On Wednesday night (August 2nd), BBC 1’s Watchdog investigated the UK’s estimated £1bn per annum secondary ticketing market – raising yet more concerns about business practices in this sector, and in particular those of the Swiss-based company Viagogo. The programme included interviews with distressed Viagogo customers who believe they have been mis-sold tickets via the site and […]
New FanFair Alliance research highlights the extent to which so-called secondary ticketing platforms such as Viagogo, StubHub and Get Me In! could be misleading would-be ticket buyers through their online marketing practices on Google and other search engines – paying to top search results with tickets listed by touts, when face value tickets from authorised […]
All so-called secondary ticketing platforms, such as Viagogo, StubHub, GetMeIn! and Seatwave, state they have a cast iron guarantee policy – and that “if a problem arises” for a buyer, then they will step in to provide comparable replacement tickets or a refund. This all sounds good in practice. However, many consumers appear to encountering problems when […]
Today marked another step forward in FanFair Alliance’s campaign against industrial-scale online ticket touting, with the passing of the Digital Economy Act. This brings into law specific measures aimed at curbing the activities of hardcore ticket touts on secondary resale platforms such as Get Me In!, Seatwave, StubHub and Viagogo:– To criminalise the misuse of an “electronic communications network” […]
Yesterday evening, members of the House of Lords voted in favour (180 to 157) of an amendment in the Digital Economy Bill that would strengthen consumer law around ticket resale. Tabled by Lord Moynihan, Amendment 33ZLZA would extend obligations in the existing Consumer Rights Act – and specifically that resale sites must provide the following […]
FanFair Alliance has today published a new online guide offering audiences Ten Tips to successfully navigate the ticket buying process, and to reduce the risk of being ripped off by touts. This includes key information about authorised ticket sellers, about the importance of research – do not trust search engine results! – and greater awareness of the marketing practices employed by the so-called secondary ticketing websites. Please download a […]
FanFair Alliance has welcomed a range of Government measures to crackdown on the activities of online ticket touts and curb abuses in the secondary ticketing market. The move follows growing public discontent on this issue, as well as sustained pressure from artists and businesses backing FanFair, and a groundswell of political support – notably from Nigel Adams […]
FanFair Alliance has welcomed today’s announcement of an enforcement investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into suspected breaches of consumer protection law in the online secondary ticketing market. However, with other countries taking decisive measures to better regulate ticket resale, it is imperative that UK fans can benefit from similar protections. And fast. The CMA’s investigation aims […]
FanFair Alliance is delighted to announce that leading ticketing companies Gigantic, See Tickets, Skiddle and The Ticket Factory have signed the campaign’s Declaration against online ticket touts. They join more than 100 music managers, agents, promoters, entrepreneurs, ticket retailers and trade bodies supporting the campaign – amongst them representatives of artists including Arctic Monkeys, Biffy […]
Today, a cross-party group of MPs and Peers led by Sharon Hodgson MP and Nigel Adams MP joined with famous faces, such as Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child producer Sonia Friedman, and Josh Franceschi of You Me At Six, to call on the Government to accept the “Ban the Bots” amendment during […]