Be aware of the default Refund Insurance tick-box when buying online with Seetickets

[joyful]

Suggest you use any other booking agency possible before using Seetickets for booking Download and probably anything else they offer!

They have 'checked boxes' for the Refund Insurance and if you fail to untick the box they add an extra £4.00 per ticket automatically. When you are already paying over £200 per ticket, you do not notice the extra £4.00 until they send the email confirmation. Then when you try to contact them to take off the charge they just say hard luck.

Unfortunately efestivals links to them. I think this site should seriously reconsider their arrangment with seetickets and find another partner.

[eFestivals]

See Tickets are the UK's biggest ticket agent, and how they do things is no better or worse than the other major agents.

If a buyer leaves the insurance box ticked when they didn't mean to they've bought insurance by their own error and not See's.

And as far as the insurance goes, it's not something I'd ever consider buying but plenty of people do like to take it up, particularly for something so far in advance.

eFestivals has 'partnerships' with a number of ticket agents, and the links we put up is dependent on those agents having tickets and their ability to fulfil the purchases people are attempting to make. See Tickets are not favoured by efestivals on any other basis to that.

[jump]

Neil, talking about links with tixs agents is there any chance you could get one going with Stargreen? They are the ones I normally use and I could drum up a few more quid for the site if you provided links for them.

Edited November 21, 2011 by jump

[mrtourette]

I have fallen for this before and while I think it'as a bit sneaky for them to do it I was the one who wasn't paying attention. I try not to use them nowadays for a variety of reasons (including that) but they aren't breaking the law.

[eFestivals]

Neil, talking about links with tixs agents is there any chance you could get one going with Stargreen? They are the ones I normally use and I could drum up a few more quid for the site if you provided links for them.

They're probably not worth us bothering with tbh.

They won't have tickets that other agents don't, and if they ever have tickets for the instant sellout shows their systems will be so overwhelmed that it's not worth us sending them buyers (bigger agents than Stargreen have the same problem, and we've recently given up sending people to those agents cos its a waste of that buyer's time).

[joyful]

Please note that the Seetickets Refund Insurance is described as an 'option' in Seetickets wording (see below).

Cancellation Protection is available at a cost of £4.00 per ticket. We strongly recommend that you include this option. Your tickets are non refundable and this will protect you against cancellation resulting from accidents and unexpected illnesses.

Full details of our Master Policy are included in the terms and conditions, which we advise you to read and retain.

If you do not require this Cancellation Protection, please untick the box below.

I require Cancellation Protection for my tickets (total additional cost £8.00) and I agree to the terms and conditions.

Since when is an 'option' automatically added and the box ticked.

I suspect that they make a very tidy sum out of this 'option' from people like me and I doubt many people ever take it up as the exclusions are pretty comprehensive (see list below)

I think that Options should be exactly that and not already added before your realise or ask for it.

I think pressure should be made to stop Seetickets doing this and I bet I am not the only one to complain.

When I raised the issue with Seetickets I was told it was very much 'buyer beware', somewhat dissappointing, but I guess typical of the UK biggest agency from what you say. In the end they just suggested I seek legal advice if I was not happy!!

So dissappointing (but understandable) that efestivals are in business with them. I remember the days when efestivals first started, was really 'alternate' and irreverent.

For some reason concert tickets are not included in the DTI's Distance Selling Regulations that allow for a seven day 'cooling off period' for online sales.

From Seetickets small print on the Refund Insurance,

What we will not refund?

We will not provide a refund where:

• an illness or the death of you, a member of your group or a member of your immediate family is caused by surgery, a change of treatment or medication for a pre-existing medical condition;

• you cannot provide a doctor's report for accident or illness;

• the symptoms that accompany a normal pregnancy are the sole reason you cannot attend a booked event;

• you cannot return any unused tickets or vouchers forming part of the booking;

• you cannot provide evidence of the unused tickets when applying for a refund;

• the booked event is cancelled, abandoned, postponed, curtailed or relocated;

• you decide not to attend a booked event other than for a reason included within this Booking Refund Protection;

• you are prevented from travelling to a booked event due to disruption of the public transport network which is public knowledge prior to the booked event;

• you can recover any part of the booking;

• in our reasonable opinion, you did not allow sufficient time to travel to a booked event;

• you carry out a criminal act which prevents you attending a booked event;

• you are prevented from travelling to a booked event due to an outbreak of a contagious disease and the Government or any agency acting on behalf of the Government has imposed a ban on travel.

• you make a false or fraudulent refund application or support a refund application by false or fraudulent document, device or statement.

We will not pay for travelling or associated expenses (unless travel costs are included as part of the total booking price), or any loss other than the purchase price, including booking fee, of the booked event.

We will not provide a refund resulting from an act of war, terrorism, invasion, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution or taking part in a riot or civil commotion.

We will not pay any costs you incur in submitting or providing evidence to support your refund application.

[neilloggie]

So what will they refund for? has anyone actually ever had a refund?

[eFestivals]

So dissappointing (but understandable) that efestivals are in business with them. I remember the days when efestivals first started, was really 'alternate' and irreverent.

efestivals is "in business" with them the same amount that you're "in business" with Tescos or wherever else you do your weekly shop.

If you can't take note of ten clear lines of text on the form you're using to make your order, then who's fault is that but your own?

We're no less irreverent to a punter's gross stupidity than we are a festival's. Is there any more irreverence you'd like from us over your own failures?

[joyful]

I might be stupid, but I bet I am not the only one to be caught by Seetickets 'option' policy.

IT IS CLEARLY NOT AN OPTION WHEN THE DEFAULT SETTING IS TO INCLUDE IT.

The default setting should be unticked, the option should be to tick.

