Ireland’s consumer protection agency has expressed “valid worries regarding consumer experiences when purchasing concert tickets” for Oasis, stating that it is “vigorously examining the situation” following intervention by the government. This development followed a weekend where numerous Oasis fans spent hours waiting on the Ticketmaster platform hoping for a chance to see the band performing at Croke Park next summer.
The high demand led to a spike in some ticket prices on the official selling website on Saturday morning due to the implementation of the so-called in-demand pricing. MCD, the gig promoter initially put out an advertisement stating tickets for the shows next August were “beginning from €86.50”. However, as the general sale continued on Saturday, Ticketmaster introduced what is interchangeably referred to as dynamic pricing which resulted in the cost of standing tickets for the Croke Park pitch rising to €415, not inclusive of a service charge exceeding €10 imposed by Ticketmaster.
This drastic increase in ticket prices caused widespread anger amongst fans leading to demands for a probe. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission stated that according to consumer law in Ireland, consumers only need to be “educationally informed of a product’s complete price, including charges, prior to purchase”.
According to a spokeswoman, the commission’s remit “within the ticket pricing context is to guarantee that clear and precise information is provided to customers, for example, they ought to be informed of all booking and relevant fees before making payment”. Yet, a spokeswoman from the CCPC declared on Monday that a review has commenced and they will now contemplate “all potential courses of action to guarantee compliance with consumer protection laws”.
Enterprise Minister, Peter Burke, has expressed his dedication to ensuring that consumers are adequately informed about pricing prior to making a purchase, this includes ticket sales. He highlighted the recent controversy surrounding Oasis ticket sales, which led to some consumers experiencing upset, and has requested that the CCPC provide him with an analysis of the pricing techniques used.
Dara Calleary, the assistant minister, reinforced the requirement under consumer law for traders to provide pricing information to consumers before they purchase tickets, essential for making informed decisions. He stressed the importance for consumers to understand their rights and reassured that his department will continue collaborating with CCPC to uphold consumer protection.
The department clarified that in terms of flexible pricing, companies have the liberty to determine their product prices and to modify them based on demand or other influencing elements. However, an accurate price must be shown to the customer before completing the sale, thus enabling them to choose whether or not to proceed. It was emphasised that this is mandatory under consumer protection law.