You’re stoked.
Your favorite band just announced a massive world tour and you’re determined to score tickets before they sell out.
You jump online and…crud. The official ticket vendor’s website is a nightmarish queue stretching for miles.
Then you remember a site advertising a huge inventory of tickets for that very show. It’s called Viagogo.
“This could be my lucky break!” you think.
But before you punch in your credit card details, a nagging doubt creeps in: “Is Viagogo legit? Or is it too good to be true?”
You’re not alone in wondering. Viagogo is one of the biggest and most controversial players in the ticket resale industry.
Today I’m going to give you the unvarnished truth about Viagogo’s business practices, pricing, customer policies and more. We’ll look at real user experiences (both good and nightmarish), investigate Viagogo’s legal battles, and get insights from industry experts.
By the end, you’ll have all the facts to decide if Viagogo is a legitimate service worth using or a scam to be avoided at all costs.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What is Viagogo and How Does It Work?
Viagogo is an online ticket marketplace that allows people to buy and resell tickets for concerts, sports, theater and other live events.
Unlike official box offices or authorized ticket sellers, Viagogo doesn’t sell tickets directly from event organizers. Instead, it provides a platform for individual buyers and sellers (including professional resellers) to list tickets at prices they set.
When you buy a ticket on Viagogo, you’re purchasing from a third-party, not the event venue. Viagogo simply facilitates the transaction and delivery for a commission (more on those fees later).
It’s a demand-driven resale model. Sellers list tickets hoping to sell for a profit, while buyers snap up hard-to-get tickets marked up over face value.
That’s Viagogo’s core value proposition: providing a marketplace for tickets that are sold out or unavailable elsewhere.
Before we examine if this model is legit, let’s look at some quick facts about Viagogo:
- Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Switzerland
- Claims to operate the world’s largest secondary ticketing platform
- Lists over 4 million tickets across 180+ countries
- Was bought by private equity firms for $4 billion in 2020
- Earned €853 million revenue in 2019 (pre-Covid)
With such massive scale, you’d assume Viagogo is 100% legitimate, right? Well, it’s complicated…
Is Viagogo Legal? The Legitimacy and Legality Debate
The short answer is: Viagogo operates in a legal gray area that varies from country to country.
In many regions, ticket scalping and resale laws are hazy at best. Viagogo capitalizes on this murky status, tailoring disclaimers and policies to jurisdictions where secondary markets are unregulated.
Other regions, however, have tightened rules around resale pricing and transparency. And there, Viagogo has repeatedly clashed with authorities over legitimacy concerns.
Let’s look at some of Viagogo’s most high-profile legal battles:
The UK: Massive Fines for Misleading Customers
In the UK, Viagogo faced tremendous scrutiny from regulators, consumer organizations, and even Parliament over deceptive business practices.
In 2018, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) got a court order forcing Viagogo to make major changes including:
- Being transparent about listing sellers’ identity (not falsely claiming tickets were from an “official” source)
- Clearly displaying fees upfront instead of burying them
- Making it easy for buyers to get refunds or resell tickets they can’t use
When Viagogo repeatedly failed to comply, the company faced fines totaling over £4 million ($5.2 million).
Ultimately, Viagogo still operates in the UK but with enhanced disclaimers and customer protections.
Australia: Fined Over $7 Million for Consumer Law Breaches
In Australia, the Federal Court found Viagogo misled consumers into believing tickets were scarce (i.e. falsely advertising “only a few tickets left”). Additionally, Viagogo failed to disclose fees upfront.
For these violations, Viagogo was slapped with penalties totalling AUD$7 million plus nearly AUD$1 million in compliance costs.
Switzerland: Fined Over Lack of License
In Viagogo’s headquarters of Switzerland, the company was fined for failing to have the required license to resell tickets in the country. The fine totaled CHF 1.2 million.
Italy, Spain and Beyond: Clashes With Regulators and Venues
Across Europe, Viagogo has repeatedly duked it out with regulators and even venues barring the resale of certain tickets.
For example, in Italy, Viagogo was sued by entertainment associations and slapped with a cease and desist for mapping tickets as their own. Italy ultimately ruled Viagogo illegally profited off tickets for a 2015 Coldplay tour.
In Spain, soccer giant FC Barcelona banned Viagogo from reselling tickets, alleging the company was breaking resale laws.
