Refund on Viagogo tickets

[AmberJade06]

I dumbly paid 50% above the market rate on tickets I thought were for a gig that we nearly sold out (I had asked hubbie to check out the seller, his research skills I now know are crap) The tickets to the gig on "2% left nearly sold out, good view" - I now found out were sold to me the day BEFORE they actually went on sale directly from the venue. Therefore they were NOT in short supply and Viagogo could not know what view they would have as they COULD NOT have been issued. I have seen the site about getting refunds from them but was just getting my ducks lined up prior to telling them I am reporting them to Trading Standards and the swiss equivalent - They have refused to refund but am I right in thinking that they have actually in this case made quite clear fraudulent claims?

The teen I purchased these for has had a hideous year and, as I could not risk him getting there and being refused access by the venue I have purchased him tickets directly via the official online box office since. Gig not until September so the venue will not be releasing them for a couple of months.

And YES I know we have been twats....next time I will do my own research!

Viagogo is a platform. They don't sell tickets themselves. They allow members to buy from other members.

Their statement that tickets are "nearly sold out" almost certainly relates to tickets available through Viagogo, not the event as a whole. As for the view, tickets for many gigs are available to some people (e.g. fan club members) before they go on sale to the general public. Since the seller is, I believe, required to state the seat numbers for the tickets, my guess is that the seller had purchased advance tickets and therefore Viagogo knew exactly what view they would have.

The venue can only refuse access if the terms and conditions for the original sale allow them to cancel tickets that are resold. If their terms and conditions don't say that the venue cannot legally stop the holder of the ticket attending the event.

As long as the tickets purchased through Viagogo turn up I think you will struggle to make a case against them on the information you have posted here.

Alexandra Palace terms clearly state "Reselling this ticket for profit or commercial gain makes it void"

No only have they allowed someone to do that, contravening the venue rules, they have also incited me to do so as a way of recouping the money!

My son has anxiety I cannot risk him being refused admission, he's currently recovering really well but I don't think he would cope with that. The person he's going to see is a bit of a hero as his music deals with having the same issues

Did it specify a seat when you bought the ticket?

It's well-known that Viagogo is a reseller of tickets tbh. The fact that the tickets cost more than face value is a massive clue as well!

It is unfortunate, but I doubt you'll have any comeback on them. Def do your own research next time

No only have they allowed someone to do that

Viagogo's terms clearly put the onus on the seller to provide valid tickets. If the buyer is refused entry Viagogo will refund the buyer and the seller won't be paid. That isn't much use to you in terms of getting in to the event but I still don't think you have a case against Viagogo.

Sadly this was on the news your tickets are invaild and you will be promted to rebuy on the day at face value if your lucky and they will stamp the ticket invald so you can get your money back.

tickets are invaild

Just to be clear, tickets sold through Viagogo (or any other secondary seller) are only invalid if the original contract for sale says that the ticket is void if resold (as is the case here). In the absence of any such term in the contract the venue is required to honour the ticket under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Even if the original sale contract does contain such a term, it may be possible to challenge it as an unfair term.

I got stung by Viagogo for Ed Sheeran tickets. It was then made very clear that viagogo tickets wouldn't be honoured. I then re-bought them so had valid (face-value) tickets. At the concert there were portacabins outside with "victims of viagogo" above the windows where they stamped your tickets invalid, gave you the details of how to reclaim your money, then selling you tickets at face-value. Obviously that's for UK but might be helpful to you OP. Will try and attach photo of the letter we got.

& reverse of letter

I didn't even know you could sit at Allly Pally, thought it was all standing so you choose your own view anyway

I don't know if you do have a case. Viaggo didn't 'con' you in any way, unless you couldn't access the venue with those tickets, and you don't know if you can or not yet. They were probably 'advance' release tickets which is why there weren't many of them available on the site.

Hopefully all the publicity around the Ed Shereen concert will make people more aware of the problems with Viagogo.

It isn't just Viagogo. They seem to be betting most publicity at the moment but it is secondary ticketing sites in general.

If all event organisers included a clause in their terms invalidating tickets if resold for profit and enforced that, secondary ticketing sites would rapidly go out of business. However, things are more confused at the moment as some organisers ban secondary sales, others don't. So, unless you check the original conditions of sale, you have no idea whether or not a ticket purchased from a secondary ticketing site is valid.