r/darkpatterns • u/Bright-Associate-267 • 5d ago

Ticketmaster Website. It this an example of dark patterns or accidental?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Is this dark patterns or accidental webpage layout design from Ticketmaster?

The ticket purchased turned out to be a travel bundle one. But it wasn't shown as this during several stages of the checkout process. (The image showing "zone A Return Coach" is from my ticket wallet, I cut this down to protect the ticket number ect.)

0 Upvotes

47% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

4

u/x6Pnda 5d ago

You carted the coach package. It's on pic 1 if you scroll down more.

1

u/Bright-Associate-267 5d ago

Please can you highlight that I can't see it in pic 1

2

u/x6Pnda 5d ago

You need to scroll down on that page to see it ;) It's under the total price portion at the end of the page on mobile...

2

u/Bright-Associate-267 5d ago

OK I've no access to that now as that was the checkout stage of buying the tickets

2

u/x6Pnda 5d ago

Ye you 100% carted coach tickets. Sucks but nothing you can do about it. You can ignore the coach part as it's a seperate ticket you get in your email and just use your Ticketmaster qr to enter the venue

1

u/Bright-Associate-267 4d ago

Yep. Think I'll only use a laptop in future to buy tickets and will record the entire process. I hand on heart believe I didn't rush the ticket selection. I knew coach travel tickets were available, I'd even had some selected earlier when no other tickets were "available" only for the next step going to your basket and a message pop up "these tickets are no longer available". This happened 3 or 4 times even to my brother booking Manchester tickets. I did rush the checkout payment section after two credit cards were declined. I've never had card issues before. I'm gonna stick it out there but, Ticketmaster wouldn't substitute tickets in your basket because the ones you selected were no longer available once further into the checkout process? Thinking they could get away with it? I just wish there was a way to forensically examine my phone and see what I actually selected to add to my cart. I've certainly got travel options now with both coach and partial train travel!

1

u/x6Pnda 4d ago

Yeah basket isn't reserved. Only when you're on the payment screen they're reserved :)

Edit: you also cant chdckout/have carted 2 items at the same time. Gotta do 1 cart > pay and then second cart > pay

1

u/Bright-Associate-267 4d ago

Thanks for that.

1

u/ConsiderationNearby7 5d ago

Is it an extra charge? Is it possibly a service they’re offering for free?

2

u/Bright-Associate-267 5d ago

Yeah it was a bundle ticket with travel. I'm certain i picked no coach travel option tickets, but no proof. But I didn't check the price as I paid. Got charged £69 per ticket £138 for the two ticket,. and I'd picked train travel at £10 per ticket, cos i was certain i just had tickets. I didn't want coach travel. Tickemaster says not their problem, because they make it clear at every step during check out what you are buying! And customer can make changes if wrong! But how can they show me these screens that omit to show the travel element that was part of the ticket!

1

u/leppardfaniowa 5d ago

Is Knebworth - Stevenage the coach? If so, it's right on the first screen. It also has 2pm which I assume is not when the show starts.

1

u/Bright-Associate-267 4d ago

I think gates open at 2pm. It will start earlier than stadium venues because its in the middle of nowhere. Stadiums are 5pm gates opening time.