Can you dispute Ticketmaster charge?

When purchasing tickets through Ticketmaster, you may find extra fees and charges added to your order that you did not expect. Ticketmaster service fees, order processing fees, and other surcharges can add a significant cost to your ticket purchase. If you feel these fees are unfair or improper, you may be wondering if you can dispute a charge from Ticketmaster. Here is what you need to know about disputing charges from Ticketmaster.

What fees and charges does Ticketmaster add to ticket orders?

When you purchase tickets on Ticketmaster, several different fees may be added to your order. Here are some of the common fees and charges Ticketmaster includes:

• Service fee – This fee goes to Ticketmaster for using their platform and ranges from around $5-$20 per ticket.
• Order processing fee – A fee Ticketmaster charges per ticket order, usually around $5-$10 per order.
• Facility charge – This charge goes to the venue hosting the event, not Ticketmaster.
• Convenience charge – For printing tickets at home, mobile ticket delivery, etc.
• Shipping fees – For physical ticket delivery by mail.
• Taxes – Local taxes often apply to ticket orders.

The specific fees and total charges added can vary greatly based on the event, venue, and number of tickets purchased. It’s not uncommon for 20%, 30%, or even higher fees to be added to a Ticketmaster order.

Are Ticketmaster fees refundable?

In most cases, no – Ticketmaster considers their fees to be non-refundable. If you get a refund for the ticket itself, Ticketmaster typically does not refund their fees. The only exceptions are if the event is canceled or rescheduled. Then Ticketmaster will refund the fees along with the base ticket price. Other than event cancelation, Ticketmaster fees are generally non-refundable.

Can you dispute Ticketmaster fees with your bank?

You may be able to dispute Ticketmaster charges through your bank or credit card company. Here is how the dispute process typically works:

1. File a dispute claim with your bank or card issuer – You’ll need to contact them, usually within 60 days of the charge.
2. Provide details on why you are disputing – Explain why you feel the charges were unfair or improper.
3. Provide supporting documents – Include copies of receipts, order details, Ticketmaster policies, etc.
4. Your bank investigates – They will contact Ticketmaster and review the situation.
5. Decision – Your bank will then either rule in your favor and issue a chargeback, or deny your dispute.

The requirements for a successful dispute depend on your bank and card network’s policies. But generally you need to show the charges were unauthorized, for services not received as described, or fraudulent in some way.

When can you dispute a Ticketmaster charge?

Disputing a credit card charge is most often successful in these situations:

• The event was canceled – If the event is canceled and Ticketmaster refuses to refund their fees, you have a valid case to dispute the charges. Their fees are supposed to be refunded if the event does not occur.
• The purchase was unauthorized – If someone used your card to buy tickets without your consent, you can dispute the charges as unauthorized.
• You did not receive what was promised – An example is purchasing “official platinum” tickets at higher prices but the seats were partially obstructed. You can argue the tickets were misrepresented.
• There were website technical errors – If glitches or errors in Ticketmaster’s website resulted in extra charges or other issues, you may have grounds for dispute.

On the other hand, it will be difficult to dispute charges if you simply feel the fees are too high or unjustified. If the fees were clearly disclosed when ordering, and you received the tickets as promised, banks will typically consider it a valid purchase.

Steps to dispute Ticketmaster charges

Follow these key steps to dispute Ticketmaster fees on a credit card purchase:

1. Review your receipt and Ticketmaster’s policies – Make sure you understand what charges were added and the company’s stance on refunds. Print copies for reference.
2. Contact Ticketmaster first – Request a refund of the disputed charges through Ticketmaster customer service before contacting your bank.
3. File the dispute promptly – You generally have 60-120 days from the transaction date to submit a dispute claim with your bank.
4. Provide detailed information – Give your bank copies of receipts, order details, emails, and any evidence related to your case.
5. Follow up on the dispute – Check in periodically on the status and provide any additional information requested.

This process can take 30-90 days depending on your bank. Be patient but persistent when following up on a dispute claim.

How often does Ticketmaster dispute succeed?

It’s hard to say exactly how often Ticketmaster dispute claims through banks are successful. Much depends on your specific situation and bank policies. But here are some general success estimate guidelines:

• Event cancellation – Up to 90% success rate for refund of fees
• Unauthorized charges – Around 80% success rate
• Misrepresented tickets – 50/50 – depends on evidence of issues
• Website errors – 40% – need solid proof errors impacted order
• Fees too high – Less than 20% success – hard case to justify

Banks tend to side with the merchant unless you can provide solid evidence their charges were truly unfair or improper. The best case is the event cancellation scenario.

What if your credit card dispute is denied?

