Event Ticketing Complaints in Portugal Increase by 250%

Complaints surrounding Portugal’s event ticketing business skyrocketed by more than 250% compared to last year. According to consumer network Portal da Queixa, 901 Portuguese ticket-holders complained about ticket fraud, poor customer service, and refunds in the aftermath of the music festival season. 

Technological start-up Consumers Trust investigated the volume of complaints directed at event companies and online ticketing platforms from January 1st to September 6th. The data revealed a 254% increase in the number of ticket-holders who didn’t feel satisfied with the companies’ services. 

Compared to pre-pandemic times, 2022 was an even more complaint-fuelled year. The analysis further showcased that during the same time period, 2022 exceeded a 1000% increase in complaints. 

Among the main reasons for customer dissatisfaction, refund issues ranked in the first position with 39%. Ticket fraud generated 31% of event ticket complaints, while poor customer service garnered 19% of them.

Most ticket-holders pointed fingers at ticket reselling platform Viagogo, as some consumers said they purchased fake event passes for exorbitant prices. But Viagogo is not the least favorite ticket office. See Tickets sits up high with 189 complaints, followed by Ticketline (166), Viagogo (79), Blueticket (56), and Festicket (34).