As someone with an adventurous spirit, I enjoy exploring places, especially attending events and festivals. It’s always an opportunity to meet and connect with people from different walks of life.
If you’re fond of attending events as I do, you’ll notice that most of them require tickets to attend whether it’s a music or sports concert, theater performance, or film festival. Securing these tickets physically can sometimes feel like a race against time.
Thankfully, we now have online ticket marketplaces that have made it easier to access and purchase tickets to our favorite events.
Viagogo is one of those platforms. It’s a secondary marketplace for tickets to live events but you can’t help but wonder, “Is Viagogo legit for buying tickets?”
Well, I am going to carefully explore this platform, giving you more insights into how it works and the buyers’ experiences. Interestingly, the ticket prices are set by sellers, so if you host live events and are curious to know if Viagogo is the right platform to sell your tickets, this article is also for you.
The aim is to shed light on whether the platform is a trustworthy avenue for securing tickets to live events or a potential pitfall.
Without much ado, let’s dive right in!
Overview of Viagogo
Viagogo is an online ticket marketplace where event enthusiasts can either resell or buy tickets to live events. Founded by Eric Baker and StubHub, the platform has been around since 2006 and currently operates globally.
Interestingly, there are over 50 million live event listings on the platform and you have the freedom to buy or sell from any smart device and in any currency and language!
Viagogo primarily focuses on the resale of event tickets. That is to say, if you already possess tickets to any event, you can list them on the platform for sale at any price you want.
Then, buyers interested in attending the event will then purchase them at the listed price. It’s that simple!
The platform operates in many countries worldwide including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other European countries.
For easier access to international audiences, Viagogo has localized versions of its website. For example, there’s a website for audiences in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Another thing to note about Viagogo is it offers a wide range of tickets for any kind of event across different genres and locations. Whether it’s concerts by renowned artists, theater shows, or sporting events like football matches or tennis tournaments in your country, the platform hosts them all.
Before we go into how Viagogo works, I will give an overview of online ticket marketplaces in general.
Brief Description of Online Ticket Marketplaces
Generally, online ticket marketplaces are platforms where people buy and sell event tickets. It’s like an intermediary between individuals selling tickets and buyers.
Rather than queuing up and stressing over purchasing tickets, you can easily do that from wherever you are using your phone. These platforms offer convenience and make it easier for you to access tickets to your favorite live events.
One of the beautiful features of online ticket marketplaces is that they allow you to compare tickets from different sellers before making your purchase. And even if you’re not sure which event to attend, you can easily browse through these platforms and make your choice.
Whether you’re a primary seller, that is, the official ticket vendor or event organizer, or simply a reseller, you can always list and sell your tickets on these marketplaces. Some platforms require you to create accounts before publishing your event.
Also, since ticket resellers can sell tickets on the platform, buyers can always find tickets for sold-out events, but at a higher price. Another thing to note about online ticket marketplaces is that sellers are free to determine ticket prices which can increase due to factors like availability, demand, and location.
This usually leads to fluctuation and, in the worst case, inflated ticket prices. To solve this problem, some marketplaces have set aside measures to control ticket pricing.
Also Read: Why Is Stubhub Cheaper Than Ticketmaster?
Understanding Viagogo & Is Viagogo Legit?
There are different kinds of online ticket marketplaces – the ones where primary sellers like event organizers can sell tickets and the secondary marketplaces where individuals who have already purchased from the organizers sell on the platform.
Now, let’s look at Viagogo and see what category it falls into, its market presence, and most especially, how the platform works.
Description of Services
Though Viagogo is an online ticket marketplace, it falls under the secondary ticket-selling platform. That is to say, the platform focuses on individuals interested in reselling tickets to events like concerts, sports matches, theater performances, and festivals.
Since it’s a secondary ticket marketplace, you’re not worried that tickets will be sold out as you’ll always have sellers reselling available tickets.
All you need to do is to browse through the available tickets and make your purchases.
How Viagogo Works?
In this section, I’m going to explain how the platform works both from the buyer’s and the seller’s perspectives. Here we go!
