By Chris Schulz
Investigative Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakatewhatewha
When Logan* purchased tickets for a test cricket match in Wellington, he was looking forward to spending a sunny Saturday lying on the Basin Reserve’s grass bank with his kids.
The 5-day test between the Black Caps and the West Indies, started on Wednesday, 10 December.
But it was a one-sided contest and it only took the Black Caps 3 days to win.
"We mopped the floor with them,” says Logan.
That meant the game had finished by Friday, Logan’s Saturday ticket was no longer valid and he was entitled to a refund.
But it’s how long that refund took – more than 6 weeks – that has become the issue.
It’s far longer than we think a refund should take.
How long is too long for a ticket refund?
Logan received an email from Ticketek on the Friday telling him “all tickets will receive a 100% refund” and it would automatically go back onto the card he’d used to buy them.
His refund, Ticketek stated, would be completed within 30 business days. “There is no need to contact us to action the refund,” the email said.
Logan received that email on 12 December. But, by early February, he realised he still hadn’t received his refund, 35 business days since Ticketek had promised it to him.
Logan told this story to a friend who told him the same thing had happened to him. “He’d bought tickets for him and his kid to the same game, and he hadn’t received a refund either.”
Logan messaged Ticketek to find out what had gone wrong and was told the refund had been processed and would be in his account in 1-3 business days.
Why do Ticketek refunds take so long?
On its website, Ticketek says it will only offer a refund “if an event is cancelled, rescheduled or significantly relocated by the seller”.
It does not say how long that refund may take, but, according to the email Logan received, its policy for refunds is 30 business days – that’s at least 6 weeks including weekends and holidays.
Consumer NZ approached Ticketek multiple times for clarification around its refund policy.
We sent a range of questions, including how many other cricket ticket holders were waiting for refunds, why it took so long for Logan to receive his refund, and why he had to approach Ticketek to receive it after 30 business days.
Ticketek didn’t respond to those questions by deadline.
How long do other ticketing companies take?
Consumer surveyed a range of Aotearoa-based ticketing companies to find out how long they tell their customers that refunds will take.
Moshtix promises ticket refunds will take place in 5-10 business days. “You don’t need to do anything,” its website says. “You will receive a notification once your refund has been processed from Moshtix.”
Ticketmaster says refunds will be processed in 14-21 business days, promising “an email from Ticketmaster notifying you” that it has taken place.
AXS says its refunds will be made “usually within 30 business days of the cancellation announcement”.
How long should a ticket refund take?
While there is no official time frame for ticket refunds to take place, businesses have to take reasonable care and skill when providing services – including providing refunds – under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
If an event is cancelled, you’re entitled to a refund, whether you have insurance or not. Consumer expects refunds to be processed within a reasonable timeframe.
In our view, 2 or 3 weeks is reasonable.
If a refund is taking longer than that, and you purchased your tickets via credit card, you could contact your bank to ask for a chargeback. Read our article for more information on how to apply for a chargeback.
*Last name withheld
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