If you find yourself among the millions of people who have had their concert plans and other events canceled or postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, we want to help. If you have never requested a refund before, it can be a bit tricky. And now, given the wave of cancellations, some sites have stopped giving refunds altogether. If you need to check if your event has been canceled, postponed or otherwise impacted by COVID-19, you can navigate to the comprehensive list Ticketmaster has compiled.
Why can’t I get a refund for my concert ticket?
It could be a number of factors. You might not be getting a refund right away because everyone in the event industry has seen their earnings spiral to $0 and they want to hold onto as much cash as possible right now. Some other excuses you might get include the venue or the promoter not allowing refunds at the moment.
So what can I do to get a refund due to events impacted by COVID-19?
Well, the most important thing to remember is that if there has been a cancellation or postponement of an event, you are entitled to your money back. This stipulation applies specifically to primary ticketing sites such as Ticketmaster or AXS.
Secondary platforms such as Stubhub and Vivid Seats have separate policies. Both are currently offering a credit for 120% of the value of the ticket you purchased which can go towards any event on their sites in the event of a cancellation or postponed event. If your event is cancelled, you are eligible for a full refund from Vivid, but Stubhub is currently only offering refunds in certain legal jurisdictions. With that being said, you have up until the time of the newly scheduled event to request a refund, so if you can ride out this rocky time, you may consider waiting (don’t take the credit) until operations begin to normalize. We expect the refund policy to return to normal- full refunds. If you are unsure of the status of your event, Stubhub has a list of all of the events impacted by COVID-19 and their current status.
My event is postponed. How do I get tickets for the new event?
Luckily, you don’t have to do anything. Ticketing sites will automatically update your ticket for the new date and time. If you have a physical ticket, most venues will still accept the old ticket at the new event. You will receive an email confirmation regarding the postponement and the details of how to proceed will be included.
How do I get a refund from Ticketmaster?
For Ticketmaster, follow these steps.
- Log into Ticketmaster using your purchasing account
- Select “My Tickets” in the top right corner
3. Then locate the event. Click “See Details”.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the Event Details page until you see the order number and the option to “Request a Refund”.
5. Click “Request a Refund” to find the total refundable dollar amount and the card number. Click “Submit”.
6. If there is no “Request a Refund” option, you will need to use the chat function.
7. Many of the events affected by the Coronavirus will result in an automated message telling you that refunds are not available at the moment. In these cases, you will need to be patient and try again at a later date. If the chat is open, you can simply explain your situation to the agent, who can then administer the refund.
Need additional help? Contact the ticketing experts at Ticket Broker U. And if the world of ticketing intrigues you, check out our Market Analyst position– work from home buying and selling tickets!
Written by Tory W.
- Head of Business Development, Ticket Broker U
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