Step by step, how an £18 ticket for Taylor Swift show was sold for £240
THESE are the high-pressure tactics and lies Viagogo used to sell an £18 ticket for a sold-out Taylor Swift concert for £240:
1 A Google search for ‘Taylor Swift tickets’ brings up Viagogo as the first result with the words: ‘On Sale Today. Selling Fast. Secure Your Seats. Don’t Miss Out. Prices Rising. Fast Checkout – Deals Won’t Last Long – Selling Fast – Secure Delivery – Wide Selection.’
2 Following the link takes customer to a page warning in red ‘only a few tickets left’ and ‘selling fast’. In small type above a giant picture of Taylor Swift it says: ‘We’re the world’s largest secondary marketplace for tickets to live events. All tickets are fully protected by our guarantee. Prices are set by sellers and may be below or above face value.’
3 A warning appears in large type: ‘Tickets for Taylor Swift are in demand. Please wait while we check for availability.’ A loading bar with new warnings pops up: ‘11 other people are viewing this event’; ‘Only 9 tickets left’; and ‘Less than 1% of tickets left’.
4 A pop-up warns: ‘252 other people are viewing Taylor Swift tickets.’
5 A warning appears: ‘About to sell out – only 1 ticket left.’ Price listed as £175. In red it warns: ‘13 other people are interested in this ticket.’
6 ‘Tickets for Taylor Swift are in high demand. You have entered the waiting room for these tickets.’
7 ‘Get ready for your tickets!’ ‘You are booking one of the last available tickets for this event.’
8 Pop-up warns: ‘These tickets are yours for 6 minutes. Only a few tickets left.’
9 A countdown clock appears before tickets are released. A warning says: ‘These tickets may not be available at this price if you release them.’ Tickets still priced at £175. Claims that ‘all tickets are 100% guaranteed’. In fact, organisers say those using them will be refused entry.
10 Customer details are entered. Clock ticks down. Tickets still priced at £175 and ‘100% guaranteed’.
11 Customer chooses delivery method. Clock still ticking. Tickets still priced at £175 and ‘100% guaranteed’.
12 Checks made on details of customer who will collect the ticket, with the warning: ‘Inaccurate pick-up identities may result in delays at collection point.’ In fact, all tickets for the concert bought on the site will be turned away.
13 Customer chooses payment type. Clock still ticking. Tickets still priced at £175 and ‘100% guaranteed’.
14 Payment details are entered. Clock still ticking. Warning appears: ‘1 person has entered the waiting page.’ Full ticket price finally revealed as £240.77 including handling fee, VAT and booking fee. Face value listed as £180. In fact it is £18.