‘It is really heartbreaking’: Local woman snubbed by StubHub, says tickets weren’t what she paid for

ORLANDO, Fla. — Local mom Amy Grimes said she was searching for the perfect Christmas present for her 13-year-old daughter when she started pursuing resale tickets for her daughter’s favorite musical on StubHub.

“Mean Girls” the musical will take the stage at the Dr. Philips Center for the Performing Arts in February and March. Grimes said she bought two tickets in the lower orchestra section for $290.

“We listen to the ‘Mean Girls’ soundtrack on a daily basis and have for the past year,” Grimes said. “Oh, I thought it was a fantastic deal.”

But when she went to wrap the tickets for Christmas, Grimes said she noticed something odd. The tickets she got said they were in the balcony, not the orchestra. The seats were advertised to be just four rows from the stage.

On StubHub now, similar orchestra seats cost $522 for two tickets and similar balcony seats cost $218 for two.

Grimes said she asked StubHub to honor its fan protection guarantee.

But she said StubHub didn't offer to change seats, just offered her a future credit.

“It is really heartbreaking that I spent this much on tickets,” Grimes said.

On the Better Business Bureau website, StubHub customer reviews show problems resolving ticket disputes. And consumer experts say to buy with caution from resellers.

Channel 9 consumer investigator Todd Ulrich contacted StubHub about Grimes’ claim, and the company told Action 9 she didn't get the tickets she ordered, so it is now giving her a refund -- and great seats for “Mean Girls.”

“Santa was determined to deliver good seats and I wanted her to feel special,” Grimes said.

Their new seats are orchestra front, but not as close as her first purchase.

Ulrich said if you’re buying from a reseller, verify the tickets right away. If the reseller doesn’t correct any problems, dispute the credit card charge and at least get your money back.

StubHub released the following statement:

“We are thankful to WFTV 9 and Amy Grimes for bringing this matter to our attention. StubHub has our customers’ backs, and in the rare instances where something goes wrong, every ticket is 100% guaranteed by our FanProtect Guarantee. Our mission is to get fans in their seats when it matters, and that’s exactly where Ms. Grimes will be at Mean Girls. In this case, we were able to refund and replace the tickets for her original order, and we wish her a memorable experience at the musical.”

© 2020 Cox Media Group