Taylor Swift fans who purchased tickets through StubHub for the pop star’s 2024 The Eras Tour concerts in Vancouver are being offered potential full refunds.
That follows Consumer Protection B.C., a government regulator, announcing it had reached an agreement with StubHub Canada, the local division of one of the largest ticket resale marketplaces in the industry, to make Swifties who sat in certain seats during the Dec. 6, 7 and 8, 2024 concerts eligible for reimbursements.
The legally-enforceable agreement stipulates concert-goers have to show Stubhub failed to disclose “an obstructed or limited view” for seating on tickets sold by the secondary ticket seller. The Vancouver concert sections affected were beside or behind the stage on which Swift performed.
“People buying tickets in B.C. have the right to clear, accurate information about what they are purchasing and what it will cost before they buy,” Louise Hartland, director of public relations for Consumer Protection B.C., said in a statement. “This agreement is about transparency and ensuring consumers can access refunds when the law requires it,” she added about the deal that followed a consumer complaint and a formal investigation.
StubHub’s model is based around users reselling tickets to concerts, major sporting events and other live ticketed events, with the company earning revenue most directly through fees it collects from purchases and sales on its platform set based on the price of the ticket. StubHub’s business is very dependent on demand, and the ticket reseller did well from Taylor Swift’s popular Eras tour.
Under B.C. law, ticket sellers and ticketing platforms “must clearly disclose ticket details and the full cost before purchase. If a consumer buys a ticket from a secondary ticket seller or secondary ticketing platform operator, they may be entitled to a full refund if a ticket does not match its description or other requirements set out in the Ticket Sales Act, not just a credit.”
Consumer Protection B.C. found StubHub broke provincial laws that require ticket sellers and ticketing platforms to clearly disclose ticket costs and details in sales descriptions before any purchase. Concert or event venues generally stipulate which seating may have a line-of-sight obstructed views, whether from a pole, speakers or the sound board.
In July 2024, Washington, D.C.’s attorney general sued StubHub, accusing it of deceptively hiding mandatory fees and failing to properly explain what they’re for until the end of a burdensome checkout process.
As part of the deal, StubHub agreed to reach out to eligible ticket purchasers by May 1, 2026. StubHub must also pay over $6000 in inspection fees to Consumer Protection B.C. and give $2500 to the Consumer Advancement Fund.
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