A recent settlement between Ticketmaster and several of its customers ended a class-action lawsuit filed by consumers. While the company will not admit liability for the tickets sold, it will be resolving all controversies. A hearing was held and the court approved the settlement. Now, consumers can use the settlement voucher to redeem tickets at any Ticketmaster venue. Here are some things to keep in mind. This settlement is not the same as a class-action lawsuit, but it still represents a significant settlement.
Ticketmaster settles class-action lawsuit over fees
A proposed class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster focuses on the fees consumers pay to purchase tickets. The plaintiffs claimed that Ticketmaster overcharged them for the tickets and tacked on too many fees. The judge in the lawsuit has ordered Ticketmaster to refund money to the plaintiffs and to clarify its website’s fees. The company has also changed its website’s language to make it clear that order processing and delivery charges may include profit. However, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are presently appealing the ruling.
As part of the settlement, Ticketmaster is providing coupons to eligible customers to offset the cost of tickets and shipping costs. While the payout is only hypothetical retribution, it does encourage customers to continue using the company. While this settlement does not address the issues at issue, it is a step in the right direction. Ticketmaster is a major player in the ticketing industry, so the settlement can help millions of consumers.
The settlement also contains a limit on the number of money consumers can redeem through the vouchers. In general, these vouchers will only be valid for two events a year. The terms of the settlement state that consumers must redeem the vouchers by June 18, 2020, or risk losing their money. The settlement also outlines eligibility requirements for redeeming the vouchers. The settlement stipulates that users must be residents of the U.S. and must have purchased a ticket through Ticketmaster or its parent company, Live Nation. AEG does not own any music venues in the Washington, D.C. market.
Ticketmaster offers discounts
The latest Ticketmaster lawsuit settlement involves free tickets and discount vouchers. The company is settling a class-action lawsuit over its fees. NPR checks to see if the settlement is working. There are no guarantees, but if you’re willing to wait a while, you might be able to save some cash. Ticketmaster has not yet announced whether it will accept the lawsuit vouchers, but the company has released two discount codes: one for $2.25 and another for $5. The vouchers have a four-year period, which means you’ll have to wait a long time.
Ticketmaster has agreed to allow $5 million worth of vouchers through May 2017 for consumers. Depending on how many vouchers are used, they may end up being worth $10 million. Ticketmaster hasn’t said which concerts and events are eligible for the free tickets, but it has said that the discounts are only available to those who bought tickets between 1999 and 2013.
The lawsuit focuses on the fees Ticketmaster charges for small-ticket sales. Ticketmaster must pay the plaintiffs nearly $42 million in four years. The money will come from discounts for concert tickets purchased from 1999 to 2013. You might have a voucher if you bought tickets from Ticketmaster for concerts online between 1999 and 2013, such as Pitbull, Gwen Stefani, and Steely Dan. If you purchased your tickets online, keep in mind that Ticketmaster is expected to offer discounts, but that might not happen at all.
Ticketmaster’s fees are excessive
Ticketmaster’s fees have long been the source of complaints. These fees can add 20 to 50 percent to the advertised price of a ticket. In the past, consumers have taken the company to court, but a lawsuit filed in 1994 in New York found that the fees were not deceptive and did not constitute excessive fees. Now, consumers have the opportunity to make their voices heard by taking Ticketmaster to court.
While these fees may have worked for the short term, they will eventually drive away customers. Ticketmaster made a promise to be more transparent when it comes to pricing tickets. This promise was made in 2010, and StubHub followed suit. The “no fee” ticket sites have followed suit. Instead of charging an extra fee for ticket fulfillment, they mark up the price to include all charges, including the fee for the service. While fees are not the sole culprit of ticket sales, transparency is the best policy. Regulations only stipulate the maximum amount of fees that are required to be disclosed and do not determine the exact amount.
Consumers can challenge these fees by filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. It is important to note that while ticket service fees are not mandatory, the fees are still excessive, and a recent lawsuit may help curb the fees. The fees charged by Ticketmaster are still not justified, however, and are completely out of line. The fees are unnecessarily high, and consumers should take action.
