In a viral TikTok clip that has garnered over 134,000 views, Dan (@dadozuk) shares a frustrating ordeal with StubHub that left him and many viewers questioning the reliability and customer service of the popular ticket exchange platform.
Dan’s story begins with excitement, as he purchases tickets months in advance for a Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks NBA game, eager to see his favorite player, Luka Dončić, up close. However, his anticipation turns to disappointment as StubHub’s promises unravel in the hours leading up to the game.
“I will never be using StubHub again,” Dan starts, setting the tone for the tale of disappointment that follows. He explains how, despite buying the tickets well in advance, he had yet to receive them by the morning of the game on Feb. 8. His initial call to customer service yields reassurance that the tickets would be released by 4:30pm—just three hours before the game. Dan’s skepticism grows as the deadline approaches without any sign of the tickets.
Here arises a notable issue, which is the lateness of the ticket retrieval. If Dan bought the tickets months ago and remained unconfirmed, an argument for StubHub to secure earlier ticket releases could be fair game. He had come specifically to see Dončić, the Mavericks superstar, who is a fellow Slovenian.
The situation escalated when, after multiple follow-ups with StubHub, he learned the seller had never uploaded the tickets. StubHub’s solution? To offer “comparable tickets,” which turned out to be far from comparable—row 17 instead of the front-row seats he had initially purchased. Dan’s frustration is palpable as he recounts, “Are you kidding me? That’s comparable to you? From row 1 to row 17.”
Dan’s attempts to rectify the situation are allegedly met with inflexibility and indifference from StubHub’s customer service. Despite his willingness to accept different front-row seats, even if not in the same section, StubHub refuses to accommodate, offering only a refund or the significantly inferior seats. “You just lost me for life,” Dan declares, expressing a sentiment many viewers echoed in the comments.
The video serves as a cautionary tale for potential StubHub users, highlighting the potential risks and disappointments associated with using the service. Dan’s experience underscores the importance of customer service and its impact on consumer loyalty. “Be careful if you get your tickets or StubHub,” he warns, “because this could happen to you, and they’re not gonna refund any of your stay.”
The platform guarantees that tickets will be legitimate, arrive on time, and match the seller’s description, with refunds or replacements if these conditions are unmet. However, Dan notes that the other parts of the stay are spoiled unless the ticketing is squared away.
“StubHub, that’s called a bait and switch,” said one commenter. “Y’all better be refunding this man ALL the money he spent getting to this game.”
Dan replied, “They did refund me for the ticket, but the issue is hotel and travel costs. They had a row 1 ticket available, but they didn’t want to give it to me.”
@dadozuk Never using @StubHub again #business #terrible ♬ original sound – Dan
One person asked what seemed to be an obvious question: “Why aren’t sellers required to ‘upload’ tickets before listing?”
“Way too logical of a question for them, lol; I tried,” Dan responded.
Another person made a potentially astute assessment: “And on top of it, they also charged the sellers for the price of the tickets that were not provided. So, StubHub makes money, and you and the sellers lose.”
Dan’s story resonates because of the disappointment of missing a much-anticipated game and reflects a broader issue of accountability and customer care in the ticket resale industry. As Dan concludes his narrative, it’s clear that his ordeal with StubHub is not just about missed basketball games but about the expectation of fairness and respect in consumer transactions—an expectation that, in this case, was unmet.
The Daily Dot contacted Dan and StubHub for comment.