The summer concert season seems to be headlined by one cancellation after another thanks to COVID-19.
The good news?
Ticketmaster is now giving everyone the option for a cash refund.
The bad news?
People who bought from third party sellers may have a tougher time getting money back.
Michelle Harper loves music. Just look at her Kid Rock shirt. She was planning a summer filled with concerts.
"I personally bought Nickelback and the Doobie brothers," said Michelle.
But one-by-one her concerts were canceled – a reminder of the toll the pandemic has taken on the music business.
So, Michelle contacted Groupon, where she bought the tickets, for a refund.
"They informed me they were only giving Groupon bucks for refunds. They weren't giving any money back to your cards or anything to that effect," said Michelle.
Groupon bucks are like airline vouchers. You can only use them to purchase another event. So, what does she think about getting this money back in just Groupon bucks?
"I don’t think it’s a good deal at all. I'm like that doesn't seem fair, doesn't seem right. You got my money. Why don't I get it back?" she said.
Now, if you bought your tickets from Ticketmaster, you should have no problem getting a refund. The site is refunding money to all canceled shows. And if your show was postponed, it now gives you a 30-day window to apply for money back.
The Better Business Bureau has received dozens of complaints about Groupon issuing vouchers instead of refunds, in some cases, for expensive vacations.
Michelle says their fine print says nothing about Groupon bucks.
"Anything that is canceled, or when a new date is rescheduled, that they will issue your money back. It doesn't say in Groupon bucks, it says you will be issued a full refund," said Michelle.
After our Don’t Waste Your Money team contacted Groupon, the company agreed to give Michelle a refund.
But – take note – if you did not buy directly from Ticketmaster, getting money back can be tricky.
