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StubHub Canada Ltd. and StubHub Inc. have been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging they refused to issue refunds to Canadians who purchased tickets for events that were cancelled, or will likely be cancelled, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The StubHub refund class action lawsuit says customers are entitled to receive a prompt refund in the original form of payment under the terms of their agreements with StubHub, and under Canada’s consumer protection laws.
Plaintiff Shandelle Randall of Mississauga, Ontario, says she purchased four tickets from StubHub for approximately $1,181 for a Toronto Raptors home basketball game that was scheduled for March 24 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
When the NBA suspended its season on March 11, Shandelle reviewed StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee and felt reassured that she would receive a full refund for the price she paid for her tickets if the Raptors game was cancelled.
Later, she learned that StubHub had revised the language of its FanProtect Guarantee to state that customers would receive a credit for a future StubHub purchase instead of a full refund as was initially promised.
StubHub is the largest ticket resale platform in the world, the StubHub refund class action lawsuit says. It generates profit through the fees it charges on each ticket sold.
“A key element of StubHub’s business model is its FanProtect Guarantee, a set of contractual terms and warranties that supplies the crucial element of trust necessary for fans to buy tickets from nameless, faceless sellers over the internet,” the StubHub refund class action lawsuit says.
According to the StubHub ticket refund class action lawsuit, customers have been willing to pay premium prices and hefty fees directly to StubHub largely because of the FanProtect Guarantee, which ensured that refunds would be available for events that are cancelled or for tickets that did not end up granting entry to an event.
Until March 25, StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee reportedly provided full refunds to customers in situations in which the ticketed event was cancelled and not rescheduled. The StubHub ticket refund class action lawsuit alleges that the company began taking steps to limit its liability to its customers once it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a massive impact on live events.
StubHub reportedly sent an email to customers on March 12 offering coupons for 120 percent of the original purchase price paid for tickets to events that had been cancelled as an alternative to a full refund. On March 25, StubHub reportedly changed the terms of its FanProtect Guarantee so that it stated, “if the event is canceled and not rescheduled, you will get a refund or credit for use on a future purchase, as determined in StubHub’s sole discretion (unless a refund is required by law).”
Shandelle says that StubHub knows that the Raptors game will not be rescheduled yet continues to consider the event as postponed instead of cancelled.
“While StubHub continues to claim that the March 24, 2020 Raptors vs Lakers game is ‘postponed’, the game is de facto cancelled,” the StubHub refunds class action lawsuit states. “On May 8, 2020, the NBA Commissioner confirmed that if this season resumes, any rescheduled games will not be played in front of fans.”
“Despite this fact — of which StubHub is surely aware — Shandelle’s event is still listed as ‘postponed’ as of May 19, 2020.”
According to the StubHub ticket refund class action lawsuit, Shandelle has attempted to contact StubHub for a refund. She says she attempted to use the ticket seller’s online customer service chat but received “unhelpful automated replies.” When she called StubHub in April to request a refund, a customer service agent told her that the company could take no action at this time because the event was “postponed” and not cancelled.
Shandelle says she is entitled to the refund that she was promised because the event has been cancelled and can’t be rescheduled. She says she does not want and does not consent to a credit for use on a future StubHub purchase.
To make matters worse, Shandelle says she was laid off from her full-time job on March 26 and the $1,186 she paid to StubHub for a cancelled event would “make an important contribution to her family’s household budget in these difficult times.”
Class Members of the proposed StubHub refund class action lawsuit include all Canadian residents who purchased at least one ticket from StubHub before March 25 for an event that has been cancelled (or will be cancelled by the date the proposed StubHub class action lawsuit is certified), and who have not received a refund.
Did you purchase a ticket from StubHub for an event that has since been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Did you request a refund? Tell us your story in the comment section below!
Shandelle is represented by Kirk M. Baert, James Sayce and Charles Hatt of Koskie Minsky LLP.
The StubHub Refunds Class Action Lawsuit is Shandelle Randall v. StubHub Canada Ltd., et al., Case No. CV-20-00641194-00CP, in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Canada.
