Ticket seller a no-go
Concert-goers should be wary of ticket reseller Viagogo, the consumer watchdog says.
The Commerce Commission is investigating the Swiss-based company and is advising consumers ‘‘to seriously consider’’ whether buying tickets through the site is worth the risk.
The commission received 21 new complaints over the weekend, relating to a number of recent and upcoming events including Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Shania Twain and Bruno Mars concerts.
To date the commission has received 228 complaints about Viagogo.
One woman, known only as Jody, bought two tickets to Bruno Mars for more than $1100 on Viagogo and was told at the concert gates her tickets were invalid.
A Christchurch woman was burnt after buying tickets to an earlier Bruno Mars concert.
And on Saturday, first-time concert-goer Vanessa said she had bought fake tickets to Ed Sheeran’s show in Dunedin later this month.
Consumer NZ has previously called for action to be taken against Viagogo after it commissioned a report that found 89 per cent of complaints about hidden fees were about the company.
The report said consumer exploitation was rife among online ticket resellers, especially Viagogo, StubHub, Ticketmaster Resale, GetMeIn and Seatwave.
The commission’s consumer manager, Stuart Wallace, said: ‘‘Our investigation has been focused on alleged false and misleading representations made by Viagogo which could breach the Fair Trading Act.’’
Wallace said he was seeking legal advice on how New Zealand consumer laws could be enforced against the Swiss company.
The weekend brought a ‘‘wave of new complaints’’, he said.
Complaints included that the company was parading as an official ticket seller, not a reselling website; that additional fees were not being adequately disclosed; and that consumers were being sold fake tickets.
Other complaints included that consumers were not receiving the tickets they purchased and were not able to contact Viagogo for a refund, Wallace said.
‘‘We suspect consumers type the name of the artist they want to see into a search engine and then click the first result that appears – which is often Viagogo.’’
Wallace recommended that consumers buy from primary sellers, which can be found on the artist’s or event’s official website.
Viagogo has been contacted for comment.