VIP-Booking – Dynamic pricing in the ticketing industry is under intense scrutiny after the chaotic sale of Oasis reunion tickets over the weekend.
Fans faced long online queues, with many mistakenly flagged as bots and denied tickets, while others were shocked by steep price hikes when they finally reached the checkout.
The Oasis ticketing process has drawn significant criticism from fans, particularly over the use of “dynamic pricing.”
As excitement built throughout the day, hundreds of thousands of fans joined online queues, hoping to secure a spot at the first Oasis tour since the band`s acrimonious split. However, many were left frustrated by soaring ticket prices, which escalated as demand surged.
Originally priced at £135, some standing tickets for venues like Cardiff, London, and Edinburgh skyrocketed to over £350 due to Ticketmaster`s dynamic pricing model.
Failing to inform Oasis fans about dynamic pricing, where ticket prices could rise while they are waiting in line, may have violated consumer protection laws.
This system, which adjusts prices based on real-time demand, led to widespread anger among fans, who took to social media to voice their concerns.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has received over 450 complaints about how ticket prices were presented. In response, the government has announced that concerns about dynamic pricing will be part of an upcoming review of the ticketing industry.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy released a statement addressing the growing concerns “This government is committed to putting fans back at the heart of music”, she added. “So we will include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivise it, in our forthcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket resales. Working with artists, industry and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets at fair prices”.