Read More Lawsuit & Settlement News:
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22 thoughts onStubHub Facing Class Action Lawsuit Over Refusing Ticket Refunds
I purchased tickets from stub hub one week before my event and the day before event stub hub cancelled. I requested full refund. We went back and forth for weeks they said they had to wait to hear NBA cancellation of entire series for my refund. A week later I heard them cancel on the news channel in return I contacted stub hub again. This happened in March. Stub hun contacted me in June and offered a voucher good until 2021. I requested a refund not a voucher and explained I was not interested in credits why is it so hard for them to give my money back to me. How can I get my funds back without a court hearing
I want to join the lawsuit against Stubhub. I bought Tickets to see Yankees vs St Louis. I spent almost $500 on them. They refuse to give me my money back. Sent me the coupon. We are in a pandemic and money is tight. I need that money to make it through.
I purchased tickets to Blake Shelton concert I New York. Knowing the event was cancelled ,stubhub put it in TBA . The changed wording of its refund policy to exclude cash refunds. The coupons are worthless with a year to use it. This company had defrauded so many people. I want my money back.
I bought tickets from Stubhub for a spinners concert for May 3, 2020 at Rosebowl in California. The event did not happen due to Covid-19. The cost is $270.53. I disputed this charge with Amex who reached out to Stubhub for a refund. Stubhub rejected the request for a refund and now I have to join the classaction lawsuit to get my money back. This company is dishonest and unethical and I will never purchase anything else ever from this company. I cannot believe this company have the audacity to get rich off the back of hard working Americans even during a health crisis like Covid-19 pandemic. This is just disgusting ans full of greed.
I bought 2 tickets for Hamilton in St. Louis, MO. I spent $630.50 on the tickets and I want my money back. SUPER shady for this company to hold my money hostage. I don’t want a 120% voucher. There is nothing to use it on and no guarantee there will be in the time frame they are giving to use it. In a time when people need money more then a voucher, for Stubhub to change their policy is absolutely deplorable.
I purchased my Toronto Raptors tickets for March 24, 2020, under the terms and conditions of contract stating that I will get a full refund for my tickets should event be cancelled. I also received an email stating I will receive refund. There was no clause included that states duration of time before scheduled event be cancelled.
Should the terms of contract at the time purchase be binding?? And any new terms and conditions of 120% value only, apply to new ticket purchases? I want what was promised at time of purchase and that was a guaranteed 100% refund.
After 3 attempts to contact SH for refund since purchase in early March, had been told the same story. No refund until cancellation.
Now the event has been canceled, and only a (limited time) coupon has been issued?
No thanks.
Looking to sign and back Canadian and/or US class action.
I would like to be involved with this with rickets we got and are being denied being refunded our money back
Hi:
I am interested to join the class action suit against Stubhub, as I also purchased tickets to a baseball game with the New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels, for May 29th. The tickets were purchased on March 8th, 2020, and the game was subsequently cancelled. Like several of your clients, I received the offer of a credit voucher for a future game. Unfortunately, due to covid 19 lockdowns, we will not be crossing the border due to restrictions, or travelling anytime soon.
I called and spoke to a representative at Stubhub, and was told I would receive a full refund; however nothing has been received. I am out $225.00 USD, and feel left to twist in the wind with Stubhub’s policies. The tickets were purchased as a gift for my 80 year old father who loves the NYY.
Please contact me with details of your claim, and how soon I can join. Thanks
I just got off the phone with Stubhub and all the gentelman did was read policy wording to me saying that until my game is cancelled there is nothing he can do. That if they postpone it to another day that I would be required to go or let StubHub sell my tickets for me. I asked for a supervisor and he told me that a supervisor wouldn’t talk to me because he coudln’t help me.
I bought Yankees tickets on March 8th 2020 for a game in New York on June 11th – I live in Toronto, Ontario so no matter what happens with the MLB in the next 10 days, I cannot fly until border restricitons are lifted which now are in place until the end of June.
Even if the MLB started today, there would be no way this game would take place on this date.
How can a company like this hold peoples money hostage?