Ticketmaster criticised for changing refund policy during global pandemic

However, the UK branch has since made it clear that customer refunds will be available for cancellations and rescheduled dates

Ticketmaster has come under fire after users noticed the company had quietly altered the wording of their refund policy on their website in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Customers were left confused after a notice which formerly stated refunds were available for events that had been ‘postponed, cancelled, or rescheduled’ was changed to read ‘if your event is cancelled’.

The current spread of COVID-19 across the globe has halted the events and entertainment industry for the foreseeable future, meaning thousands of people will be looking for refunds after disruption to their events. It was recently estimated by a healthcare expert that concerts and festivals may not return until autumn 2021.

Ticketmaster’s page reads: “If an event organiser is offering refunds for postponed or rescheduled events, a refund link will appear on your Ticketmaster account. Otherwise, you are encouraged to periodically check back online to see if the status of their event has changed.”

It seems confusion surrounding the refund policy may have mainly risen due to the difference in policies between the US and UK branches of the company.

Ticketmaster’s purchase policy in the US reportedly states that ‘the event provider may set refund limitations’ in cases where events have been rescheduled, leading many US customers to complain.

However, the UK branch of Ticketmaster has recently made it clear that refunds will be available both for cancelled events and where ticket holders are unable to attend an event on a rescheduled date.

Speaking to the NME, the company stated that in the UK, if fans “cannot attend the new date, they are entitled to a refund” .

They have also dedicated a section on their website to answer ticketholders’ questions and explain their policies surrounding the current coronavirus pandemic.

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