ComplaintsforEventgroove

• Initial Complaint

  08/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased tickets to ***** ****** concert through Event Groove and he cancelled his tour for health reasons. I paid through Event Groove and they refuse to refund my money. They told me to go ask the the organizers who have ghosted me. Event Groove sold the tickets and received my money in the amount of $147.35. I want my full refund since through no fault of my own the event was cancelled.

  

  Business response

  09/09/2021

  September 9, 2021
  
  
  Lance T*******
  CEO
  Eventgroove
  22 S Central Ave
  Harlowton, MT  59036
  
  
  
  ******* **********
  Disputes Resolutions Specialist
  Better Business Bureau
  12639 W Explorer Dr, STE 200
  Boise, ID. 83713
  
  
  Dear ********* and the BBB, 
  
  Thank you for our phone conversation earlier today. I appreciate the dialogue and the time to explain how Eventgroove works and to discuss Ms. ********** complaint.
  
  We are a long-standing BBB member with A+ rating which reflects how incredibly important it is for us to ensure ticket buyers, our customers (i.e. event organizers, such as event promoters, nonprofits, schools), and our financial partners (Stripe, Paypal) are working in concert to ensure the best possible experience.
  
  Further, I served on the Board of the Better Business Bureau, Pacific Northwest, covering Washington, Idaho and Montana from 2008 through 2014. As I said on our call, the BBB provides a vital net of trust across all commerce in the United States. 
  
  With respect to Complaint #******** of August 12, 2021, by Ms. ***** ********, we respectfully must detail what we communicated to Ms. ******** and respectfully ask that the complaint directed at our company be removed for the following reasons.
  
  (1) First, every ticket buyer using the Eventgroove platform agrees to our Terms of Use/Service at the checkout page. Here’s a screenshot.
  
   
  
  
  (2) Second, in our Terms of Service on the site -- https://events.eventgroove.com/terms_of_use -- the “Refund and Ticketing Policies” section clearly specifies the following:
  
  First paragraph: “It is the sole responsibility of the Event Organizer to issue all refunds, and Buyers must request refunds from the Event Organizer.”  
  
  We have no responsibility nor can we make refunds to ticket buyers. The event organizer is solely responsible. 
  
  Second paragraph: “EVENTGROOVE DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY EVENT ORGANIZERS TO BUYERS. Event Organizers are fully responsible for notifying Buyers if an event has been cancelled or otherwise modified, or if conditions related to the rights of ticket holders have changed. The relationship between Event Organizers and Buyers, and the Event Organizers’ exchange, chargeback and refund policy, govern any refund, chargeback and exchange policy for event tickets, subject to the terms and conditions of the payment processor.”
  
  The financial relationship is between the ticket buyer, the event organizer, and the payment processor.  We have no financial relationship other than the service fees we receive. 
  
  To explain, Eventgroove is a platform which enables event organizers to set up events online and sell tickets online. The direct transactional money flow occurs between the ticket buyer, the event organizer and the payment processor – either Stripe or Paypal. A ticket buyer buys a ticket and the funds flow directly to the event organizer’s Stripe or Paypal account (which is connected to their bank account), less service ticket fees and payment processing fees. 
  
  Hence the following. 
  
  Third paragraph: “All communications and disputes regarding chargebacks and refunds are solely between the Event Organizer and the Buyer.” 
  
  The event organizer is solely responsible for issuing refunds and dealing with chargebacks, however the ticket buyer can go to the payment processor, in this case Stripe, to request a chargeback. 
  
  As we explained to Ms. ********, we very much empathize that the event for which she purchased tickets was cancelled and no refunds were issued from the event organizer -- Holly M********* -  ********************************** -- for the “***** ****** and Mahogany Rush” event.  In most of these cases, Stripe will issue a chargeback to the event organizer, since Stripe has the direct financial relationship with the event organizer.  To this end, we directed Ms. ******** to Stripe for resolution. 
  
  In closing, thank you for taking the time to read through Eventgroove’s response to this complaint. 
  
  
  Respectfully and sincerely, 
  
  
   
  
  Lance L. T*******
  
  
  CEO
  Eventgroove
  *********************
  406-600-6321
  

  Customer response

  09/15/2021

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is my only option.  I will never purchase through Eventgroove again which is a shame that a $150 transaction will affect my future ticket purchases.  They provide no true aid in resolving the situation for companies they have far more ability to pressure to not defraud consumers than the consumers themselves.  I am forwarding their response to others as well in the same situation.   Telling a consumer "sorry not our problem because you didn't read every bit of fine print" in the long run is just poor business judgment.  I am just a concert ticket buyer who wishes to have her money refunded.  I will chalk this up to lesson leaned to not use Eventgroove.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