Acknowledged by Forbes as one of the leading companies for resale tickets, StubHub is considered a go-to online for snatching last-minute tickets. But recently, they’ve been catching some heat on social media from unsatisfied customers.
One content creator called out the company for returning her Taylor Swift ticket purchase without her approval. Another woman slammed the brand for not reimbursing her for an error she made while selling tickets.
And now, another TikTok user has come forward with their own negative experience using the platform.
What’s happening with StubHub?
In a video posted on Sept. 30 that has now reached over 65,000 views, TikTok user @bigyellowbean vents about her recent experience using the resale site.
She became stressed after recognizing that the Sabrina Carpenter tickets she purchased on StubHub weren’t digitally available to view leading up to the concert.
After being reassured by her communications with the company that her tickets were still in good standing, she arrived at Madison Square Garden, dressed and ready for the show.
@bigyellowbean found out the hard way, right before the concert started, that her tickets were invalid and that the venue could not give her tickets as the show had sold out.
“I’ve never experienced such scam and unhelpful customer service,” she wrote in the caption of the post.
When the tickets first went live, the TikToker explains that she grabbed a ticket to the Madison Square Garden show via StubHub. She says she paid $200 for a ticket at the time, but tickets have since skyrocketed to nearly $1,000.
While StubHub refunded her the initial cost she paid, @bigyellowbean was unable to purchase new, valid tickets at this higher price point.
Commenters weigh in on Madison Square Garden’s ticket policies
One commenter who claims to have previously worked at Madison Square Garden offered her two cents into the situation.
“That venue exclusively uses Ticketmaster. If it’s not transferred into your TM account, you won’t get in,” she advises. “They don’t print tickets here either”.
The MSG website only gives instructions for event goers to use the Ticketmaster app to gain access into the venue.
@bigyellowbean Actually F you @StubHub. Ive never experienced such scam and unhelpful customer service. #stubhubscam #sabrinacarpenter ♬ original sound – bigyellowbean
How is StubHub dealing with ticket scammers?
When it comes to resale frauds in general, an Aura 2023 report exposed that approximately 12% of ticket buyers, which is almost 11 million Americans, get scammed on these online ticket sites annually.
StubHub has a legal page on its official website where the company denies full responsibility for any scam tickets that consumers might purchase on its site.
“We have no control over and do not guarantee the existence, quality, safety or legality of the Tickets,” its statement reads.
However, the brand also has a satisfaction policy with every purchase, called the FanProtect Guarantee.
According to the guarantee’s description, the company will honor situations like this with either a full refund or replacement tickets to the same event whenever possible.
In @bigyellowbean’s case, even though she received a refund for her tickets, the last-minute tickets for the concert were over triple the original price she paid, leaving her financially whole but still out of a concert experience.
StubHub lists only one consequence for sellers caught scamming on the site: issuing a temporary or permanent suspension if an investigation concludes that a seller violates their rules of issuing valid tickets.
As of publication, there is no class action lawsuit filed against StubHub.
The Daily Dot has reached out to StubHub via email and to @bigyellowbean via TikTok DM and comment.
Update 12:33pm ET Oct. 3: In an email to the Daily Dot, a StubHub representative noted there is no incentive for StubHub sellers to list invalid tickets, as they aren’t paid until the ticket buyer has made it into the show.
The representative also said the company issued a $487.14 credit to @bigyellowbean, in addition to the refund for the initial cost. However, in a comment on her initial video, @bigyellowbean said that StubHub only offered a credit of $140 in addition to the refund.
“No ability to secure new tickets as they’re 5x the price I originally got them at, and StubHub hasn’t offered enough compensation to afford the new price of my seats,” @bigyellowbean wrote in a direct message to the Daily Dot. “I’d probably want StubHub to do better at validating their sellers or provide better compensation to me if something like this occurs.”
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