How Viagogo works if you’re selling on the platform:
- First, pick the event you have the tickets for. Though, you don’t need to have the tickets yet to sell on the platform.
- Then, create an account on the website with your email address or simply log in with your Facebook account.
- Once you have created an account, it’s time to list your event tickets. Be sure to include the event details including the date, time, venue for the event, and the price for the tickets.
- To make sure that you’re an authentic seller, Viagogo usually requests proof of purchase. Once that has been confirmed, your tickets will automatically become available on the marketplace for people to buy. As I stated earlier, Viagogo serves as an intermediary between you and the buyers. The platform handles the payments and all forms of communication with the buyer.
- Once a buyer purchases your ticket, you will be notified via email after which you pick a delivery method for the ticket. It could either be through digital transfer, physical shipping, or liaising with the buyer to know the best way to deliver the tickets.
- Before receiving your payment, Viagogo first deducts fees for its services, though their commission is usually included in the listed ticket price and the buyer pays the total amount.
As a seller, if the event ticket was successfully delivered, you’ll be paid five to eight days after the event. However, Viagogo makes it clear that they reserve the right to withhold your money or ask for repayment if the event gets rescheduled or canceled.
That said, let’s analyze how buyers can navigate the platform.
How Viagogo works if you’re buying from the platform?
Purchasing a ticket to your favorite event on Viagogo is as simple as pie. Here’s how it goes:
- You have over 50 million event tickets listed on the platform. Browse, make your selection, and pay for the ticket.
- You’ll receive an email confirmation with all the ticket delivery details.
- Your ticket will either be delivered through a courier service, or directly to your phone or email address.
- Now that your ticket is ready, it’s time to have the fun of your life.
However, bear in mind that there are no hidden fees with Viagogo. What you see is what you get. Plus, if you ever encounter any hitch while making a payment, there’s a dedicated customer support system that will address any issues or concerns you may encounter.
As much as this rarely happens, Viagogo ensures that you get a full refund if you receive an invalid ticket or something different from what was advertised.
However, be sure that you contact them and report the issue within 14 days of receiving the ticket.
Also, if you ever encounter any problem with your ticket on event day, you can contact Viagogo and report the issue. This must be done within 48 hours after the incident.
Viagogo’s Market Presence
One of the interesting things I noticed while browsing through Viagogo was that the platform delivers event tickets to any country around the world. That is to say, no matter where you are, you’ll surely get your ticket delivered to you if you must do courier service.
However, for sellers desirous of reselling event tickets, the platform only showcases events from 50 countries including, the United States, China, Canada, Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and many more.
Viagogo interestingly has a significant market presence in a lot of countries. Plus it also has localized versions of its websites that cater to specific regions. This way, the platform is much more accessible to a broad international audience.
Also Read: Is Stubhub Legit For Tickets Resale?
Legitimacy and Trustworthiness of Viagogo
Considering that Viagogo is one of the largest online ticket marketplaces, it’s only fair that they set rules that guide the reselling and buying processes.
This way, the trust and integrity of the platform can be easily maintained. Let’s see how that plays out on the platform:
Verification Process for Tickets
To be sure of Viagogo’s ticket verification method, I read through their Terms and Conditions. It was clear that before a seller lists a ticket on the platform, they must provide a valid credit or debit card.
Aside from that, you also need to verify your account upon signing up. Also, when you place an order for a ticket, Viagogo first requests authorization from your credit or debit card.
This authorization will remain on your card until the order is completed or canceled. If you’re making payments with your PayPal account, Viagogo will request authorization from your account.
Finally, for all offers received by bank transfers, the platform will double-check to make sure that the bank account is valid.
This means you don’t have to worry about buyers paying from invalid bank accounts. Overall, to ensure the legitimacy of sellers and buyers, you must register on the website with your real name, address, phone number, and email address.
Customer Service and Support
From my research, especially after combing Viagogo’s Terms and Conditions page, it’s clear that the platform has functional customer service and support for both buyers and sellers.
For example, as a buyer, you can get a refund if your ticket is invalid or different from what you ordered. In such a case, you can reach out to Customer Support and lodge your complaints.