Despite this patchwork of legal defeats, a Viagogo spokesperson said in 2019 they saw “no need to change the way we do business in any way.”
So while running afoul of laws in some countries, Viagogo has managed to press on — thanks in part to the complexity of ticket resale regulations worldwide.
What the Experts Say About Viagogo
Across the events industry, experts hold strong opinions on Viagogo’s legitimacy — and most major performers, teams and promoters want nothing to do with the company.
Industry bodies like STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers) have blasted Viagogo as “one of the most anti-consumer websites in Europe for entertainment tickets.”
STAR argues Viagogo takes advantage of under-regulated markets to dodge transparency and “engage in online fraud.” They claim Viagogo repeatedly misleads by guaranteeing tickets it doesn’t actually possess.
Venues vs. Viagogo: An Adversarial Relationship
Clearly, venues and event promoters tend to dislike sites like Viagogo that enable unauthorized ticket resales.
Legendary venues including Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden have taken legal action against Viagogo to prevent scalping. Their goal is to protect fans from excessive markups and fraud.
Event producers also take issue with Viagogo. For example, the makers of the Broadway mega-hit Hamilton launched a #ShowScammer campaign after Viagogo claimed to have premium tickets but couldn’t deliver.
However, Viagogo dismisses these industry criticisms as “anti-competitive” protectionism. They note that many other industries leverage third-party marketplaces, so what’s different about live events?
That said, a growing list of performers have blasted Viagogo practices as harming their fans. Artists including Ed Sheeran, Eric Clapton and Mumford & Sons have openly denounced the platform.
Industry insider views are just one perspective, though. Let’s examine user experiences to see if Viagogo’s fans match its critics…
Real User Experiences With Viagogo (The Good and the Bad)
While industry opposition is strong, user reviews on Viagogo are actually quite mixed. Some swear by the service’s inventory and delivery guarantees, while others claim to have been deceived.
A sampling of Viagogo reviews shows the full spectrum of customer sentiment. Here are some real accounts from across the web…
The GOOD:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I buy through Viagogo maybe once or twice a year for shows/concerts – delivery is always been fine (24-48 hrs before the event), no dramas getting in, and they offer decent customer assistance if any issues arise.” – Lisa P. on Trustpilot
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I had a great experience with Viagogo. I was able to get my tickets for an amazing price and with ease. The tickets were delivered to me in a timely fashion, and they were legitimate tickets. I would definitely purchase through Viagogo again.” – Comment on Reddit
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Just used them for a sold out show and it all went great. Tickets arrived by email a few days before. Had no issues getting in. Seats were as described. Would definitely use them again.” – Chris H. on Facebook
The BAD:
⭐
“DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! I purchased 4 tickets to an event off Viagogo & when I turned up at the event the tickets were not valid. As Viagogo are unlawful ticket touts they sell fraudulent tickets to events & rob people blind all the time. Not fit for purpose as a company.” – James P. on Google Reviews
⭐⭐
“AVOID. Had to raise disputes with credit card companies after tickets I purchased were determined invalid. Their “guarantee” policy is as fraudulent as the tickets they source from scalpers and lists for resale. What a scam.” – Angela Y. on Sitejabber
⭐
“Viagogo are clever people, the website design confused me and I accidentally bought tickets from a third party at an inflated price thinking they were from the venue. When I tried to get a refund and buy tickets from the venue, they were already sold out. AVOID!” – Facebook comment
As you can see, experiences run the gamut. Some buyers sail through with no issues, while others feel scammed and fleeced with limited recourse.
But before we render any verdict on Viagogo’s legitimacy, there’s one key factor we need to analyze…
The Viagogo “Buyer’s Guarantee”: Fine Print You Need to Know
Viagogo is well aware that buying resale tickets can be risky. As such, they offer a much-touted “100% Buyer’s Guarantee” as their key selling point.
This guarantee ostensibly protects you if:
- Your tickets don’t arrive at all
- Your tickets don’t work at the entrance
- Your event is canceled or rescheduled
Sounds great, but you need to understand the fine print of this “guarantee”:
- Your purchase is only valid if the event organizer honors the ticket. Viagogo claims no responsibility if the barcode is rejected or the seat doesn’t exist.
