Vivid Seats: Buyer Guarantee & Refund Rights

Key takeaways

• Vivid Seats guarantees secure transactions, on-time delivery, and valid tickets, or your money back if these promises are not met.
• For officially cancelled events with no rescheduled date, buyers receive full compensation or credit at Vivid Seats' discretion; postponed events typically do not qualify for refunds except in certain jurisdictions like California.
• Refunds for cancelled events are typically issued within 30 minutes to 1 hour of confirmation and take 3-5 business days to reach your bank account.
• The guarantee does not cover buyer's remorse or personal emergencies; optional ticket protection insurance is available separately for those situations.
• Buyers must return tickets within two weeks of cancellation notice to qualify for compensation, and disputes are subject to mandatory arbitration rather than court.

What the 100% Buyer Guarantee Covers

The 100% Buyer Guarantee promises that your transaction will be secure, that your tickets will be delivered before your event, and that those tickets will be valid and authentic. Vivid Seats guarantees that your tickets will be delivered in time for the event or your money back.

All sellers, their business practices, and track records are rigorously evaluated and Vivid Seats guarantees your tickets are valid and authentic or your money back. The company also guarantees that the tickets you receive are identical, comparable, or even better than the ones you ordered or your money back. This guarantee takes effect after a seller confirms your order.

Refunds and Compensation for Cancelled Events

If an event is canceled with no rescheduled date, you receive full compensation of the purchase price (including delivery charges, less possible restocking fees), or a credit to use on a future purchase, as determined at Vivid Seats' sole discretion. Vivid Seats is only able to issue compensation for events that are officially cancelled by the venue, team, or performer and not rescheduled.

If an event is postponed or rescheduled, and the original tickets are valid for entry at the time of the postponed or rescheduled event, your order will not qualify for a refund or other compensation. Residents of certain jurisdictions, including California, may request a refund for postponed or rescheduled events. To qualify for compensation, the buyer must return their tickets to Vivid Seats within two weeks of notice from Vivid Seats that the event has been deemed "Cancelled."

Protection for Invalid Tickets or Non-Delivery

If tickets are invalid or you are denied entry, the guarantee is designed to provide a refund or replacement. In the rare case where the tickets of a confirmed order have not been received before the event, Vivid Seats will attempt to locate the tickets and ensure delivery prior to the event.

According to the Terms of Service, if Vivid Seats fails to make an on-time delivery of any purchased ticket for an event, then Vivid Seats' sole obligation or liability shall be limited to compensating the buyer for any payments made to Vivid Seats under this Agreement. An "on-time delivery" means delivery prior to the actual start time of the performance. Buyers should note that some complaints indicate disputes over whether the guarantee applies when events are not cancelled.

How to File a Claim and Expected Timelines

As soon as Vivid Seats confirms an event is officially canceled, the company will email you with details and next steps. For invalid tickets or denied entry, buyers may be directed to complete a claim form. Customer service is available by phone or online during extended business hours.

Once an event has been officially cancelled, Vivid Seats issues compensation to the buyer within 30 minutes to 1 hour (within business hours) of that confirmation. Refunds typically take 3-5 business days, on average, to return to a bank account once the refund is processed. Buyers should contact customer service directly if they do not receive expected refunds or encounter delivery problems.

Key Limitations and Gaps to Watch For

No compensation will be given for any reason except as explicitly described in the Sales Terms (including in the sections titled "Cancelled and Postponed Events," "Denial of Admission," and "Buyer Guarantee"). This means the guarantee does not cover buyer's remorse, change of plans, or personal emergencies unless optional ticket protection insurance is purchased separately.

While the 100% Buyer Guarantee ensures your tickets will be valid and delivered on time, event ticket protection can reimburse 100% of your purchase if you can't go for a covered illness, injury, traffic accident, and more. This separate Allianz protection is optional and comes at an additional cost. The Sales Terms contain a class waiver and a mandatory arbitration and dispute resolution provision that may impact legal rights in the event of a dispute.