[eFestivals]

I might be stupid, but I bet I am not the only one to be caught by Seetickets 'option' policy.

IT IS CLEARLY NOT AN OPTION WHEN THE DEFAULT SETTING IS TO INCLUDE IT.

The default setting should be unticked, the option should be to tick.

Which part of the word 'option' are you having such big trouble with, aside from your ability to correctly process the word?

op·tion (pshn)

n.

1. The act of choosing; choice. See Synonyms at choice.

2. The power or freedom to choose.

3.

a. The exclusive right, usually obtained for a fee, to buy or sell something within a specified time at a set price.

b. The privilege of demanding fulfillment of a contract at a specified time.

c. A stock option.

d. The right of the holder of an insurance policy to specify the manner in which payments are to be made or credited to the policyholder.

e. Baseball The right of a major-league team to transfer a player to a minor-league team while being able to recall the player within a specified period.

4. Something chosen or available as a choice.

5. An item or feature that may be chosen to replace or enhance standard equipment, as in a car.

6. Football An offensive play in which a back, usually the quarterback, has the choice of running with the ball or throwing a forward pass.

Edited November 21, 2011 by eFestivals

[gazza_20]

Someone brought tickets for me and accidentally forget to untick this option. Cost £2 each for two tickets which was no biggy. It's Seetickets automatic ticket protection service, very easy to disable if you won't want it and not that hard to miss it either. Albeit in a rush you might do

[joyful]

Yes, I was stupid not to check carefully, and yes, it is only 1% of the ticket price.

BUT, I bet it all adds up nicely for Seetickets with all the stupid purchasers like me falling for it.

I would like Seetickets to make public the percentage of buyers who end up with the default option.

And again I STILL think the DEFAULT setting should be the one without the OPTION, not the other way round.

[joyful]

Yes, I was stupid not to check carefully, and yes, it is only 1% of the ticket price.

[eFestivals]

I would like Seetickets to make public the percentage of buyers who end up with the default option.

which would tell you absolutely nothing of any use.

Plenty of people are dead keen to have something like this available to them, particularly for gigs and festivals such a long time into the future.

I don't know what the take up was with Glasto this year, but I suspect that it was the numbers of people who did take that up (which was an opt-in, not an opt-out as far as i remember) which has led to See adding this as a standard option on perhaps all tickets now.

Like all insurance for low value things it's a rip-off if you've got the money in your pocket to insure yourself, but if it's £200 you can't afford to risk losing then it's extremely good value.

[joyful]

which would tell you absolutely nothing of any use.

Plenty of people are dead keen to have something like this available to them, particularly for gigs and festivals such a long time into the future.

I don't know what the take up was with Glasto this year, but I suspect that it was the numbers of people who did take that up (which was an opt-in, not an opt-out as far as i remember) which has led to See adding this as a standard option on perhaps all tickets now.

Like all insurance for low value things it's a rip-off if you've got the money in your pocket to insure yourself, but if it's £200 you can't afford to risk losing then it's extremely good value.

[Paul ™]

It's their £20 booking fee for WEEKEND ARENA + 5 NIGHT CAMPING tickets I find quite disturbing.

[eFestivals]

I have no issue if the insurance is an option to choose. I have an issue if the option is added by default.

It's an option. Just because the option is by default ticked doesn't make it something different to an option.

Also please note Seetickets small print !!!

We will not provide a refund where:

• the booked event is cancelled, abandoned, postponed, curtailed or relocated

Not sure how that figures in your view on event insurance. It sounds from your comment above that this is exactly when you are suggesting the Seetickets insurance would be useful, and then when you check you realsie that you are not covered for the most obvious reason to get insured in the first place!!

That's very probably just legalese to cover their own arses. It's certainly the case that every cancelled show I know of where they've handled the tickets they've given refunds onto the buyer's card without the buyer even asking for the refund.

[joyful]

It's an option. Just because the option is by default ticked doesn't make it something different to an option.

That's very probably just legalese to cover their own arses. It's certainly the case that every cancelled show I know of where they've handled the tickets they've given refunds onto the buyer's card without the buyer even asking for the refund.

[luckysalt]

It's their £20 booking fee for WEEKEND ARENA + 5 NIGHT CAMPING tickets I find quite disturbing.

[gazza_20]

Agreed, I put this on twitter on Friday, its absolutely DISGUSTING. Especially when a different ticket company is only charging £11.25. Seetickets charging nearly double.

I agree about the ticketed boxes with the original poster that it should be unticked with the option to tick, but you should read everything before processing the order, I've never been stung by it, im not saying id read terms and conditions but I always look at what boxes are ticked.

[zahidf]

My understanding of it is that it.covers you if your too ill or injured to make the gig, rather than cover for the gig being cancelled. I agree its rubbish to be default ticked. I never use seetickets anyway, unless its a presale or the only place with tics

[luckysalt]

From thetickfactory.If you buy 1 it's £181.25, obvs a little less if you buy more as postage per order.

even ticketmaster you can go for 195 including parking

[neilloggie]

It's probably easier said than done about checking the small print etc before submitting your order, i think with the excitement of getting through in the first place and secondly the fact you only have a set amount of time to process the transaction it's easy to miss the insurance option.

[mrtourette]

Anyone with any experience of buying gig/festival tickets should know that seetickets are probably the sloppiest and most expensive (certainly when comparing cost to service) company out there.

Anything warning people of things they may get caught out by is a good idea but I fail to see what it's got to do with efestivals.

[joyful]

Anyone with any experience of buying gig/festival tickets should know that seetickets are probably the sloppiest and most expensive (certainly when comparing cost to service) company out there.

Anything warning people of things they may get caught out by is a good idea but I fail to see what it's got to do with efestivals.