I've been using Stubhub for many years without any issues, but this time was very different. On December 13th I bought 2 tickets in section C216, right at the 50 yard line in row 1. I paid about $150 per ticket, including fees. The Stubhub site indicated the tickets would be available by December 29th as a mobile transfer, a method commonly used these days. Not the greatest arrangement, but I have had tickets delivered fairly close to game days before, so I trusted them. Here's what went down:
On December 28th, I called Stubhub and told them I didn't have my tickets yet. I also mentioned that I was flying to the game early on December 30th and had to have tickets in hand before that date. They told me not to worry, that the seller was one of their biggest ticket providers. On December 29th I still hadn't heard from Stubhub. My account clearly said that the tickets would be ready by December 29th. When I called Stubhub again, they said they had until midnight to produce the tickets. At 10PM I called again and asked them what could possibly happen in the next 2 hours that hasn't happened in the last 16 days to produce the tickets? Again, they said they had until midnight.
At midnight, now December 30th, still no tickets. I contacted them by chat (only method available) and said their ticket replacement people were not in until 5AM. At 5AM, 1.5 hours before I had to leave for the airport, I called again and requested replacements. They wanted to put me on the Illinois side. No bueno. I settled for tickets in C213, but again I had to get them by mobile transfer. The agent called the seller while I was on hold and assured me that I would have them in 15 minutes.
So I take my shower and after 45 minutes still no tickets. I call Stubhub and tell them the clock has run out on them again and I want a refund. They tell me the tickets are coming, put me on hold, and give me a hard time about the refund. I tell them they had their chances and I was done. Finally they approved a refund. I then get on Ticketmaster and buy 2 retail (not verified resale) tickets in C214, row 18 for $125 plus fees. I had them on my phone immediately, then left for the airport.
Here's something that surprised me: At no time in the process with Stubhub did I receive a communication of any kind that alerted me to a possible issue, not on December 29th and not even when the tickets were overdue on December 30th. No communication whatsoever. As a matter of fact, on December 30th on my Stubhub account page it still said "Tickets ready by December 29th." No red flags, no message on how to proceed, no nothing. You're on your own fella, start scrambling.
Lesson learned: When you purchase tickets, avoid those that claim the tickets will be ready less than 3 days from the event date. There really is no reason for that. I'm not sure exactly what happened in my case. Was it fraud? Did the seller just have a brain fart? Who knows, but looking back, and knowing that all the tickets were released from the ATOs and Ticketmaster weeks before the game, my December 29 availability date should have been a red flag to me. I wasn't concerned due to all my previous experience with Stubhub. Anyway, something to think about for your next purchase.
On December 28th, I called Stubhub and told them I didn't have my tickets yet. I also mentioned that I was flying to the game early on December 30th and had to have tickets in hand before that date. They told me not to worry, that the seller was one of their biggest ticket providers. On December 29th I still hadn't heard from Stubhub. My account clearly said that the tickets would be ready by December 29th. When I called Stubhub again, they said they had until midnight to produce the tickets. At 10PM I called again and asked them what could possibly happen in the next 2 hours that hasn't happened in the last 16 days to produce the tickets? Again, they said they had until midnight.
At midnight, now December 30th, still no tickets. I contacted them by chat (only method available) and said their ticket replacement people were not in until 5AM. At 5AM, 1.5 hours before I had to leave for the airport, I called again and requested replacements. They wanted to put me on the Illinois side. No bueno. I settled for tickets in C213, but again I had to get them by mobile transfer. The agent called the seller while I was on hold and assured me that I would have them in 15 minutes.
So I take my shower and after 45 minutes still no tickets. I call Stubhub and tell them the clock has run out on them again and I want a refund. They tell me the tickets are coming, put me on hold, and give me a hard time about the refund. I tell them they had their chances and I was done. Finally they approved a refund. I then get on Ticketmaster and buy 2 retail (not verified resale) tickets in C214, row 18 for $125 plus fees. I had them on my phone immediately, then left for the airport.
Here's something that surprised me: At no time in the process with Stubhub did I receive a communication of any kind that alerted me to a possible issue, not on December 29th and not even when the tickets were overdue on December 30th. No communication whatsoever. As a matter of fact, on December 30th on my Stubhub account page it still said "Tickets ready by December 29th." No red flags, no message on how to proceed, no nothing. You're on your own fella, start scrambling.
Lesson learned: When you purchase tickets, avoid those that claim the tickets will be ready less than 3 days from the event date. There really is no reason for that. I'm not sure exactly what happened in my case. Was it fraud? Did the seller just have a brain fart? Who knows, but looking back, and knowing that all the tickets were released from the ATOs and Ticketmaster weeks before the game, my December 29 availability date should have been a red flag to me. I wasn't concerned due to all my previous experience with Stubhub. Anyway, something to think about for your next purchase.