If your bank denies your credit card dispute claim, you still have a couple options:

• Appeal the denial – You may be able to provide additional information and appeal the decision.
• Take your case to arbitration – Some card issuers have an arbitration process you can pursue for no fee.
• File complaints – Submit complaints to agencies like the FTC, BBB, and Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.
• Sue in small claims court – For high charge amounts, take Ticketmaster to court if you have a strong case.

However, further appeals and legal action gets more difficult and is not guaranteed to succeed. Most consumers accept the denial at this point.

Tips for disputing Ticketmaster charges

Follow these tips when disputing Ticketmaster fees for the best chance of success:

• Act quickly – Disputes must be filed timely, usually within 60-120 days of the charges.
• Gather all evidence – Have order details, communications, and policies to support your case.
• Highlight relevant policies – Terms on Ticketmaster’s website that relate to your dispute case can help.
• Communicate clearly – Clearly explain why you feel the charges are improper when filing the dispute.
• Be persistent – Keep following up if the dispute is not resolved quickly.
• Escalate the issue – If your dispute is denied, take the next step by appealing or complaining.

Can you get a chargeback on Ticketmaster fees?

Yes, a chargeback is possible when disputing Ticketmaster charges if you are successful. A chargeback is when the bank removes funds from the merchant’s account and credits them back to your account. This reversing of funds only happens if your dispute claim is upheld after investigation. Chargebacks can take 1-2 billing cycles to process.

Common disputes against Ticketmaster

While every dispute case is unique, here are some of the most frequent types of charges customers dispute against Ticketmaster:

• Service fees – Excessively high vague “service fees” that don’t seem to match any specific services.
• Order processing fees – Questionable per order fees on top of service fees.
• Convenience fees – Disputed for services like printing own tickets at home.
• Delivery fees – Charges for digital ticket delivery to mobile devices.
• “Official platinum” tickets – Misleading as seats may still have obstructions.
• Change fees – Excessive fees for changing ticket details after order placed.

While defending their fee amounts, Ticketmaster does have policies in place allowing refunds in limited situations like event cancellation. So be sure to review their policies closely when putting together your dispute.

Can you sue Ticketmaster over fees?

You can sue Ticketmaster over their fees, but it is difficult to win and rarely worth the effort for an individual. To have a chance in court you would need extensive documentation of damages and legal arguments proving their fees are fraudulent or a breach of contract. Some reasons you may be able to sue include:

• Fees extraordinarily excessive compared to services rendered
• Proof their fees violate consumer protection laws in your state
• Fees are deceptively hidden or disclaimed during the ordering process
• You can show a breach of billing contract on their part

Even with strong evidence, the time and legal costs involved make suing impractical for most individuals over ticket fees. Class action lawsuits have a better chance if large groups of consumers combine resources.

Is Ticketmaster facing lawsuits over fees?

Yes, Ticketmaster has faced a number of lawsuits over the years regarding their fees and billing practices. Some examples include:

• A 2021 class action lawsuit alleging Ticketmaster profited by conspiring with ticket resellers.
• A 2020 lawsuit accusing Ticketmaster of monopolistic practices that let them overcharge fees.
• A 2018 settlement over Ticketmaster using deceptive design tactics to hide full costs from purchasers.
• A 2003 class action resulting in Ticketmaster offering $35 million in vouchers to settle fee overcharging claims.

So far none of these lawsuits have succeeded in substantially changing or limiting Ticketmaster’s fee amounts and policies. But they demonstrate the company is no stranger to legal action over how they handle fees and billing.

Should fees factor into your Ticketmaster purchase?

When buying tickets on Ticketmaster, keep the following fee guidance in mind:

• Closely review total ticket costs – Fees can add >=20% extra onto your order.
• Factor fees into budget before ordering – Don’t depend on getting fees refunded.
• Compare fees across sellers – Ticketmaster fees tend to be higher than other vendors.
• Use fee waivers when available – Look for ticket deals that waive some fees.
• Avoid “platinum” tickets – These have extra fees embedded in inflated ticket prices.

Being an informed buyer is the best protection against excessive fees. While rarely successful, disputing charges is an option if you do encounter improper fees or billing issues.

Key takeaways on disputing Ticketmaster fees

• Ticketmaster adds on various service, processing, and convenience fees to ticket orders.
• These fees are usually non-refundable except in event cancellation cases.
• You may dispute charges through your credit card company within 60-120 days.
• Strongest cases involve unauthorized charges or undelivered services.
• Provide detailed documentation to support your dispute claim.
• If denied, you can appeal the decision or file official complaints.
• Class action lawsuits stand the best chance of challenging Ticketmaster’s fee policies.