See Tickets Class Action: Ticketing Platform Accused of Drip Pricing

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims See Tickets engaged in drip pricing and hid fees, misleading consumers about the true cost of tickets and violating New York's Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.

Consumers Affected: Consumers who purchased tickets to events in New York through See Tickets' website.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

See Tickets, an online ticketing platform owned by Vivendi Ticketing USA, is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that the company misled consumers about the total cost of tickets.

Filed by Solomon Fortune in a New York federal court on November 5, 2024, the action claims that See Tickets violated New York's Arts and Cultural Affairs Law by not clearly displaying the total ticket cost, including all ancillary fees, before customers select their tickets for purchase.

See Tickets operates a website and mobile app that allows users to purchase tickets for various events, including concerts, festivals, theater performances, and sporting events. The company generates revenue by charging service fees, processing fees, and other ancillary fees in addition to the face value of the tickets.

See Tickets Accused of Misleading Consumers About Ticket Costs

The class action alleges that See Tickets engages in "drip pricing," a practice where the company gradually reveals the full price of a product or service by adding fees and surcharges throughout the purchase process. This practice, the plaintiffs argue, misleads consumers about the true cost of tickets and can cause them to pay more than they initially expected.

Specifically, the complaint claims that See Tickets' website and app do not clearly disclose the total cost of tickets, including all fees, before customers select their tickets for purchase. Instead, it displays an item price along with vague "service fees" and "facility fees" without clearly indicating whether these fees are included in the quoted price or added later.

The class action also alleges that See Tickets uses a "shot clock" tactic to pressure customers into making quick purchase decisions. It claims that the company displays a message stating that it cannot hold tickets for an extended period, creating a sense of urgency and potentially preventing customers from fully understanding the total cost before completing their purchase.

This practice, according to the lawsuit, violates New York's Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, which requires ticket sellers to disclose the total cost of a ticket, including all fees, before the ticket is selected for purchase. The law also prohibits the use of misleading or deceptive practices in the sale of tickets.

Consumer Claims See Tickets Violated New York Ticketing Laws

Fortune, a resident of New York, purchased two tickets to events in Brooklyn through See Tickets' website. He claims that the website did not clearly disclose the total cost of the tickets, including all fees, before he selected them for purchase. He also alleges that the website's "shot clock" tactic pressured him into making a quick decision without fully understanding the total cost.

Fortune argues that See Tickets' practices misled him and other consumers into paying more for tickets than they would have if the total cost had been clearly disclosed upfront. 

Other Ticketing Platforms Face Similar Legal Challenges

This action against See Tickets is part of a broader trend of legal action against ticketing companies over their fee disclosure and pricing practices. 

In California, StubHub is being sued for allegedly misleading customers about final costs by failing to adequately disclose fees upfront. Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, face class action lawsuits and antitrust claims accusing them of employing monopolistic practices to inflate prices and limit competition. 

In the See Tickets class action lawsuit, Fortune seeks to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased tickets to events in New York through See Tickets' website on or after August 29, 2022.

He is suing for actual and statutory damages, attorneys' fees, and injunctive relief to prevent See Tickets from continuing its allegedly misleading ticketing practices. He also aims to ensure that the company complies with New York's Arts and Cultural Affairs Law by clearly disclosing the total cost of tickets, including all fees, before customers make their purchase decisions.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Solomon Fortune v Vivendi Ticketing US, LLC d/b/a See Tickets USA, LLC
• Case Number: 1:24-cv-08415-JPC
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Philip L. Fraietta, Stefan Bogdanovich (Bursor & Fisher, P.A.)

Have you purchased tickets through See Tickets? Share your experience with their pricing and fee disclosures in the comments below.