But the messaging in small letters at the very top of the screen is easy to miss. The ACCC took action against Viagogo in August 2017, and in April 2019 the court found Viagogo had misled consumers. By using this Site, You agree to accept such risks and agree that viagogo is not responsible for the acts or omissions of users on the Site. How do I unsubscribe from your newsletter? 'Worst deal in history': Viagogo and StubHub merger faces investigation, Viagogo 'refusing to refund fans' for gigs cancelled in pandemic, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. These tickets are listed in TWD [Taiwanese dollars]. In March 2017, we referred Viagogo to the ACCC and later handed it a Shonky Award. viagogo provides a service that allows members who want to buy tickets ("Buyers") to find members who want to sell tickets ("Sellers"). In what appears to be an all-encompassing reach for self-exoneration, the Google spokesperson tells us "we are not the regulator of secondary ticketing". I would like to get my money back and Viagogo will still have a chance to sell those tickets, as the event is in 8 . Also, buyers only pay once they have been to the event and had no issues. $356 for two tickets to an event at the Sydney Comedy Festival for which the face value of the tickets was $32.90, or $65.80 for two. In imposing the hefty penalty, justice Stephen Barley said the companys conduct demonstrated a level of deliberateness, describing one category of representations as having been made on an industrial scale. In proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the federal court found the Swiss-based company had made false and misleading representations when reselling tickets to live music and sports events. On termination, Your items may be de-listed if You are a Seller and Your purchases may be cancelled if you are a Buyer. However, Moody's Investors Service reported yesterday that Baker's . Accordingly, no ministerial press releases or related information issued by the Government from this date will be available on this website. Tickets to the Book of Mormon musical were advertised at $135, but were actually sold for $177.45, including booking and handling fees. We take no responsibility for such issues. It didn't. Until recently, the final cost price of a ticket . Todays $7m penalty sends a strong signal to businesses like Viagogo conducting business in Australia that they cannot get away with profiting from misleading Australian consumers about the price of the tickets they are selling, or other misleading conduct.. Should you experience problems with your tickets on the day of the event you must contact viagogo within 48 hours of the incident to report the issue. 2.13 Ticket Information. Viagogo seemed to be telling us the two tickets we had chosen were the last two left in this section, one of the best in the house. This Agreement (and all documents incorporated by reference) constitutes the entire agreement between the parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether written or oral. 5.1 Investigations. Stay informed. Can I buy tickets that are personalised with someone else's name on them? 2.10 Collecting Payment. Key points: Viagogo has been a target of consumer and industry backlash The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reprimanded the ticket reseller for misleading advertising drawing in customers with a headline price and then dripping in additional fees during the booking process also known as 'drip pricing'. viagogo reserves the right at any time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Site or any part of the Site with or without notice. In August 2017, the ACCC announced it was taking Viagogo to court. When you do an internet search, do not use the word tickets. Event dates, times, venues and subject matter, which are listed on the ticket, may change. Viagogo are reportedly "refusing" to offer music fans refunds for gigs cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The changes included consultation with consumer protection regulators in "a number of countries", a spokesman said. These are just a few of the many Viagogo horror stories we've documented in our ongoing investigation of the Switzerland-based reseller. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. It was founded in 2006 by Eric Baker, the co-founder of StubHub.. Viagogo is backed by venture capital investment firm Index Ventures as well as Brent Hoberman, the co-founder and former CEO of lastminute.com, and Jacob . It also failed to adequately disclose to consumers that it was not a primary ticket seller. It is up to the Buyer to verify the most recent changes by contacting the box office or referring to official listings for any changes. Further information can be found at "After much argument and many emails, they finally agreed to pay me for the tickets, though it took about six weeks and more emails to get the payment processed and the money returned. And while the caveat "on our site" has been appended to messages such as "less than 2% of total tickets currently available" and "123 sections have no remaining tickets", the message seems clear: you'd better hurry up and buy the tickets you've selected or you're not going to the event. "Viagogo has also failed to specify, in a prominent way, a single price for tickets advertised for sale.. Sellers should use our automated online confirmation process. You may not get through to a person, but be prepared to write to them repeatedly by email and send messages through their online help centre More answers below Cleartrip is not giving me a refund on a cancelled ticket worth of 21,000. It broke the law by claiming it was the official ticket seller to particular events and that certain tickets were about to sell out. Justice Burley labelled that as "qualitatively a very serious misrepresentation". Viagogo has advised customers who cannot attend a rescheduled event. ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the statements created a false sense of urgency. Sellers have forty-eight (48) hours from the time of sale of the tickets to Report a Problem if they are unable to deliver the exact tickets listed for sale. You shall indemnify and hold viagogo and (if applicable) any parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, agents and employees harmless against all liabilities, costs, interest and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by viagogo that arise out of any third party or governmental claim that involves, relates to or concerns (i) any local, regional, country, or international tax obligation or amounts due or owing under any tax regulation, law, order or decree or (ii) any dispute concerning the tax status of viagogo. It emerged that tickets from a legitimate Real Madrid ticket seller to see the same game were $442, and they hadn't gone on sale yet. The Court also observed the need for general and specific deterrence in this matter, particularly to make it clear to corporations which conduct internet-based operations in Australia that they are subject to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The Commerce Commission announced in August it's taking the Switzerland-based company to the High Court, seeking declarations it's breached the Fair Trading Act. Viagogo AG is an online ticket resell platform with headquarters in Switzerland. The court also outlined that it saw the penalty as a warning to other companies in the sector that they were subject to Australian Consumer Law. 2.1 Requirements. The court found Viagogo's use of phrases such as "only a few tickets left" was deceptive because they related to tickets available through its own website not the overall availability of tickets to an event. Viagogo, founded by American businessman Eric Baker in 2005, is being investigated by the Commerce Commission for alleged false and misleading representations, which could breach the Fair Trading Act. Viagogo ranks 177th among Tickets sites. Please note, selling prices for tickets traded on viagogo may differ from their original face value (i.e. But a spokesperson says the screenshots we sent, showing the lack of price transparency, the last-minute change of currency on prices and the pressure-selling approach, didn't constitute a violation of its rules. We will cooperate to ensure that violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. CHOICE's Jonathan Brown shares tips for how to avoid being ripped off by dodgy ticket websites. Please note this does not include any sales or value added tax that may be payable on viagogos fees. Yet we didn't see any mention on Viagogo that our tickets may be duds, and Viagogo refused to acknowledge to media in the recent Elton John case that the rejected tickets were fake. Ticket reseller Viagogo AG has been ordered by the Federal Court to pay a penalty of $7 million for breaching the Australian Consumer Law by making false or misleading representations when reselling tickets for live music and sports event, in proceedings brought by the ACCC. In a statement from the ACCC, several examples were listed where Viagogo would advertise a certain price, only for the final price to be significantly higher. Viagogo is once again in the NSW Governments sights with a new public warning being issued amid ongoing complaints from frustrated consumers regarding the Switzerland-based ticket reseller. There are limited situations where refunds can be granted. Third, watch out for drip pricing. ! Viagogo will never pay you after you sold your tickets and you can never get back your money. According to the consumer group Which?, Viagogo's terms and conditions say . We may investigate complaints and violations of our policies. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Your IP: Just another site viagogo refund australia. Safe ticket buying if you're going to a gig or sporting event. Why use viagogo? No amendment, modification or supplement of any provision of this Agreement will be valid or effective unless made in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement. 4.3 Sellers Shall Not Include Promotional Material with Tickets. VIAGOGO are nothing but THIEVING SCAMSTERS Date of experience: 08 November 2021 TR Trish 3 reviews AU 25 Jul 2021 Viagogo Platform for Scammers Prices are set by sellers and may be below or above face value.". If this is also unsuccessful We will not offer a refund. Be the first to hear about special offers. Given its chequered past, it's no surprise that its recent re-entry on Google coincided with a resurgence of Viagogo complaints to NSW Fair Trading. 2.9 a) Exception to Sellers Obligation to Confirm. Closing of accounts or opening and maintaining more than one account does not alter your total liability to us, and we may combine amounts due to us from multiple accounts. A member who wants to buy a ticket first scans the viagogo database for tickets listed by Sellers that match the Buyer's desired tickets. Welcome to viagogo's online ticket exchange (the "Site"). If a ticket is sold for more than the allowed cap, the event organiser may cancel the ticket and refuse entry to the person who holds it. Newshub confirmed the prices on Viagogo were selling at a significanty higher price. CH-270.3.014.628-0 with the registered address: viagogo AG, Rue du Commerce 4, 1204, Genve, Switzerland, 7.5 Miscellaneous. Hundreds of tennis fans who bought tickets on Viagogo were turned away from the Australian Open in 2017. The Federal Court ordered an injunction against Viagogo, to reinforce the need for adherence to the ACL. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took Viagogo to court over its practices when reselling tickets for entertainment, music and live sport events. Finally, you have rights under the Australian Consumer Law, but they may be hard to enforce if a company is based overseas, like Viagogo. "The misrepresentations were on an industrial scale for the relevant period," Justice Burley said. You acknowledge and agree that the foregoing disclaimers and limitations of liability represent reasonable allocations of risk, and that the pricing and other terms and conditions of this agreement reflect such allocations of risk. Your continued use of the Site and the Services following viagogo's posting of a revised Agreement will constitute Your acceptance of the revised Agreement. These will not be refunded to you just because your application, nomination or sponsorship was refused or unsuccessful. Considering they are being taken to the high court of Australia and investigated by Australian consumer commission Id Hope paypal Australia has a duty of care for customers or . ACCC chair Rod Sims said: Viagogos business practices were unacceptable. The software and the Site, including without limitation all text, graphics, logos, buttons, images, audio clips, and computer programs, are the property of viagogo or its suppliers, and are protected by country and international copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws. For a list of these situations see Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said the public warning comes as NSW Fair Trading alleges Viagogo has breached the Fair Trading Act (1987) and Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Get the latest product reviews, money-saving tips and more. Except for the express warranties stated in this agreement, viagogo provides the software, site and services on an "as is" basis and "as available" basis without any warranties of any kind. Business News Live Business FanFair publishes a guide for getting a refund from Viagogo By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 7 August 2017. Otherwise, avoid!!! We made the case to Google Australia that Viagogo is still up to its old tricks. Answer (1 of 5): There are a couple of things you can try to do, but the first one would be to contact Viagogo directly.