There are different ways to reach out to Viagogo’s Customer Support. You can either send them an email or send them a direct message from your account.
You can also give them a call during business hours. As much as you can easily reach out to them through any of these methods, it’s highly recommended that you contact them through your account.
They will reply faster since your order details are already with them and easily accessible.
Guarantees Provided by Viagogo
You’ll hardly see an online ticket marketplace that doesn’t offer a guarantee to buyers to protect them in case they receive an invalid event ticket or one different than what the seller advertised.
Again, I went through Viagogo’s Terms and Conditions page and noticed that the platform goes the extra mile in assuring buyers that they will either receive a valid ticket, a replacement, or a refund if the event is canceled.
As long as you reach out to Customer Support and make your complaints, you’re covered.
Customer Satisfaction Records
Again, taking my time to find out the rate of satisfaction among Viagogo customers, I found out that the ratings are quite low. In fact, on the Apple Store, the platform is rated 1.3 out of 5.
Some customers on the app complained that they couldn’t access the tickets they purchased and their attempts to reach out to customer support were futile.
On Google Play, the rating is 1.6 out of 5 which is super low. People had lots of complaints about the platform. They were either dissatisfied with the platform or encountered issues such as misleading ticket listings, high ticket prices, and difficulty obtaining refunds.
However, that does not mean that people don’t enjoy the platform. Someone noted on Google Play how the platform kept him updated from the moment he purchased his event ticket to when it was delivered. The person also pointed out that the call center was responsive and assuring.
The bottom line is that people have had different experiences on the platform. Some good. Some bad.
Accreditation and Reviews (BBB, Trustpilot, etc.)
Viagogo’s reputation and accreditation are quite poor as well. One of the foremost complaints on the website is that it misleads customers and puts them under psychological pressure.
The investigation carried out by GVH revealed that customers face a lot of complications when purchasing event tickets. And most times, the platform does not inform buyers on time about the purchase price to be paid including the exchange rates.
Following this, the Swiss operator of the platform was fined more than $400 million in December 2021. Aside from that, the online marketplace was found liable for breaching Austrian Consumer Law in the case.
In the case of ACCC v Viagogo, Justice Burley ruled that Viagogo was misleading customers as it failed to disclose the additional fees added to buyers’ tickets. This judgment was given in 2019.
Also, Viagogo’s business profile is not accredited by reputable business sources like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
As the picture above clearly reveals that the website is rated 1.03 out of 5. From the complaints submitted by users, the BBB gathered that the platform was not transparent about the ownership, location, and services it offered.
Worst still, they didn’t respond to the 181 complaints filed against it.
Insights from Trustpilot show that only 43% of the users are satisfied with their purchase while others had one complaint or the other to give. See the breakdown below:
Comparing Viagogo to Other Ticket Buying Platforms
In this section, we will compare other online ticket marketplaces with Viagogo. Some of the platforms we will be comparing include Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, and AXS. Let’s get to it!
Price Comparisons
Since Viagogo is a secondary ticket marketplace, the prices are set by sellers. This means that the prices can sometimes be higher than the original ticket sales from the event hosts.
Ticketmaster on the other hand is a primary ticket marketplace, meaning that tickets are sold at the original price by the event hosts. However, there’s a secondary marketplace called TicketExchange where sellers can resell the tickets.
The same applies to AXS and SeatGeek. So, be sure to compare ticket prices across these platforms before making a choice.
Variety of Event Tickets
When it comes to the variety of event tickets available on these platforms, Viagogo caters to more popular and niche events including concerts, theater shows, festivals, and sports matches.
SeatGeek on the other hand covers primarily music and sports shows. Ticketmaster covers concerts, sports shows, and art and theater performances.
It’s best to explore these platforms and see the events they list before making a choice.
User Experience
From my detailed analysis above, you’ll realize that most Viagogo users have not had the best experience using the platform.
Though some are impressed at the platform’s user-friendly interface and seamless transactions, many are not happy with the platform’s delayed customer support including receiving invalid or fake tickets.
When compared with other online ticket marketplaces, Viagogo users are not happy with the platform. In fact, SeatGeek is rated 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot while Viagogo is rated 1.6.
