Nancy Stickney is a mom on a mission.
Like so many parents, when tickets to Taylor Swift's wildly popular Eras Tour went on sale in Nov., her daughter was among the millions begging to go.
"Please, mom, please, mom, please can we go," Stickney said she kept hearing from her daughter.
Hoping for the best, Stickney and another mom jumped online and got tickets through StubHub for the June 17 show in Pittsburgh.
"I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe I made this happen,'" she recalled.
They made travel and hotel plans and surprised their daughters with the news on each one's birthday. They were thrilled.
"There were some tears," smiled Stickney.
She said what made it special to her was the fact that this was something she would be able to do with her 15-year-old daughter.
"Absolutely," she said. "That was the driver!"
Which made what happened next even more devastating.
On Monday, seven months after buying the tickets, and just days before the big concert, Nancy says StubHub emailed her to inform her that the seller would be unable to provide the tickets she originally purchased.
"My first thought was, how am I going to tell my daughter?”
StubHub's “FanProtect Guarantee” ensures that customers will get a full refund or comparable or better tickets if something like this happens.
Stickney said she tried calling the site but didn't immediately get through.
Stickney then reached out to News 5. We contacted StubHub, who sent us this statement:
"StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee ensures that a ticket buyer will get in the door, and if any issue occurs, we’ll find an equivalent or better ticket, or provide a full refund, but our priority is always to get our customers in the door. For Ms. Stickney, we provided upgraded replacement tickets to the same show, per our policy, at no additional cost."
Stickney says she's grateful for the quick response but wonders how something like this can happen.
"Where did this go wrong," she said.
StubHub tells us its policy ensures sellers get paid only if a buyer gets in the door and they are fined if additional measures require StubHub to purchase another ticket to get the buyer into the event. Further, if it’s apparent a seller is acting maliciously, StubHub will suspend them and even work with law enforcement, if warranted.
StubHub said penalties for sellers not delivering tickets can range by the degree of the error and what the end result is for the buyer. They can charge the seller what it costs to replace the tickets but said their goal is to support both buyers and sellers, so they try to be reasonable with fan sellers who are experiencing a first-time issue.
StubHub said it is experiencing record-breaking demand for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, accounting for 70% of ticket orders for the tour on StubHub.
StubHub said its number one priority is to make sure each ticket buyer gets in the door and has implemented new customer communications and processes to help first-time sellers on the platform and minimize any issues that may arise.
In the meantime, the countdown to Taylor is growing closer for Stickney and company. The girls are busy making bracelets. Everyone is planning their outfits and can't wait to live out their wildest dreams.
"The party to Pittsburgh is just four friends road-tripping,” said Stickney. “We're going to walk to the concert and just enjoy every single minute of it!”
StubHub provided these customer tips:
1. Always use a service that offers an order guarantee and provides customer service to support your needs.
2. Monitor your inbox and junk mail for your ticket delivery confirmation and details -- you should receive this on the day of purchase.
3. Check the order confirmation to be sure the tickets are for the date and time you intended. If anything is incorrect, immediately contact customer service.
4. Review the ticket delivery details provided by StubHub in an email. Delivery methods vary by artist, venue, and event.
5. Accept ticket transfers from the seller immediately to give you time to contact support, if necessary.
6. Contact customer service immediately if tickets are not delivered by the date provided in the initial email or if you have issues downloading the tickets to allow ample time to resolve and offer replacement tickets if necessary.
StubHub also provided the following tips for first-time fan ticket sellers:
- Use a trusted platform: Use a trusted platform with a guarantee that ensures you get paid for a sale and offers accessible customer service should you encounter any issues.
- Disclose all ticket details: When listing your tickets, be sure you include all available information or notes about your ticket provided by the primary ticket issuer, such as “obstructed view,” to ensure you don’t get charges for listing inaccurate information and having a dissatisfied buyer.
- Double-check your info: Be sure you have the event date, location, seat locations and your desired price point listed accurately. On StubHub, you cannot cancel a sale without penalty if you can’t fulfill what you’ve listed.
- Watch for sales confirmation: When your ticket has sold, StubHub will send you confirmation details with information about how and when to transfer your tickets. There is usually a deadline, so read carefully and don’t miss it, or your sale will be considered incomplete and be canceled.
- Complete and confirm your transfer: Once you’ve followed the instructions to complete your sale, be sure to return to the ticket sales section on your account page to confirm the transfer and mark your sale as complete. If you skip this step, we may presume the order is still outstanding and take further action. Contact global customer service immediately - if you have any issues, don’t wait!
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