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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/sep/05/watchdog-drops-viagogo-legal-case-after-changes-on-resale-site

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Watchdog drops Viagogo legal case after changes to resale site Watchdog drops Viagogo legal case after changes to resale site
(about 5 hours later)
The competition watchdog has suspended court proceedings against the ticketing website Viagogo, saying the company had made changes that addressed concerns the site was flouting laws designed to protect UK consumers.The competition watchdog has suspended court proceedings against the ticketing website Viagogo, saying the company had made changes that addressed concerns the site was flouting laws designed to protect UK consumers.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was seeking to have Viagogo found in contempt of court for persistently failing to comply with consumer law. However, critics of Viagogo immediately questioned the “surprising” decision and said concerns about the website’s business practices had not yet been put to rest.
The regulator had complained Viagogo was not doing enough to inform buyers they might be turned away from events at which the artist, venue or promoter was refusing entry to people who had bought tickets through Viagogo. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was seeking to have Viagogo found in contempt of court for persistently failing to comply with consumer law when selling tickets for concerts by artists such as Ed Sheeran, who has previously clashed with the site.
The regulator had complained Viagogo was not doing enough to inform buyers they could be turned away from events at which the artist, venue or promoter was refusing entry to people who had bought tickets from resale sites.
The company was also publishing “misleading” information about the number of tickets available, it said, while some seat numbers were not being displayed on ticket listings.The company was also publishing “misleading” information about the number of tickets available, it said, while some seat numbers were not being displayed on ticket listings.
The regulator’s complaints were among the factors that led Google to ban Viagogo from paying to appear in adverts at the top of search results. The regulator’s complaints were among factors that led Google to ban Viagogo from paying to appear in adverts at the top of search results.
The CMA said on Wednesday that Viagogo had made enough changes to the website that it no longer needed to pursue the legal action. The CMA said on Thursday that Viagogo had made enough changes to the website that it no longer needed to pursue the legal action.
Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s chief executive, said: “The Viagogo website UK customers now visit is worlds apart from the one they faced before the CMA took action. Key information needed to make informed decisions before buying a ticket is now much clearer including on where you’ll sit in a venue and whether you might be turned away at the door.” Ed Sheeran criticised by fans as anti-touting scheme backfires
Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s chief executive, said: “The Viagogo website UK customers now visit is worlds apart from the one they faced before the CMA took action. Key information needed to make informed decisions before buying a ticket is now much clearer, including where you’ll sit in a venue and whether you might be turned away at the door.”
He said the challenges faced by the CMA in forcing Viagogo to comply had strengthened its argument that it needed stronger enforcement powers, such as the ability to impose fines.He said the challenges faced by the CMA in forcing Viagogo to comply had strengthened its argument that it needed stronger enforcement powers, such as the ability to impose fines.
“What is clearly not acceptable is the time it’s taken to get to this stage,” he said. “Stronger consumer powers are required in the secondary ticketing sector and we will continue to work with the government on the most effective way to achieve this.“What is clearly not acceptable is the time it’s taken to get to this stage,” he said. “Stronger consumer powers are required in the secondary ticketing sector and we will continue to work with the government on the most effective way to achieve this.
“We will keep up the pressure on Viagogo to ensure that it continues to comply with UK consumer protection law.”
A Viagogo spokesperson said: “Viagogo is pleased it has been able to work with the CMA to find solutions to the final few areas of discussion, as confirmed by today’s statement.A Viagogo spokesperson said: “Viagogo is pleased it has been able to work with the CMA to find solutions to the final few areas of discussion, as confirmed by today’s statement.
“We have strived at all times to ensure we are correctly applying the CMA order, this has been a complex and detailed process, and open dialogue with the market authority has been essential.”“We have strived at all times to ensure we are correctly applying the CMA order, this has been a complex and detailed process, and open dialogue with the market authority has been essential.”
The Labour MP Sharon Hodgson said the CMA’s decision was a surprising “backwards step”, adding that Viagogo had made only “vanity changes” to its site.
“I will be writing to the CMA and the government minister about this issue to put pressure on them to keep this issue under serious review and urge them to step in immediately if further evidence against Viagogo comes to light,” she said.
The music industry group FanFair Alliance said that while Viagogo was more transparent than it used to be, it was still not treating consumers fairly, accusing the CMA of “not finishing the job”.
The group said: “Leaving aside its historic abuses of UK audiences, which are serious, extensive and well documented, we continue to hold serious concerns that Viagogo remains noncompliant with a range of consumer protection laws.
“We continue to share these concerns with the CMA on a regular basis.”
The ticket touting expert Reg Walker, of the Iridium Consultancy, said: “It is incredible that Viagogo, once again, have escaped being held to account for flouting UK consumer protection legislation.”After a two-year investigation, with thousands of examples of listings that break consumer protection legislation, the CMA, despite spending some £2m of taxpayers’ money, has let Viagogo off the hook.“I cannot begin to imagine how galling this must be for the tens of thousands of victims of Viagogo who have yet to receive justice.”
ViagogoViagogo
Consumer affairsConsumer affairs
Ticket pricesTicket prices
Competition and Markets AuthorityCompetition and Markets Authority
InternetInternet
RegulatorsRegulators
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