StubHub UK to issue refunds and pay fine following “isolated platform error”

Ticket resale platform StubHub UK has been ordered to refund over 50,000 customers due to not displaying total costs upfront to ticket buyers.

Not only is the platform refunding affected customers, with each customer expected to receive £10 on average per transaction according to reports, but it must also pay a £900,000 fine.

These orders follow an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The BBC reports that the CMA investigated several firms as part of a review of online pricing practices, such as drip pricing – when fees and charges are introduced later into the buying process – which was banned last year.

StubHub International claims the hidden fees were as a result of an “isolated platform error” that led to some charges appearing at checkout, rather than earlier in the buying process.

Emma Cochrane, executive director of consumer protection at the CMA, tells the BBC: “Hitting customers with hidden fees is illegal. It’s not fair to draw people in with what looks like a good deal, only for them to find the real price is higher when they get to the checkout due to extra charges that can’t be avoided.”

StubHub International says, “Our UK platform is designed to display all fees upfront,” adding that it “identified and corrected the issue promptly, and all affected customers will receive an automatic refund.”

In other ticketing news, a new resale platform was launched earlier this year to combat high ticket prices and sales above face value. Tickets9 is described as an “ethical” ticket resale platform, and is backed by the Music Venue Trust.

Ticket pricing for events has been a hot topic over the last few years, with the Oasis reunion spotlighting the issue after many fans expressed disappointment at having to pay inflated prices due to dynamic pricing.

Rachel is a DIY musician who began learning guitar and keyboard from her bedroom at 14. She has written news and features for MusicTech since 2022, and also has bylines across Kerrang!, Guitar.com, and The Forty-Five. Though a lover of heavy music, her guilty pleasure is 2000s pop.