Ticketmaster on the other hand is rated 3.6 while AXS is rated 4.4. What does this tell you? Users are not having the best experience with Viagogo.
Reputation
When it comes to reputation, Viagogo has the most dents. In fact, the platform has faced a lot of criticism and legal challenges in some countries due to questions about its transparency, inflated ticket prices, and ticket authenticity.
One of the foremost cases was the case of ACCC v Viagogo where Justice Burley ruled that the platform breached Austrian Consumer Law for failing to disclose additional fees added to buyer’s tickets, thereby misleading the customers.
Case Studies
As much as Viagogo has left a bitter taste in the mouths of some users, that’s not to say that there aren’t success stories. I’m going to explore these stories including some of the complaints made by users and their resolution.
Success Stories of Using Viagogo
Going by my findings on Trustpilot, some Viagogo users have had positive experiences using the platform. Most people applauded the platform’s swift response from customer support. They got a refund once they reported that the event they bought a ticket for had been canceled.
Other users applauded how fast tickets were delivered after their purchase. Generally, they love how responsive the customer care support was when they reached out.
Problems or Complaints Encountered and Their Resolution
One of the problems and complaints received from Viagogo’s users is that sellers sell invalid or fake tickets. To resolve this issue, the platform has offered a guarantee to protect buyers.
So, if you notice that the ticket you paid for is invalid or contrary to what you saw online you can always reach out to customer support to either receive a valid replacement or a refund.
Another popular issue users have complained about is the delay in response by customer support or worse still, the lack of satisfactory resolutions to their issues. To resolve this, the platform noted that users should send their complaints from their user accounts.
Since it gives them access to your order at hand, it’s easier and faster to reply to you.
Tips for Buying Tickets Safely on Online Platforms
Researching the Event
One of the top mistakes you will make when buying tickets for your favorite live event is to make blind purchases. That is, failing to research the event thoroughly.
Before purchasing any ticket, I usually look out for the event details such as the date, time, and venue for the event. This is important especially if you’re buying from secondary marketplaces.
If possible, check the event’s official website or artist’s social media account to be sure that the event is legit.
Checking the Seller’s Reputation
Of course, you wouldn’t want to buy tickets from a seller with a questionable reputation. So, look for those with clear and positive feedback from other buyers. Thankfully, Viagogo makes these ratings and testimonials public.
Understanding the Terms and Conditions
It’s not enough to browse through the website for an event, make sure that you read and understand the platform’s terms and conditions before making your purchase. I love that Viagogo’s policies are quite simple and straight to the point.
Pay attention to the platform’s refund policies, payment authorization policies, guarantees, and buyer protections.
Using Secure Payment Methods
Knowing how delicate online transactions can be, it’s best to go for a ticketing platform that offers secure payment gateways like encrypted transactions and payment authorizations. For example, with Viagogo, no debit is made on your debit card until you verify it.
Is Viagogo Legit – Recap
From my analysis above, it’s clear that the legitimacy of Viagogo as an online ticket marketplace is highly controversial.
Even though the platform prides itself as one of the biggest ticket-buying platforms, you can’t help but wonder why they have faced numerous complaints from users.
With the number of people who have complained about receiving invalid or fake tickets, yet being unable to reach customer support, you also wonder if indeed the platform keeps to its terms and conditions.
Aside from that, Viagogo records high customer dissatisfaction and negative reviews from trusted platforms like Trustpilot. It isn’t even accredited by organizations like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
All of these question the legitimacy of the platform.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
If you’re considering using Viagogo to purchase a ticket to your next event, make sure that you do your due diligence. As much as the platform is a well-known marketplace, it’s hard not to consider the frequency of the problems and complaints reported by past users.
However, I highly recommend exploring other ticket-buying platforms like SeakGeek, AXS, StubHub, and Ticketmaster. Don’t forget to compare the prices, user experiences, and reputation of these platforms before making a decision.
And if you must purchase your ticket on Viagogo, ensure that you research the event thoroughly including the seller’s reputation. You should also read and understand the platform’s terms and conditions before making a purchase.
