StubHub UK has changed the way it displays its ticket prices after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) took a stand against drip pricing earlier this year.
As the May 29 deadline passed, secondary ticketing firms have been forced to take down any misleading pricing from their websites, with significant fines looming for those that do not comply.
The four main resale giants, Viagogo, Seatwave, GetMeIn and StubHub are now required to be more transparent about their pricing from the first advertisement of ticket costs on their sites.
ASA chief executive Guy Parker, writing in The Times newspaper, said: “The big four companies were not being upfront about additional fees and charges. People lured in by attractive initial prices were hit with big fees towards the end of the process. We saw an example of tickets advertised at £180 where the final price ended up as £250, a 39 per cent rise.”
StubHub UK users will now see the full ticket price displayed, including all fees. While the firm always had an option to reveal the full price, StubHub will make it much clearer on the page.
“All ticket prices listed on StubHub UK will be the final price paid, with no additional fees added on at checkout, in compliance with the ASA ruling,” a company statement reads.
StubHub added that: “This is the first of many of changes that StubHub is introducing to its UK website over the next several months, to improve the experience that fans have when buying a ticket from resale sites.”
Future changes include “enhanced seat information, clarity on any restrictions on the ticket, and even more seller information.”
ASA’s Parker also noted that the preference was not to involve trading standards in the sector, but if the secondary sites did not co-operate, the ASA chief executive said his authority would not hesitate to take action.
Wayne Grierson, StubHub UK country manager, said, according to Pollstar: “StubHub is a fan first company and we want to ensure that we deliver the right experience and transparency for the customer. This is why we welcome the clarification on all-in pricing, as it will help fans make accurate comparisons.
“We hope this experience will be consistent across all ticket websites, regardless of whether a fan is buying primary or resale tickets.”
The ASA’s involvement comes after new efforts by the UK’s watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to improve the transparency of the secondary market.
Last month, the CMA threatened Viagogo with court action after announcing the three other major resale sites have formally committed to improving the information they share with consumers.
Image: Martin Fisch
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