Viagogo might have to refund ripped off fans

Secondary ticket site Viagogo may have to refund customers who have bought tickets through them, The Guardian reports.

In a landmark ruling, gig-goers who have been turned away from events after purchasing from Viagogo may be entitled to compensation, thanks to an order obtained by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

This includes fans of artists like Ed Sheeran. The singer-songwriter famously decided to refuse entry to people who bought tickets for his tour last year, meaning hundreds were turned away at the venue after buying at inflated prices.

Sold at face value for £150, some fans had already paid over £1000 per ticket through Viagogo prior to the announcement, leading to a number of complaints to the ticket site. The site acts as a marketplace for sellers and doesn't decide on the prices itself (the seller does), but has attracted criticism for allowing the fees to be set at inflated levels.

The American owned site may also need to pay for a third party to ensure they comply with all new terms, as well as pay legal costs for the CMA.

We've been speaking to people at all levels of the events industry who oppose touting and unfair ticketing, including You Me At Six's Josh Franceschi (watch our video above). Through innovative features like Re:Sell, we only allow resale at face value and we can verify that tickets being returned and resold are genuine. Find out more about Skiddle's Re:Sell platform. 

Have you been ripped off by touts? Let us know your story on social media.