Advice on buying tickets online
A website selling tickets - especially one that miraculously
seems to have the tickets you haven't been able to find anywhere
else - may look great. It's very easy to create a website
that looks classy and reputable - but that doesn't mean it's
law-abiding or will definitely supply you with what you think you
are buying. Use this checklist to help you make a decision
whether or not you want to purchase from the website.
Early warning signals
- After searching everywhere for tickets, you've finally found a
company online that seems to have what you want. Before you buy,
take the time to thoroughly check out the website that is offering
the tickets (see "Who am I buying from?" below).
- A website offering tickets that have not yet gone on sale
through official channels - ie the companies listed in the
promoter's or venue's advertisements for the event - may not have
the tickets they purport to be selling.
-
Is the company selling tickets to football matches in the
UK?
In the United Kingdom the resale of football tickets is illegal
under section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
unless the resale is authorised by the organiser of the match. If a
website is undertaking illegal activity, it is probably best to
avoid them altogether.
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Who am I buying from?
-
What is the name of the company?
Many fly-by-night websites try to lure you in by using familiar
names in their website addresses or by trying to assure you of
their validity by sounding 'official'. It can sometimes be very
difficult to tell on first looking at a web address or company name
whether or not you should trust them, so always look deeper unless
it is a name you already recognise and trust.
One way to check can be to look at the website of the event or
venue itself to see if it has information about agents they have
authorised to sell tickets; music festivals sometimes also post
information about websites that they think may be causing
problems.
-
Is the company a member of STAR?
Buying from a STAR member ensures you have an independent means
of redress through a recognised self-regulatory body should
anything go wrong. You can cross-check the list of STAR
members on this website or ask the STAR helpline
on
0844 879 4272. If the company IS a member, then you can proceed
with your purchase with confidence.
-
Is there a physical office address for the company
listed on the website and, if so, where is
it?
If the address isn't obvious - on the home, contact or booking
pages, for instance - or is hidden away in the Terms and Conditions
or missing altogether, then you might want to look for tickets
elsewhere.
-
Is it only possible to contact the company
online?
If the only way of contacting them is through email or an online
contact form then they are already making things difficult for you.
No postal address or phone number? Probably best to stop now!
-
Where is the company based?
Don't assume because a website has a ".uk" address that it is
based in the UK.
-
Is the company registered in the UK?
Read the company's Terms and Conditions; if sales are made under
non-UK law, you may not have the same consumer protection as you
would with a UK-registered company.
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What am I buying?
- Check the description of what you are being offered.
Look for:
- The date(s) and time of the event
- The venue or location that the ticket will provide entry
to
- Any description of seating or other arrangements, where
relevant
- The face value of the ticket you are being offered
Any reputable seller will provide this information as a matter
of course and in the UK you have a right to it within the Consumer
Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
-
What is the total price the seller is asking you to
pay?
Comparing this with the face value enables you to work out how
much they are charging to sell you the ticket. Booking fees vary between
ticket agents - and don't forget to allow for any postage and
packing charges when comparing the total cost. Some tickets are
sent by secure or recorded delivery, which can increase the price
of sending the tickets to you. It is usually possible to buy
tickets without any booking fee if you buy in person at the venue
box office.
-
Is there any indication of anything that might affect
your enjoyment of the event, such as a restricted
view?
You should be made aware of such things before you agree to
purchase the ticket. Reputable ticket sellers will tell you if they
have been made aware by the event organiser of anything that will
affect your enjoyment and the ticket price may have been discounted
to reflect that. Sometimes problems can't be anticipated and aren't
known until an event takes place. If this happens, you should make
venue staff aware of your problem on the night - they may be able
to reseat you.
-
Have you shopped around? Are tickets available
elsewhere at a lower price?
Don't forget to follow the same checks for any website!
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Things to check for
-
What happens if the event is cancelled or
rescheduled?
STAR members will ensure that you are either offered tickets for
a rescheduled performance or that you receive a refund of at least
the face value. You may not be able to reclaim postage costs if the
tickets have already been sent to you.
-
What happens if you can't attend the performance for
which you've booked tickets?
It is usual for ticket sellers NOT to be able to offer you the
opportunity to exchange or cancel your booking - check the terms
and conditions of sale. However, for events where there is more
than one performance (for instance, shows in the West End) it is
worthwhile asking, as some sellers may be able to help by
exchanging your tickets for another performance or, particularly
for high-selling shows, offering them for resale.
Some ticket sellers offer insurance when they sell you a ticket,
which gives you additional protection if circumstances prevent you
attending, a bit like holiday insurance. Don't forget also to
insure other risks such as travel and accommodation that are
essential to you attending an event, if they aren't purchased as a
package together with your ticket.
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Payment
- Check that the website has a secure way of paying (known as an
encryption facility) - you should see a padlock symbol on the
screen when you are filling in the payment details and the web
address at the top of the page should change to one beginning
"https://"
- If the total amount you are paying is over £100, then consider
paying by credit card (rather than debit card) as credit cards
offer a better level of financial protection if things go
wrong
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Delivery
-
Check whether there is an indication given as to when your
tickets will arrive.
Promoters often don't allow tickets to be sent out until very
close to the event date, to help reduce problems with
counterfeiting of tickets or other ticket fraud. This can be a
worrying delay for some customers. A reputable seller will,
however, always ensure that you gain entry to the event for which
you have purchased tickets. Problems can occasionally arise for
general admission events (non-seated events) when tickets don't
reach the purchaser or if you lose them or destroy them
accidentally. Licensing and health and safety considerations can
mean that these tickets cannot be duplicated and you may not gain
access to the event.
- Some major ticket sellers offer regularly updated information
on their website help pages to indicate when tickets will be
despatched. If you have bought tickets for someone else and
duplicates have to be provided at the venue, you may have to
arrange for a letter of authority if you are not able to collect
the tickets yourself.
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If things go wrong
We very much hope that this information has helped you to secure
tickets for the event of your choice and that you'll just be able
to sit back and enjoy the show. However, if there is a
problem with your purchase from a STAR Member, then click here to
find out How
to make a complaint.
If you have not bought from a STAR Member and would like to
report a possible fraud then the best place to do this is at http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/
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