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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/dec/17/gig-theatre-tickets-hidden-charges-which-campaign
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| Gig and theatre tickets still subject to 'hidden charges' | Gig and theatre tickets still subject to 'hidden charges' |
| (14 days later) | |
| Fees and charges added to the cost of theatre and concert tickets are often "hidden and unclear", with even those imposed by authorised agencies adding as much as 38% to the price, according to consumer organisation Which?. | Fees and charges added to the cost of theatre and concert tickets are often "hidden and unclear", with even those imposed by authorised agencies adding as much as 38% to the price, according to consumer organisation Which?. |
| The consumer group claimed that some ticket agencies may be breaking consumer protection laws by not displaying all their compulsory charges upfront. | The consumer group claimed that some ticket agencies may be breaking consumer protection laws by not displaying all their compulsory charges upfront. |
| During a mystery shopping investigation covering 15 different music, comedy and theatre events and 20 ticketing companies across the UK, Which? uncovered extra charges of more than a third of the ticket's face value. | During a mystery shopping investigation covering 15 different music, comedy and theatre events and 20 ticketing companies across the UK, Which? uncovered extra charges of more than a third of the ticket's face value. |
| Buying a £25 ticket via the See Tickets website, one of the UK's biggest ticketing firms, to see comedian Jimmy Carr at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in December 2014 incurred £9.50 in compulsory additional fees, made up of a £3 booking fee plus £6.50 "transaction fee" – a mark-up of 38% on the face value. By contrast, someone buying a ticket to the same event via rival sites Gigantic or Ticketline would pay £4.70 in additional fees – a mark-up of 19%. | Buying a £25 ticket via the See Tickets website, one of the UK's biggest ticketing firms, to see comedian Jimmy Carr at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in December 2014 incurred £9.50 in compulsory additional fees, made up of a £3 booking fee plus £6.50 "transaction fee" – a mark-up of 38% on the face value. By contrast, someone buying a ticket to the same event via rival sites Gigantic or Ticketline would pay £4.70 in additional fees – a mark-up of 19%. |
| Of the 78 individual bookings looked at as part of the mystery shop, tickets were sold at face value in only two cases, with no additional fees such as booking or delivery charges. | Of the 78 individual bookings looked at as part of the mystery shop, tickets were sold at face value in only two cases, with no additional fees such as booking or delivery charges. |
| Which? also found examples of consumers being charged to print tickets out at home or pick them up from the venue box office. Ticketmaster's £3 charge for some events was the highest for box office collection, while printing at home was most expensive with TicketWeb (a subsidiary of Ticketmaster) and Eventim, which both charged £2.50. | Which? also found examples of consumers being charged to print tickets out at home or pick them up from the venue box office. Ticketmaster's £3 charge for some events was the highest for box office collection, while printing at home was most expensive with TicketWeb (a subsidiary of Ticketmaster) and Eventim, which both charged £2.50. |
| The consumer group said that of the 20 firms it looked at, seven didn't always reveal the exact cost of their additional compulsory fees upfront, "making it difficult for customers to compare the cost of tickets between different companies". Those were BH Live Tickets, See Tickets, ATG Tickets, Ticketmaster, Stargreen, ticketSOUP and TicketWeb. | The consumer group said that of the 20 firms it looked at, seven didn't always reveal the exact cost of their additional compulsory fees upfront, "making it difficult for customers to compare the cost of tickets between different companies". Those were BH Live Tickets, See Tickets, ATG Tickets, Ticketmaster, Stargreen, ticketSOUP and TicketWeb. |
| Which? said it believed that companies that do not display compulsory charges upfront are breaching the committee of advertising practice code enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, and also behaving unlawfully under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which requires all compulsory fees, whether fixed or variable, to be clearly disclosed at the outset when the ticket price is first displayed. | Which? said it believed that companies that do not display compulsory charges upfront are breaching the committee of advertising practice code enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, and also behaving unlawfully under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which requires all compulsory fees, whether fixed or variable, to be clearly disclosed at the outset when the ticket price is first displayed. |
| Which? has launched a campaign calling on ticket companies to "play fair" on ticket fees. It wants them and entertainment venues to end hidden fees by showing all compulsory charges upfront, and justify their charges by providing a clear explanation of what they are for and setting them at a "fair" level. | Which? has launched a campaign calling on ticket companies to "play fair" on ticket fees. It wants them and entertainment venues to end hidden fees by showing all compulsory charges upfront, and justify their charges by providing a clear explanation of what they are for and setting them at a "fair" level. |
| Which? also issued research showing that more than 80% of people who had booked tickets online in the past year said the level of compulsory fees charged were a "rip-off". | Which? also issued research showing that more than 80% of people who had booked tickets online in the past year said the level of compulsory fees charged were a "rip-off". |
| Its executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: "Consumers tell us they are feeling ripped off by the level of ticketing charges, and the lack of transparency means it is almost impossible for people to compare prices when booking online. We want to see the ticketing industry 'Play Fair on Ticket Fees', so all charges are displayed upfront and with a clear explanation of what they're for." | Its executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: "Consumers tell us they are feeling ripped off by the level of ticketing charges, and the lack of transparency means it is almost impossible for people to compare prices when booking online. We want to see the ticketing industry 'Play Fair on Ticket Fees', so all charges are displayed upfront and with a clear explanation of what they're for." |
| Guardian Money attempted to contact See Tickets about the Jimmy Carr example, but was unable to speak to anyone. | Guardian Money attempted to contact See Tickets about the Jimmy Carr example, but was unable to speak to anyone. |
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