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A group of California Eventbrite ticket holders says they and other consumers were denied refunds to live events canceled, rescheduled or postponed due to restrictions enacted to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Lead plaintiffs Sherri Snow, Anthony Piceno and Linda Conner claim ticket distributor Eventbrite Inc. told those who purchased tickets that refunds would be issued pursuant to California law, which requires refunds be issued if the event is “canceled, postponed, or rescheduled.”
The plaintiffs say most live events were indeed canceled or rescheduled after the state declared an emergency due to coronavirus; however, Eventbrite refused to honor refund requests, telling ticket holders that event organizers were not allowing them to return their money.
Each of the plaintiffs say they spent hundreds of dollars on Eventbrite tickets for events that were rescheduled or indefinitely postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. They each say they attempted to request refunds through Eventbrite’s refund system but were denied.
“At best, Eventbrite has urged some organizers to ‘make good’ when events are canceled, postponed and/or rescheduled,” the Eventbrite class action lawsuit states. “This ‘make good’ requirement only appears to apply to event tickets: (i) that were purchased before March 15th; and (ii) were scheduled to take place between March 15, 2020 and May 15, 2020. All later purchases and later scheduled events that are canceled, postponed and/or rescheduled due to Covid-19 restrictions are not even covered by Eventbrite’s ’make good’ policy.”
According to the complaint, even if the so-called “make good” policy applies, Eventbrite ticket holders are only being offered credits, future tickets or other forms of alternative compensation. The plaintiffs say they and other consumers are entitled to a full refund of the purchase price of their tickets under California law.
“In light of the coronavirus outbreak, Defendant has refused to provide refunds for these ticket sales,” the Eventbrite class action lawsuit contends.
“Defendant has quietly sought to force its buyers to endure the financial losses that Defendant would suffer in the entirely foreseeable scenario that world occurrences would cause the simultaneous cancellation and/or postponement of numerous public events.”
The complaint points out that, in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, Eventbrite told ticket holders “the ticket price and any Eventbrite fees, should be refunded to you by the organizer” for events canceled by the event organizer due to the disease.
For postponed events or for Eventbrite ticket holders concerned about attending an event because of coronavirus, the distributor allegedly told consumers to contact the event organizer directly.
The plaintiffs say this and other Eventbrite policies are not enough under California law. Further, these policies are confusing and ineffective for Eventbrite ticket holders nationwide, even outside of the context of the coronavirus outbreak, the complaint alleges.
“In instances where the event is canceled or postponed/rescheduled, Eventbrite feebly suggests customers should contact Eventbrite’s ‘customer experience team. They can pass your request on to our Trust & Safety team who works to protect the Eventbrite community,’” the class action lawsuit says.
“Eventbrite’s requirement that an organizer ‘make good’ for a failure to provide the goods and services is meaningless nonsense, which frustrates the entire policy. Moreover, it only applies to event cancellations and not rescheduled events or postponed events, including indefinitely posted events.”
The Eventbrite class action lawsuit seeks to represent Eventbrite ticket holders nationwide who were denied full refunds of their ticket price for canceled, postponed or rescheduled events between June 3, 2016, and the present, along with a California subclass.
The complaint accuses Eventbrite of breach of contract, conversion, unjust enrichment, fraud, false advertising and violation of California consumer protection law.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages on behalf of Class Members, as well as a court order requiring Eventbrite to comply with its own policies and California law and refund tickets for all canceled or rescheduled events.
Consumers have been faced with the fallout of numerous issues since the coronavirus outbreak, including refunds for events, travel and memberships, along with false advertising of virus cures and even price gouging. Top Class Actions is staying on top of the issues with a complete legal guide to help consumers know their rights during this time.
Were you an Eventbrite ticket holder? Was your event cancelled or delayed because of COVID-19 restrictions? Do you think you should get a refund? Tell us what happened in the comment section below.
The lead plaintiffs and proposed Class Members are represented by Seth A. Safier and Marie A. McCrary of Guitride Safier LLP.
