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LAST UPDATE | 6 Sep 2024
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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Advertised price should be the price ,and a handling fee,if advertised , but 5/6/7 times over the original price is surely illegal. Even touts wouldn’t look for that much !!!!
@Vincent Walsh: They advertised prices ‘from €86.59′. Like a shop advertising ‘up to 50% off’. Wording is important!
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: exactly, they never set a specific price range, so therefore they’ll get away with the dynamic pricing, which is still a slap in the face to the average joe
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: no it’s nothing like a shop saying 50 percent off, cos you can look at the price tag and decide not to purchase rather then when you bring it to the till the price has inflated 400 percent.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Absolute nonsense.. When you pick up an item in a store .. who are having an ‘up to 50% off sale’, it still has a price tag on it.. which by law, is the advertised price and the price the consumer is expected to pay and the shop to sell it at.. why do people like you try to make out ‘ dynamic pricing’ is somehow just normal marketing and pretend it on no way infringes on consumer rights.
@orb7eckn: yes it’s a blind auction
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: The question is; who is benefiting of that price hike – The artist or TM ?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Good point. Next time I see that in a shop I’m asking to see the one item for 70% off.
If it’s illegal for touts to price gouge, then it’s illegal for corporations to do so, too. Prosecute the directors and make an example of them.
It’s capitalism, they can charge what they want
@9QRixo8H: did a ‘start your own business’ formation. Rule no. 1 : charge the client as much as he will pay.
@9QRixo8H: What kind of concerts did the working man attend in USSR?
@9QRixo8H: then it’s ok for touts to charge whatever then
@Oh Mammy: The variety of concerts in the USSR has absolutely nothing to do with D. Peadar’s remark about this being an example of capitalism. Why mention the USSR?
@Oh Mammy: a Beatles one??
@JB Software: lost on them I’m afraid
@Emmet Doyle: surely not
@JB Software: Hi Vis.
@9QRixo8H: doesn’t apply to a monopoly bud
Simply let competition into the market. Ticketmaster has had the Monopoly for too long
@RIP: I agree, except that or their ‘people’ gave the go-ahead for dynamic pricing.
Another waste of time and expense.
Simple solution: Get a political party with a backbone to say we will change the law and protect the consumer.
Unfortunately, no such party currently exists in Ireland.
I got sense, it was in front of me on my laptop for 40 seconds, €900 for two tickets. No way, stealing someones soul. To see two dreary brothers. Not a hope in hell.
@Áine G: same here, decided at last minute not to, going Kos in Greece now in 4 weeks for a week all Inclusive instead for €200 less than the price of the 2 tickets
@Áine G: so you queued for tickets to see two dreary brothers…. at what price was it fun and they were an act you watented to see or were you looking for tickets to tout ?
@Emmet Doyle: emmet you clown…we were under the impression that the tickets would be less than €100, once we got in they had jumped to over €400, we didn’t know until then…obviously not a very bright spark are you
@6gRrQtLn: spot on, I would do the same, enjoy a holiday with family ,let the band play in empty stadiums send out the message,
To all the younger nippers on here, Oasis are way over rated.
They’ll probably fall out and cancel all the gig’s. They hate each other.
@Gerard Carey: some might say they’ll live forever so just roll with it, don’t look back in anger and for those married with children it’ll be supersonic, dya know what I mean? If not then Whatever….stop crying your heart out.
@Anthony Curran: Brilliant. I like it, I like it a lot.
@Anthony Curran: top comment !!!
@Gerard Carey: or it will be brilliant and everyone will enjoy it
@Emmet Doyle: absolutely contradicted yourself on 2 posts….make your mind up dumbo
Apparently the Ticketmaster boss also owns the company that built the government buildings bike shed?
When the are done with this mickey mouse nonsense, is there any chance they can look into tax gouging by this government?
Any chance someone could launch an investigation into the record number of homelessness
Or our bail laws
Or the taxes the government charges on everyday items that make them more expensive than they need to be
The stuff that effects everyone and not just the 170,000 people that knew the price of the ticket before they paid for it as the law says
No laws broken ,Ticketmaster sold all tickets as required by the band but some people need to justify their salaries so lets investigate
Might want to get the hotel federation of Ireland also involved. Another group of opportunists.
Liam putting out the fire with gasoline today with his needlessly aggressive social media posts.
This investigation is politically driven and will find nothing illegal. Feigned concern as otherwise politicians would do something about it rather than make Ticketmaster be more transparent when they are ripping you off, rather than ban the practice.
