Secondary ticketing platform Viagogo and The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have reached an agreement following High Court Proceedings initiated against the site in August.
The CMA has obtained a High Court judgement against Viagogo ordering the site “to overhaul the way it does business”.
The CMA took legal action against the secondary ticket seller over concerns that Viagogo was breaking consumer protection law.
According to Viagogo, the two parties have “reached a ground-breaking settlement, bringing an end to the legal dispute”.
The court proceedings followed a wider investigation into the secondary ticketing sector, which resulted in enforcement action against four major secondary ticketing websites in November 2018.
The investigation resulted in Live Nation vowing to close two of those sites, Seatwave and GETMEIN!, in Europe – with the former site officially shut and the latter one still active but not listing any more events.
As part of the court’s decision, Viagogo has been ordered to: tell purchasers of tickets if there is a risk that they will be turned away at the door; inform customers which seat in the venue they will get; provide information about who is selling the ticket; to not give misleading information about the availability and popularity of tickets; make it easy for people to get their money back; prevent the sale of tickets a seller does not own and may not be able to supply.
It will also ensure that Viagogo does not “repeat historic failures” to make its customers aware of the face value of tickets on sale through its site.
The court order, issued today (November 27) must be complied with by mid-January – the same deadline set for other resale sites that have already agreed to change their practices.
“This court order is a victory for anyone who decides to buy a ticket through Viagogo.”
Andrea Coscelli, CMA
Andrea Coscelli, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said: “This court order is a victory for anyone who decides to buy a ticket through Viagogo.
“We have been clear throughout our investigation that people who use these resale websites must know key facts before parting with their hard-earned money, including what seat they will get and whether there is a risk they might not actually get into the event at all.
“Viagogo has agreed to a comprehensive overhaul of its site to ensure it respects the law, just like the other resale sites who have already signed commitments to improve the information they offer and give people a fair deal.”
A spokesperson for Viagogo said: “We are pleased that we have been able to work closely with the CMA to come to an agreement that provides even greater transparency to consumers.”
Viagogo added in a statement released today: “The agreement with the CMA will enable buyers and sellers to exchange tickets with more transparency and additional information, such as Face Value, will be displayed on the website.
“It reflects a desire to ensure that the consumer has as much information as possible before making their purchase decision.”Music Business Worldwide