- To get a refund for invalid, canceled or rescheduled tickets, you must file a claim within a very short window: 14 days for many events and just 72 hours for high-demand ones like playoffs!
- Rescheduled events do NOT qualify for refunds. You may be offered equivalent replacement tickets or a voucher, but no cash back.
- Viagogo’s notes state they may not be able to find valid replacement tickets, even if your original order had issues.
- Viagogo caps their maximum liability at the ticket price paid plus service fees – so no compensation for other costs like travel.
- Lastly, the onus is on you to prove your tickets were invalid or you were denied entry – a tough ask at a crowded event. Viagogo can reject evidence they deem insufficient.
As you can see, this “guarantee” has plenty of gaps and restrictions. It leaves wiggle room for Viagogo to deny claims in many cases.
For its part, Viagogo says the guarantee is “a leader in the secondary ticketing industry.” But that generous viewpoint isn’t shared by most consumer advocates.
“The guarantee is a get-out from having to do anything,” slams Michael Horest, founder of the FanFair Alliance which monitors the industry. “As soon as anyone tries to claim a refund, Viagogo simply says it doesn’t apply.”
In other words, critics suggest this “guarantee” is more marketing spin than meaningful protection for buyers.
Overall, high-profile user complaints and messy fine print raise plenty of doubts about Viagogo’s legitimacy and business ethics. However, before we render a verdict, there’s one other critical factor to examine…
Are Viagogo’s Prices and Fees Legit? Breaking It All Down
If Viagogo was simply a trusted platform connecting fans at face value, the legitimacy debate may not be so heated.
However, Viagogo’s business model revolves around resale markups on high-demand tickets – markups that often draw accusations of unfair profiteering.
Here’s how Viagogo prices actually break down:
- Ticket Face Value: The original sticker price
- Resale Markup: Extra markup added by the ticket seller
- Service Fees: Commissions charged by Viagogo itself
So on a $100 face value ticket, you could easily pay $250 with a seller’s $100 markup plus Viagogo’s service fees of 25% or more.
As you might expect, service fees that high tend to really rub fans the wrong way. Seeing their favorite headliners’ tickets marked up 150% or more leaves many feeling ripped off and mistreated.
But Viagogo maintains their markups simply reflect fair market value dictated by supply and demand. And service fees are ostensibly to cover business costs like payment processing, customer service, etc.
Legitimate business expenses or opportunistic exploitation of fans? That’s the crux of the pricing debate.
Let’s examine some actual Viagogo markups and fees to put things in perspective:
Insider Look at Viagogo Ticket Pricing and Fees
To get a real-world sense of Viagogo pricing, I analyzed listings for an upcoming Adele concert:
**Adele ** Las Vegas Residency Face Value: $85
- On Viagogo, the cheapest ticket was listed at $487 including all fees. That’s a 472% markup over face value!
- The most expensive ticket? $42,281 for a single ticket. Yes, over 40 grand – and that excludes Viagogo’s additional service fees.
To be fair, the bulk of Viagogo listings fell in the $300-$600 range after all fees were accounted for.
But even at the lower end, you’re still paying a 3x markup over face value before Viagogo’s cut. That’s certainly not cheap.
And compared to other resale sites, Viagogo’s fees tend to be on the higher end of the spectrum.
How Viagogo’s Fees Compare to Other Resellers
The secondary ticketing industry is packed with options like StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and TicketClub. All charge fees to some degree, but how does Viagogo stack up?
According to MoneyPuck, a site that analyzes ticket prices across the resale market, Viagogo’s total fees tend to be highest. They found that while sellers absorb around 10% at other sites, Viagogo’s cut can top 25-30%.
“The additional markups buyers face with Viagogo tend to make their tickets significantly more expensive than other sites,” reports MoneyPuck’s analysts.
Premium Listings: The Viagogo Upsell
In addition to service fees on regular listings, Viagogo also highlights “Premium Listings” or “Official Premium” tickets with even steeper markups attached.
For example, a cursory search for Ed Sheeran tickets turned up Viagogo Premium listings priced far higher than face value or typical resale levels. These seats were seemingly no different – just insanely overpriced for no clear reason.
The same pricing pattern emerged for other major events like the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
So not only are you dealing with resale markups and service fees, Viagogo may try to upsell you on “Premium” inventory that’s dramatically overpriced despite appearing superficially similar.
