Ticketmaster has quietly changed its refund policy

A change to the refund policy of Ticketmaster could impact refunds for event ticket buyers based in Asia.

Ticketmaster has drawn the wrath of ticket buyers recently due to an unannounced policy change mid-pandemic. The ticket giant changed the language regarding refunds on their website, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. The move has caused outrage and backlash as ticket holders in tight financal circumstances following the COVID-19 outbreak find themselves unable to get a refund.

Previously, refunds were available "if your event is postponed, rescheduled or cancelled". The new phrasing has removed postponements and reschedules and leaves cancellations as the only opportunity for reimbursement. However, the site does acknowledge there may be other circumstances under which a refund could be considered.

The entertainment industry has frozen over the past month, with over 20,000 planned events cancelled for the time being. Summer festival season seems lost, with many large scale organizers already announcing their decisions to forego their event 2020.

Ticketmaster, who is owned by Live Nation Entertainment, did admit that it made changes to its website once the pandemic shut down worldwide events and touring, but stood by its decision suggesting that the underlying refund terms had not been changed. Under the original terms, cancellations result in automated refunds for ticket buyers, but organizers can put limitations on refunds for postponed or rescheduled events.

Earlier this year, Ticketmaster expanded into Asia. In Taiwan, the company acquiring Tixcraft and in Singapore, it launched Ticketmaster Singapore. The deal was made in February, which means events in Asia were spared from the brunt of the move since events in Asia, for the most part, have been cancelled since around that time.