Taylor Swift fans who purchased tickets through StubHub for the pop star’s 2024 concert Tour of the ages Full refunds are offered on concerts in Vancouver.
This comes after Consumer Protection BC, a government regulatory body, announced that it had reached an agreement with StubHub Canada, the local division of one of the industry’s largest ticket resale marketplaces, to make Swifties who sat in certain seats during the December 6, 7 and 8, 2024 concerts eligible for compensation.
The legally enforceable agreement stipulates that concertgoers must show Stubhub failed to disclose “obstructed or limited visibility” to seating on tickets sold by the secondary ticket seller. The affected Vancouver concert sections were next to or behind the stage where Swift performed.
“People who purchase tickets in British Columbia have the right to receive clear and accurate information about what they are purchasing and what it will cost before purchasing,” Louise Hartland, director of public relations for Consumer Protection BC, said in a statement. “This agreement is about transparency and ensuring consumers are able to access refunds when the law requires it,” she added of the deal, which followed a consumer complaint and formal investigation.
StubHub’s model is based on users reselling tickets to concerts, major sporting events and other ticketed live events, with the company generating revenue directly through fees it collects from purchases and sales on its specific platform based on the ticket price. StubHub’s business relies heavily on demand, and the ticket seller has done well from Taylor Swift’s popular Eras tour.
Under British Columbia law, ticket sellers and ticketing platforms must “clearly disclose ticket details and full cost prior to purchase. If a consumer purchases a ticket from a secondary ticket seller or secondary ticket platform operator, they may be entitled to a full refund if the ticket does not match its description or other requirements set out in the Ticket Sales Act, rather than just a credit.”
The BC Consumer Commission found that StubHub violated 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 provide for seating that may have an obstructed line of sight, whether from a column, speakers or soundboard.
In July 2024, the Attorney General of Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against StubHub, accusing it of deceptively concealing mandatory fees and failing to properly explain their purpose until the end of the cumbersome checkout process.
As part of the deal, StubHub agreed to contact eligible ticket buyers by May 1, 2026. StubHub must also pay over $6,000 in BC Consumer Protection screening fees and give $2,500 to the Consumer Advancement Fund.
