LAST UPDATE | 6 Sep
THE CONSUMER WATCHDOG has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster and the company’s handling of the sale of Oasis tickets last weekend.
Earlier this week, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said in a statement to The Journal that it was reviewing the matter following complaints that raised “legitimate concerns”.
Oasis fans were left shocked when they found that prices for standing tickets had rocketed by the time they got through the online queues on the website on Saturday morning.
Chair of the CCPC, Brian McHugh, said the Commission recieved more than 100 complaints from consumers who were “very disappointed and frustrated” about their experience when purchasing tickets to the gigs.
Consumer law requires businesses to provide information to consumers prior to purchase, including the total price and taxes.
Businesses are allowed to decide the price of the product that they sell and they are permitted to adjust prices in response to demand or other factors, once the first price is advertised to customers well in advance of the sale.
This is done so consumers can decide whether or not to proceed. The CCPC can decide to investigate and probe instances where it believes these responsibilities may not have been fulfilled.
Tickets to the gigs at Croke Park has rocketed in price after Ticketmaster used ‘dynamic pricing’ – a legal practice that allows for companies to increase the cost of services depending on demand.
“In-demand” tickets jumped significantly above the €86.50 asking price that was initially advertised, with some tickets for the standing section priced at over €400 each.
McHugh said today: “While companies in Ireland are allowed to respond to market demand, there are legitimate concerns over how consumers were treated and we have decided that an in-depth investigation is necessary.
“If we find that consumer protection laws were broken we will take action,” he added.
The CCPC thanked customers who have already raised their concerns to the Commission and has invited others to make written comments to its investigating team. Submissions can be made to the team’s email: CEDinvestigation@ccpc.ie.
In response, a spokesperson for Ticketmaster said: “We are committed to cooperating with the CCPC and look forward to sharing more facts about the ticket sales with them.”
It is understood that, as of today, 106 customers have made a written submission expressing their dissatisfaction with the ticket sale on Ticketmaster.
Yesterday, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority launched a similar investigation.
At the end of last month, Oasis announced that the band would be returning for a reunion tour around the UK and Ireland after it was reported that brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher had settled their long-running feud.
Earlier today, Liam, the band’s lead singer, took to Twitter and poked fun at the ticket fiasco. The singer quipped that he has loads of tickets left, “but they’re really expensive, 100 thousand pounds, Kneeling only”.
He also joked that his mother, Peggy, was unable to get a ticket and would not be able to attend any of the gigs.
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