Consumer Authority orders websites reselling admission tickets to make changes
The Consumer Authority has imposed an order subject to a penalty (in the event of non-compliance) upon four companies reselling admission tickets to concerts and (sports) events online. The orders were imposed as the companies involved were not adequately complying with rules relating to the provision of information to consumers.
The Consumer Authority has ordered the companies concerned to make the following changes to their websites:
- To state that the tickets are being resold
- To inform consumers of the possible risks they may incur by purchasing tickets via the website
- To indicate the true price of the tickets
- To include details of the company operating the website
The order relates to the following websites:
- 4alltickets.nl
- Tickets4events.nl
- Budgetticket.nl
- Onlineticketshop.nl
- Worldticketshop.nl
If the necessary adjustments are not made in good time, the companies will incur incremental penalties of up to 5000 euros per violation per week, up to a maximum of €100,000 per violation. The companies involved have undertaken to make the required adjustments.
Bernadette van Buchem, Director of the Consumer Authority explains: "It is important that consumers are able to make an informed choice, based upon accurate information. The fact that the companies are now going to amend their websites is a positive outcome for consumers and it goes without saying that we will continue to monitor this situation critically."
The Consumer Authority - our approach
For some time now, the Consumer Authority has taken a number of steps in order to ensure that websites involved in the reselling of admission tickets improve the information they provide to consumers. In May 2010, the Consumer Authority announced that it intended to take action against websites that failed to provide the necessary information. Five companies subsequently amended their websites to bring them into line with the statutory rules. In the case of the websites listed above, the Consumer Authority has now imposed an order subject to a penalty (in the event of non-compliance). During the next few months, the Consumer Authority will seek to identify further websites that do not yet comply with the rules and may therefore be suitable to receive the same type of order.
In its Agenda for 2010, the Consumer Authority identified combating unfair commercial practices on-line as one of its priority areas. Enforcing compliance relating to the sale of admission tickets online forms one of its areas of focus in that regard.