To Viagogo’s credit, markups and fees are disclosed in each listing summary before purchase. But given how the pricing stacks up, shopping on the platform requires serious scrutiny.
Okay, now that we’ve covered the legitimacy questions around Viagogo’s origin, legal status, customer policies and pricing, let’s answer the central question…
Is Viagogo Legit or a Scam? The Final Verdict
After examining all available evidence, the truth about Viagogo is a mixed bag.
Viagogo is not an outright scam in the sense of being an illegitimate business operation. It is an established, legally incorporated company with millions of users spanning the globe.
However, major question marks linger regarding Viagogo’s questionable business practices, lack of transparency, vague credibility assurances, extremely high fees and legal violations in some jurisdictions.
So while not an outright fraud, Viagogo employs ethically dubious tactics that tend to disadvantage and mislead consumers, according to numerous critics.
Put another way: just because something’s legal doesn’t make it aboveboard or consumer-friendly. And that’s the heart of the Viagogo controversy.
Let’s summarize some key legitimacy concerns about Viagogo:
- Lack of Transparency and Dubious Guarantees
Despite touting a “100% Guarantee”, Viagogo’s terms are loaded with loopholes that can leave you high and dry with no recourse. As many users attest, getting a refund is extraordinarily difficult.
- High Risk of Buying Invalid or Counterfeit Tickets
By acting merely as a third-party marketplace, Viagogo has no means of authenticating if resellers actually possess legitimate tickets. This leaves you vulnerable to getting ripped off by dishonest sellers.
- Excessive Markups and Fees
When you factor in hefty upcharges by resellers and bloated service fees, Viagogo ticket prices frequently soar to exorbitant levels over face value. For many fans, that stinks of exploitation and greed
- Adversarial Relationship with Venues and Artists
Viagogo practices have drawn ire from artists, teams and venues who see the company as enabling profiteering and fraud at fans’ expense. This adversarial relationship underscores concerns about legitimacy.
- Legal Violations and Fines in Multiple Countries
From the UK and Australia to Switzerland and beyond, Viagogo has repeatedly run afoul of regulators and consumer protection laws. The millions in fines levied suggest shady conduct.
- Complaints of Shady Marketing and Hidden Fees
Even if you manage to buy legitimate tickets, former customers complain about misleading pricing tactics used on Viagogo’s platform. Hidden fees and bait-and-switch upsells are common grievances.
Given these many red flags, it’s understandable why so many entertainers, lawmakers and consumer advocates have blasted Viagogo’s practices as deceptive or unethical.
At the same time, plenty of fans have used Viagogo without issue and insist the site provides a valuable service for accessing sold-out events. They claim scams are the exception rather than norm.
This then brings us to the key consideration…
Should You Use Viagogo? Verdict
Despite legitimacy concerns, Viagogo persists as one of the largest players in an admittedly murky ticketing resale industry.
The service does offer access to otherwise sold-out events if you’re willing to gamble on markups and legitimacy risks. And some fans find value in that despite the downsides.
However, with so many consumer protection issues looming, only you can decide whether potential rewards from Viagogo outweigh the risks and ethical concerns about its practices.
For budget-conscious fans simply looking for face value tickets, other options like joining venue presales or fan clubs make more sense. You could also try getting verified resale tickets through trusted sites, apps or even Reddit exchanges.
But if you’ve struck out everywhere else and are comfortable potentially overpaying (maybe even a lot) for the chance at accessing a sold-out show, Viagogo becomes an option worth considering.
In the end, you must make an educated assessment of Viagogo’s legitimacy after looking at all the evidence, both for and against.
Just be sure to take every precaution like:
- Only buying from sellers with great ratings and delivery history on Viagogo
- Carefully checking your tickets for signs of duplication or counterfeiting
- Filing any claim for replacement or refund ASAP if your tickets prove invalid
- Using a credit card with solid fraud protection for additional peace of mind
And of course, feel free to avoid Viagogo altogether if you find their pricing and practices overly objectionable or risky. There’s no shame in prioritizing affordability and ethical conduct over snagging sold-out tickets at any cost.
Because while Viagogo provides a service some fans need, the company’s moral legitimacy will always be up for debate until substantive changes are made.
