A Kiwi man has slammed notorious ticket resale website Viagogo for 'ripping off' his elderly mother who spent hundreds of dollars on concert tickets.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, told Newshub his mother had been trying to buy tickets to Neil Diamond tribute concert The Sweet Caroline Tour which is taking place at SkyCity on June 12.
She wasn't using an ad blocker at the time so in Google, the first site to come up was Viagogo.
He said she "balked" at the "extreme" price of tickets in Reserve A seating area - $520 for two plus a $190 booking fee and other charges - "but ultimately went through with it because she didn't want to miss out".
The man said the two tickets ended up costing his mother around $720 and was shocked when he says he realised the same tickets could have been bought for significantly less from licensed seller Ticketek.
Newshub confirmed the prices on Viagogo were selling at a significanty higher price. As of Wednesday, prices for seats in Reserve A seating cost $226 each plus a GST and booking fee of $80. The ticket could come as an e-ticket for an extra $10, or it could be printed and posted for $29.
Attempts to confirm the actual price of Reserve A seating were unsucessful as they have since sold out, and Ticketek did not respond to Newshub's inquiries.
However, seats still available in Reserve B were on sale from $65.60 per adult plus a booking fee of around 2 percent ($1.30).
The man criticised Viagogo for their significantly higher prices, along with the "unjustifiable" booking fees - which he called "outrageous and is unreasonable".
"It bears no relation to the actual costs incurred by Viagogo."
The man told Newshub they understood their mother was partially at fault for "ignoring the warning signs" including a disclaimer on Viagogo's front page that they are a 'secondary marketplace' - but "to a generation who didn't grow up living and breathing with a device connected to the internet in hand, it's not always easy to figure these things out".
"As the site is quite slick, she thought it seemed like a legitimate ticket vendor. She didn't appreciate what a secondary market is; I'm not even sure she saw the disclaimer, to be honest."
He said the disclaimer was in small font on the homepage, with other images and words much more noticeable and they took away from the message.
The man also noted Viagogo's language and messaging that the tickets are in "high demand" and there is a 10-minute countdown to buy the tickets, which "may not be available again if you abandon them", had "convinced" his mother to buy the tickets.
He is now issuing a "buyer beware" to other Kiwis who consider buying tickets from Viagogo.
In a statement to Newshub, a spokesperson for Viagogo said they "are sorry to hear that this buyer is unsatisfied".
"It is important to note that Viagogo is a secondary ticketing website where ticket prices are set by the seller. It is stated clearly on the Viagogo website that prices may be listed as higher or lower than the face value. Viagogo do not process any transaction on the website until it has been authenticated by the buyer."
The spokesperson said tickets that are priced significantly more than the market price "very rarely generate sales" - but "when they do that does not make the transaction dishonest or fraudulent".
"Our mission is to provide the widest range of choice and access to live events to enable people to find the ticket that suits them best."
Viagogo has previously made headlines for its inflated prices, fraudulent ticket sales, and issues that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2018, Tauranga father Tommy Wilson was turned away from the Bruno Mars concert after he discovered his tickets, which were brought through Viagogo, were fake.
He said it was "heartbreaking" having to deliver the news for his daughter.
When a Metallica concert was postponed in 2019, Viagogo told some ticket holders they had to send their tickets to Ireland for a refund.
In 2020, New Zealanders were warned about buying tickets to the Great Moscow Circus through the platform for "extortionate" prices.
And COVID-19 restrictions wrecked havoc with ticket buyers.
Auckland man James Ayr had to fight for a refund after he bought tickets to a Super Rugby match that was cancelled due to lockdown restrictions last year.
Consumer NZ has previously issued these top tips to avoid being ripped off:
- Buy from authorised ticket sellers.
- Don't just click on the top search result.
- Don't panic if tickets sell out, additional dates or seats may still be released.
- Don't fall for pressure tactics.
- Be aware of the face value of the ticket.
- Check the details carefully - there could be hidden fees, you could get seats with a restricted view, or child's tickets, or the amount being charged might not be in New Zealand dollars.