The Eventbrite Ticket Holder Coronavirus Refund Class Action Lawsuit is Snow, et al. v. Eventbrite Inc., Case No. 3:20-cv-03698, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco.
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83 thoughts onEventbrite Ticket Holders Say They Are Owed Coronavirus Refunds
Did not purchase a ticket
I bought 3 tickets to Minefaire in Austin for June 3. $136.53. It was rescheduled and then cancelled. Now the website no longer exists and Eventbrite refuses to refund the money.
Same boat here in Minnesota! So angry!
Same boat here in Pennsylvania
I purchased 2 tickets for the 4/4/20 Event in Indianapolis, IN. I paid $84.08 for my tickets. On 7/2/20, I received an email from Open World Events informing me the event would be rescheduled for the fall. I then sent an email to Minefaire requesting a refund. I did not receive a response. Today I emailed them again and received an immediate response about the pending Bankruptcy and that they were unable to refund my money.
I purchased tickets for the Dulles Minefaire at the end of February 2020 for my sons birthday for the show in May. When I tried to use eventbright covid refund it says that my email doesn’t match the order ID which is wrong bc I have it right in front of me. I spent almost $300 on 4 diamond tickets and my son is still to this day disappointed about it. Eventbright had the event up still as if it happened!
I bought 3 tickets for the same show for my son’s birthday too!! $200 and no refund?! This is crazy.
I bought a ticket for a show in March that was rescheduled until August, then it just never took place. It wasn’t canceled, but the band confirmed on twitter that they were not playing. Eventbrite ignored me for several weeks, then told me that I needed to get my money back from the venue. They dragged it out so that I would be unable to do a chargeback with my credit company so that I lost my money as a punishment for trying to go along with the policy that I had to accept a rescheduled ticket instead of a refund. I am interested in joining this class action. They purposely misled me.
the same happened to me of what happened to you
I sent emails to eventbrite
And I still waiting for reply
I bought tickets in Nov 2019 for Minefaire in St. Paul MN originally scheduled for March 2020, rescheduled for November 2020. Completely cancelled. Organizer of the event has declared bankruptcy. I meet every requirement for refund through Eventbrite and they still deny my refund. $206 for tickets.
I bought those same tickets three to be exact and I just found out they went bankrupt. Kids were excited when I first told them about the event in March then that got rescheduled for November I thought they’d automatically credit me back but nothing. I had no problems with Jason Aldean tickets bought in 2019 for the concert in st Paul 3/15/2020 but that was fast and automatically. Have you had any luck and we get a refund.
Hi Melissa, I still have not had any luck with a refund. How about you?
I have the same claim. I purchased tickets in 2019 for the St. Paul event 3/2020. I got an email stating it was postponed to 11/2020. Then I was notified it was canceled. But nothing further on this. When I reached out for a refund or to see if it was going to be rescheduled again I was told they filed bankruptcy and no refund would be issued.
Same, $185 in tickets, no reply from eventbrite or minefaire. Purchased tickets in Feb for June event.
same here, $400 in tickets just gone for Minneapolis, frustrated
Same in MN. Sad little boy and can’t even get the money back to do something else.
I purchased tickets to the minefaire event happening in Austin, TX back in February of 2020. the event was rescheduled and then canceled. I never received notification of the cancelation only realized it was canceled due to a Reddit thread. Reached out to Eventbrite for a refund since I meet the criteria only to be denied multiple times.
SAME! We purchased the tickets and found out via a FB thread that it was rescheduled. We were never notified of anything and then I found out that they filed for bankruptcy back in September!!! They knew from the start they weren’t going to hold the event, Eventbright should be backing us in this and they aren’t.
I have basically the same story, different city and agree that they should not be able to spend all this money they received from hard working families and just file for bankruptcy without making good on something. I spent $315.40 to purchased an experience for my nieces on Feb 13, 2020 for the June 20, 2020 – June 21, 2020 in Austin TX. I was sent an email letting me know that it was moved to January of 2021 but if I wanted a refund I could request it 30 days prior to the rescheduled event. So I went on today to see if there was information on the January event only to find that they filed for bankruptcy.