my error so I hope this will help me out. 

They also made an error auto confirming a sale as this breaks their own terms. Hopefully them breaking their own terms should give me some leeway should they choose to fine my bank £800+

born_again

How were tickets paid for on Facebook? Is that profile still active?

Really could be a double whammy incoming. Not to mention how GF is going to take it when you tell her.

tinribzzz

born_again said:

How were tickets paid for on Facebook? Is that profile still active?

Really could be a double whammy incoming. Not to mention how GF is going to take it when you tell her.

born_again said:

How were tickets paid for on Facebook? Is that profile still active?

Really could be a double whammy incoming. Not to mention how GF is going to take it when you tell her.

I paid for the tickets using goods and services so I wasn't super worried as I bought them with the intention of going! I thought worst case scenario that if the tickets don't arrive, I just claim using goods and services. 

Then my gf says I shouldn't go, so I try to sell the tickets on viagogo for what I've paid. This is the error because all of a sudden, I've entered some crazy contract. Lesson learnt... read the small print. The seller on Facebook seems pretty legit. I mean we have contact on WhatsApp etc and goods and services re assured me. But should she change her mind and want to refund me or even gets a better offer, I'm in a big trouble.

I am stunned at viagogos terms. They have the money from the buyer for my tickets in an escrow. I find at insane they can refund the buyer with this money  on hold and charge me 100% of the ticket price! I get a small fee but this fee has floored me.

My only other option is to try and secure some other seated tickets so in worst case scenario I can offer Viagogo alternatives!

Okell

@A_Geordie  -   I'm not convinced that suggesting the OP cancel their cards and/or close their accounts is a good idea.

I'd expect the bank/card provider to pay out anyway so the OP ends up either having the payment taken out of their account or owing their bank or card provider rather than owing Viagogo.  And a hacked off bank or card provider.

Also can the OP honestly claim to their bank that the payment was "unauthorised"?  Hasn't the OP authorised the payment when entering into the contract with Viagogogogogogogo  (Sorry got carried away...))

Okell

tinribzzz said:

screech_78 said:

Oasis tickets, I assume. 

You need to be very careful about what you have signed up to. Viagogo are not known for their winning customer service. 

... But listing them on viagogo seemed a good idea as I don't physically have the tickets yet. I cannot believe how mental their policy is. I listed them for £400 each (what I paid off someone) and they sold instantly as all the others are like £1000. What I didn't realise is that if this sale falls through, Viagogo can release the funds back to the buyer they are holding   AND charge me £800. They can also charge for a replacement ticket...

Are you sure that's how it works?  I don't see how Viagogo can fully refund your buyer and then also make you provide replacement tickets.

You've sold two tickets you haven't yet got for a total of £800.  If you don't get the tickets from your Facebook seller you'll have to buy replacement tickets at, say, a total of £2000.

You'll still get your £800 - otherwise your buyer would be getting the tickets at no cost to them.  But you'll have to shell out an extra £1200 to buy the replacement tickets.  That being the difference between their true market value and the heavily discounted price you decided to list them at on Viagogo.*

If you can't buy/provide replacement tickets then your buyer on Viagogo will get their money back.  Whether your buyer could then also sue you for loss of bargain, I don't know.



* At least I hope that is how it works for the OP's sake.  I'm not at all familiar with Viagogo's T&Cs or business model, but they sound like something to be avoided at all costs.

I came across a ticket the other day to see The Clash on 20 November 1978.  It cost £1.75 and I bought it from the council's box office.  Oh happy days...

A_Geordie

Okell said:

@A_Geordie  -   I'm not convinced that suggesting the OP cancel their cards and/or close their accounts is a good idea.

I'd expect the bank/card provider to pay out anyway so the OP ends up either having the payment taken out of their account or owing their bank or card provider rather than owing Viagogo.  And a hacked off bank or card provider.

Also can the OP honestly claim to their bank that the payment was "unauthorised"?  Hasn't the OP authorised the payment when entering into the contract with Viagogogogogogogo  (Sorry got carried away...))

It's not something I would normally advocate but when it comes to companies like Viagogo, you have to do your best with what you've got to protect your position. 

If the OP had to sue Viagogo then their chances are likly to be almost no chance of recovery. They would need to seek permission to serve the claim form out of jursidiction and when Viagogo inevitably ignore the claim and receive a default judgment, the OP then needs to spend more money trying to enforce the judgment using a meaningful method of enforcement such as a freezing order or something similar and that will rack up further costs. The alternative is to sue them in Switzerland which is already fraught with difficulties unless the OP has local law knowledge. 

As I said in a previous post, I would rather take my chances with my bank in this country without having to jump through so many hurdles if I needed to sue/complain. If the bank pays out then the OP can sue for deducting the money. It's then down to the bank to argue otherwise and the OP's position can simply be that Viagogo were not entitled to it since they breached their own terms by automatically confirming the sale without the OP's consent, which is fraudulent at best. The general legal position is that the courts will not assist a party who benefits from their own breach. 

I would also add that unless I've missed it, those relevant provisions only state the OP is liable for additional costs or charges and therefore those charges are open to challege, but it doesn't authorise Viagogo to take a payment using any existing card details. So in my view, any attempt to take payment would be unauthorised. Even if it did, it can be subject to the fairness rules.

born_again

You may find the they will not allow removal of any card/account details or closure of account while funds are held for tickets.

Point is there is no unauthorised chargeback. Op only contest would be on fraud basis. Viagogo would get the money back given they have all details of them & that they were selling tickets they did not have. 
Which could even see bank close the account for making a fraudulent claim.

Real mess this one & fraught with many pitfalls for the OP.