As long as it ends with me at the gig.
@William Rymer: can’t wait to go got my ticket on presale
@Bart:Ever see them before?
@Bart: Its a rough gig but phuck it, if you haven’t seen them yet its worth the agony.
@Eric Gaffney: yeah some of the wilting violets that got tickets will be surprised at the crowd
Would’ve loved to have seen them, but the whole experience the first time around trying to buy tickets has put me off attempting a second time if they announce more gigs….sure why bother?-itll be another fiasco with touts stealing tickets to resell or Ticketmaster (aka legal touts) uping the price to pure insanity. The music industry is nothing more than a money grab now
It’s not just Oasis, I bought a standing ticket for Pantera in 3Arena next Feb in the artist presale, cost me €83.
Same tickets in General Sale were €83.
The next day, even now, 3 months later, the EXACT same tickets are €230 plus fees
@Drin Pog: Aaw them and Alice in Chains when they supported Megadeth back in early 90s at the point depot ,what a gig that was
1995, 5am, outside Zhivago Records, Galway, 2 tickets for REM in Slane. Cost £25.50 each which accounting for inflation works out about €58.20 a ticket in today’s money. There was Luka Bloom who opened, what a cracker, Spearhead, Belly, Sharon Shannon and Oasis, followed by the headliners REM. All were in their prime or thereabouts. 29 years later two of the original Oasis decide to go on tour. Who knows if it’ll even happen? And people are willing to pay €400 and more? And I bet these same folk are giving out about a bicycle shed that cost the same as a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home with a garage. I don’t think Oasis or their promoters, nor Ticketmaster should be accountable for this. It’s the people who feed the dog that bites them that are responsible. Let’s get a grip on reality here.
@D Peader: correct, it’s capitalism. But then why ban touts from doing the same?
They should have a look at the pricing of drink bottles now that the €0.15 cent charge or whatever it is applies. I’m pro the charge but the pricing needs to be transparent. Lots of people really struggling = nobody should hit the till and find out there is nothing on the card because of a hidden charge
@Michael Rossney: if you’re spending your last 1.20 on a can of coke then card is declined because its actually 1.35, I think you’ve bigger issues to worry about.
its ok. for those that didn’t want to pay 400. I’ve 12 tickets for sale. I’ll do it for 350 a pop.
Nobody forced to buy the tickets
@Peter Byrne: its the transperncy…they knew what they where at jumping the prices up and making people panic buy…if people are willing to pay more fool them…if they started with prices at 415 to stand in a field id feel many people would be turned off and would not buy..hence why i feel its all about greed
Jeez …
There will not be one thing done to ticket master and they know it ,watch dog my backside they will not do a thing .too much effort
If Ticket Master are dodgy, then so are the hotel’s, who triple their prices when a gig is on, or a match. And same for Barbers, you’ve to pay nearly €25 for a 5 minute haircut because they wont have another customer for another hour or so. Pure evil. Should be outlawed.
@Father Ted: It’s all Israels faut.
Pair of sreknaw
@dev vrox: definitely
Something is defo wrong.- own experience. Got ticket for Depeche mode last Feb – TIcket went up the roof shortly after they were put on sale. – i gave up buying tickets -… But 2 weeks before the gig , entire rows ideally placed were on sale at initial price. How is that ?
@calimero242: I bought tickets for U2 in Croke Park back in 2009 just few minutes before doors opened for like 37 euro when other friends paid over 100 for same tickets. The news would just say it was sold out which was not really true even if Carole Park was pretty packed.
@MM: F*** automatic correction, Carole Park..
It would be interesting to know if the artists gets a share of the base price only or benefits from the dynamic pricing
Too little too late
Does everything need an “investigation”?
I know it was a rip off and so does everyone else. I suggest that they shove their investigation. The solution is boycott Ticketmaster. I will, for one.
This is all down to the Gallaghers greed. They allowed Ticketmaster to do this. The artists here have the power to kill this practice with a simple ‘No’ to Ticketmaster when they enter contracts fir the gig. Cover price at face value only. Works for Taylor Swift…..
@John Moylan: true, and no change, we’ll don’t go, simple as that
Don’t go,am a fan of Bruce Springsteen, cold play and Oasis, seen them all Oasis in Germany, Coldplay in the park, Bruce Springsteen many times script,bon jovi,simple minds, U2,, UB40, lots now I don’t pay for anymore, they are to greedy, just don’t Pay,
have your say