Viagogo Agrees to Multiple Changes Following a Dialogue With the European Commission
- Martina
- 01 July 2024, Monday
Viagogo, the multinational ticket exchange and ticket resale brand, has been facing strong pressure from several campaigning organizations and ticket buyers. In a promising turn of events, following what has been described as a friendly “dialogue” with the European Commission, the company agreed to multiple changes to its website.
Changes to website functionality and terms and conditions by the end of August 2024
The dialogue with the European Commission stemmed from continuous complaints from customers and campaigning organizations. As a result, Viagogo has agreed to make several changes to the functionality elements of its website by the end of August 2024.
These changes should include:
Clearly telling customers whether tickets are being sold by a professional party or another fan,
Allowing buyers to choose the exact seat number when available,
Clarity around delivery fees, and
Allowing more time for a user to request a refund in case there are problems with a ticket purchase.
As part of its commitment to the European Commission, the secondary ticketing platform will also be implementing changes to its terms and conditions. These modifications will include the ability for buyers to bring legal action against the company within the EU under the protection of their country’s national consumer law. Further, Viagogo is now prohibited from making changes to its terms and conditions without first notifying the customers and then providing them with “reasonable notice” to cancel their account without a fee.
Nevertheless, the company has refused to commit to certain concessions, like informing customers about the amount of possible delivery fees right at the beginning of their purchase journey. They have also refused to inform customers that they can demand remedies in case of an event cancellation or postponement from both Viagogo and the actual ticket seller or event organizer. The European Commission has reportedly appealed to Viagogo to address these issues promptly.
The European Commission's Customer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network will monitor all of the changes implemented. Should the company fail to make the agreed-upon changes correctly or within the designated time frame, the CPC Network may resort to enforcement measures.
Martina is a Berlin-based music writer and digital content specialist. She started playing the violin at age six and spent ten years immersed in classical music. Today, she writes about all things music, with a particular interest in the complexities of the music business, streaming, and artist fairness.
