Can you get a refund from Ticketmaster?
The short answer is yes, it is possible to get a refund from Ticketmaster in certain situations. Ticketmaster has a refund policy that outlines the specific circumstances under which they will provide refunds for tickets purchased through their website or app.
Some key things to know about Ticketmaster’s refund policy:
- Refunds are available if an event is cancelled, rescheduled or has a significant change. This includes things like the performer changing, the venue changing, or the start time changing by more than 60 minutes.
- Refunds will be provided if tickets are unavailable or invalid. For example, if there is an issue with the barcode on your ticket.
- If an event is postponed or rescheduled, you can get a refund if you cannot attend the new date/time. You typically have to request the refund within 30 days of the new event date being announced.
- If you purchased ticket insurance when you bought your tickets, you may be eligible for a refund if you cannot attend the event for a covered reason, like illness or travel issues.
- If the tickets were bought through Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale platform, different refund policies may apply depending on the seller.
So in summary, Ticketmaster does offer refunds but there are specific circumstances where they will approve them. Simply changing your mind or deciding you cannot attend is not grounds for a refund in most cases.
How do I request a refund from Ticketmaster?
If you believe you meet the refund eligibility criteria, here is how to request a refund from Ticketmaster:
- Login to your Ticketmaster account online or via the mobile app. This is the same account you used to purchase the tickets.
- Locate the order that contains the tickets you want to get a refund for. You can use the ‘Past Orders’ section.
- Select the “Request Refund” button or link.
- Choose the reason you are requesting a refund. Options may include “Event Cancelled”, “Cannot Attend” etc.
- Confirm which tickets you want refunded if there were multiple purchased in the order.
- Follow the prompts to finish submitting your refund request.
Once submitted, Ticketmaster will review your request and determine if you are eligible for a refund based on their policy. You will receive an email advising you of the outcome.
If your request is approved, how you paid for the tickets will impact how Ticketmaster processes the refund:
- Credit card – The refund will be credited back to the same card used to pay within 7-10 business days usually.
- Gift card – The refund will be credited to a Ticketmaster gift card.
- Other payment methods – A check will be mailed out or alternative refund method used.
What if my refund request gets denied?
If Ticketmaster denies your refund request, first understand why it was rejected. The most common reasons are:
- The refund request was submitted too late. There is usually a 30 day window to claim a refund.
- Your reason for a refund does not meet Ticketmaster’s policy criteria.
- You bought tickets via Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale marketplace. Refunds must go through the seller in this case.
If you believe your request was denied incorrectly or there were extenuating circumstances, you can try the following:
- Contact Ticketmaster’s customer service department. Explain in detail why you think you deserve a refund.
- Escalate your case to a supervisor or manager if the frontline staff will not budge.
- Provide documentation supporting your reason for the refund (e.g. a doctor’s note if illness prevented attending).
- Initiate a chargeback on your credit card by contacting your card issuer.
While not guaranteed to work, being polite but firm and escalating your case when reasonable can overturn an initial refund denial in some cases. Make sure to act quickly, as refund request windows close.
Can I get a refund if I listed my tickets for resale?
If you originally purchased tickets from Ticketmaster but later listed them for resale on a secondary marketplace like StubHub, the situation gets more complicated.
In this case:
- If the tickets did not sell, you can still request a refund through Ticketmaster as you are the original ticket holder.
- If the tickets did sell on the secondary market, you technically transferred ownership and can no longer get a refund from Ticketmaster.
- You would have to work with the secondary marketplace to recoup your money in the event the new buyer was eligible for a refund (e.g. due to event cancellation).
- Never list tickets for resale until fully paid for, as you will be responsible for the cost if they sell.
Attempting to get double refunds from both Ticketmaster and a secondary marketplace for the same tickets constitutes fraud.
Helpful tips for getting Ticketmaster refunds
Based on Ticketmaster’s refund policies and procedures, here are some helpful tips:
- Act quickly – Request refunds as soon as possible. Long delays can disqualify you.
- Understand the policy – Don’t request refunds for invalid reasons that don’t meet Ticketmaster’s criteria.
- Provide documentation – Having evidence to back up medical issues, venue changes etc strengthens your case.
- Follow up persistently – Keep contacting Ticketmaster until you get a satisfactory resolution.
- Use buyer protection – Consider ticket insurance or paying with a credit card for added protection.
- Avoid resales – Never resell tickets until fully paid for to avoid getting stuck with the cost.
While Ticketmaster has very particular refund policies, being an informed and diligent customer can help maximize your chances of success if you run into issues with tickets bought through them. Considering ticket insurance or a credit card with strong buyer protection is also recommended when making large Ticketmaster purchases.
Can I get a refund on Ticketmaster service fees and processing charges?
In most cases, no. Ticketmaster typically only refunds the base ticket price to the original payment method. Service fees and processing charges are generally non-refundable.
Some exceptions where you may get the fees back:
- If the event is cancelled (not postponed or rescheduled) there is a chance the fees may be refunded.
- If you purchased ticket insurance that explicitly covers fees as well as ticket cost.
- If you do a chargeback on your credit card, the bank may refund the entire transaction amount including fees.
But otherwise, expect that even if you get the base ticket price back, the various Ticketmaster fees paid at time of checkout will not be refunded. Make sure to consider this when purchasing tickets, as the fees can sometimes be substantial on top of the ticket face value.
I’m still having issues getting a refund, what should I do?
If you have tried all standard refund request procedures with Ticketmaster to no avail, here are some additional steps to potentially take:
- Contact your bank or credit card company – they may be able to start a chargeback or purchase dispute on your behalf.
- File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) – Ticketmaster pays attention to complaints lodged through the BBB.
- Report issues to consumer protection groups – Organizations like the National Consumers League or your state/city’s consumer advocacy department may be able to help apply pressure.
- Consult with an attorney – For very large refunds, you may need to get legal support if Ticketmaster is unresponsive.
- Complain on social media – Posting on Twitter, Facebook or other platforms can sometimes get a company’s attention to resolve an issue.
- Submit a complaint to the FTC – If Ticketmaster is engaged in unfair or deceptive practices, reporting them can trigger an investigation.
No matter what, make sure to keep meticulous records including order confirmations, refund denials, and any communication with Ticketmaster customer service. The more evidence you have of trying to reasonably obtain a refund, the stronger your case will be through other channels. Most importantly, do not give up too quickly – persistence and escalation are often key to getting a refund from a large company like Ticketmaster.
Key Takeaways
- Ticketmaster does offer refunds but only if their strict eligibility criteria are met.
- Refunds are available for cancelled, rescheduled or relocated events provided requests are made in a timely manner.
- Service fees and processing charges are usually non-refundable except in limited cases.
- Getting refunds on resold tickets is complex – work with the platform you resold on.
- Denied refund requests can sometimes be overturned by persistent follow up.
- Credit card chargebacks, legal action and regulatory complaints are options if Ticketmaster refuses to issue a refund.
Conclusion
Navigating Ticketmaster’s refund policies can undoubtedly be frustrating for customers. While they do try to accommodate refunds when events are changed or cancelled, their strict eligibility windows and non-refundable fees mean you are often still losing money. Being an informed shopper, using buyer protection, and diligently following up if issues arise gives you the best chance of obtaining a full or partial refund if warranted. But otherwise, Ticketmaster refunds remain difficult to come by in many common scenarios.