Independent profile — not affiliated with Vivid Seats
Vivid Seats
Vivid Seats is an online ticket resale marketplace operated for U.S. buyers by Vivid Seats LLC, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Vivid Seats Inc. (Nasdaq: SEAT). Its Terms say all sales are final, with refunds or credits in cases such as non-delivery, invalid tickets and cancelled events. Pennsylvania district attorneys have sued over how fees are displayed, which the company disputes, and a Maryland federal court dismissed a similar class action without prejudice on September 28, 2026.
Complaints & Reviews on USAComplaints
USAComplaints currently maintains 17 historical complaints about Vivid Seats, published between 2010 and 2016. No approved complaints have been published on this site during the last three years. For a current reputation snapshot, see the independent sources below.
- CHANGED TICKET PRICE
- Delivery is 7 weeks for verified payment
- Tickets Reselle
- Event tickets, tickets, concerts, sports, theatre, vivid seats
- Dishonest representation of seats, excessive ticket charge, 5x face value
- Paid 40% than we should have
- Bait and Switch No actual product
- Bait and Switch
- I purchased 2 tickets from Vivid Seats.com for concerts, I was over charged by 40% for no reason. I checked the seats price after I already bought the tickets at Ticket master, they were cheaper by 40 chicagoet
- Job Scam?
- Vivid seats, scam website do not use
- New ways 100% customer satisfaction promised return calls/emails will not be fulfilled no refunds even to those with comprehension needs
- Outrageous service charges
- Scammers
- Scalpers!
- They sell your tickets but don't pay you!
- No method to replace lost tickets
Complaint Themes
Independent Sources
Shown for context — not merged with USAComplaints' own numbers.
Contacts
- Official website: https://www.vividseats.com/
- Support email (Terms of Use): [email protected]
- Contact page: existing orders (in-app chat, 24/7): https://www.vividseats.com/contact-us/existing-orders
- Help Center (knowledge base): https://support.vividseats.com/support/home
- Buyer Guarantee: https://www.vividseats.com/guarantee
- Terms of Use (effective July 22, 2026): https://www.vividseats.com/terms
- Corporate phone on SEC filings (not a customer line): (312) 291-9966
- Support phone (Terms: admission problems; also on BBB): (866) 848-8499 8 complaints mention this number
Locations
| Type | Address |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 24 E. Washington Street, Suite 900 Chicago IL 60602 |
Orders, refunds, fees and where else to complain: Vivid Seats' own routes
Vivid Seats' own pages (opened 2026-10-11) set out where to go and what the company says it will and will not do. Vivid Seats is a resale marketplace: the Terms say ticket sellers set prices and the company does not hold ticket inventory in its Marketplace segment (Form 10-K), so the rules below apply to tickets bought on vividseats.com or the Vivid Seats app.
How to contact the company. The 'Existing Orders' contact page shows 'Hours of Operation: 24/7' and says 'Have a question about your order? Chat instantly in our app'. The Terms of Use give [email protected] for orders where no delivery notification arrives, and a Help Center at support.vividseats.com. The company's contact page did not display a customer phone number when opened on 2026-10-11; the Terms of Use publish 866.848.8499 for difficulty gaining admission to an event, and the other number listed on this page comes from SEC filings and is labelled as such.
Refund and cancellation policy as written. The Terms state: 'All sales are final. No compensation will be given for any reason except as explicitly described elsewhere in these Sales Terms' and that Vivid Seats 'does not offer buyer's remorse refunds'. The Help Center article on cancelling an order says: 'If you are unable to attend your event, you may list your tickets for resale.'
When the company says it pays. The Buyer Guarantee page says it guarantees tickets 'will be delivered in time for the event or your money back', that they are 'valid and authentic or your money back', and that they are 'identical, comparable, or even better than the ones you ordered or your money back'. The Terms add time limits: 48 hours from delivery to report inconsistencies between the order and delivered tickets, and notice if tickets have not arrived within 48 hours of the actual start time of the event. If an event is cancelled with no rescheduled date, the Terms provide a refund of the purchase price (including delivery charges, less possible restocking fees) 'or a credit for use on a future purchase, as determined in its sole discretion', and require the buyer to return the tickets within two weeks of notice. For postponed or rescheduled events the Terms say the order 'will not qualify for a refund or other compensation' where the original tickets remain valid, 'except in jurisdictions where it is required by law, including California'.
Denied entry. The Terms describe an investigation process in which, if Vivid Seats determines a buyer was denied entry 'at no fault of your own', the buyer receives a full refund of the ticket cost including fees, less possible restocking fees, 'as the sole remedy'. The Terms say to contact the company 'immediately by calling 866.848.8499' if you have difficulty gaining admission; if you are then denied admission you 'must obtain proof from the venue verifying that you were denied entry' and send it with a statement describing the specific circumstances, and the company 'will provide you with a form to complete'. Keeping your own correspondence with the seller is editorial suggestion, not a Terms requirement.
Card disputes. The Terms say the buyer agrees 'that you will not seek a “chargeback” from a payment card issuer directly on legitimate charges (i.e., where our refusal to refund or credit a ticket purchase conformed to these Sales Terms)', and that if a card dispute is found valid the company may seek payment, refuse future purchases from the accounts involved and relist the tickets. This is a contract term the company wrote; it does not describe what a card issuer or the law permits.
Resale. The Terms say 'Resale of tickets through the Vivid Seats Marketplace is not guaranteed' and that 'the inability to resell a ticket does not constitute a breach of these Sales Terms or entitle you to a refund or credit', so the Help Center suggestion to list tickets for resale carries no guarantee of a sale.
Fees. The Terms say the total order amount 'will include all service and delivery fees and any applicable taxes'. Since May 12, 2025 the FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees has required sellers of live-event tickets to show the total price including mandatory fees up front; the FTC's consumer alert says sellers 'can still charge fees' but 'have to tell you the truth about the price they give you'. Vivid Seats' spokesperson told PhillyVoice (September 2026) that the company has displayed all-in pricing 'since the Federal Trade Commission mandated it in May 2025' and called the practices alleged in the Pennsylvania suit 'alleged and unproven historic practices'; see the regulator and litigation sections for the claims themselves.
Seat Saver listings. The Terms say that for certain events 'a limited number of pre-approved sellers' may offer tickets 'that they do not currently possess', marked as part of the 'Seat Saver' program, and that the seller commits to obtain the tickets after the order is placed.
Outside the company. The FTC's consumer alert directs readers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The Illinois Attorney General's consumer-protection page says its office 'takes consumer complaints and can engage in informal dispute resolution on behalf of consumers'; Vivid Seats is headquartered in Illinois and the Terms select Illinois law. For resale tickets to events in Illinois the Terms say a buyer or seller may elect to submit complaints against one another to JAMS under 815 ILCS 414/1.5(c). You can also file with BBB, which shows Vivid Seats, LLC as accredited.
Pennsylvania district attorneys' consumer-protection action and the FTC fee rule
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso, v. Vivid Seats, Inc. and Vivid Seats LLC (Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County, No. 3090 CV 2025). The Monroe County District Attorney's Office announced the suit on May 13, 2025 as brought under the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, alleging 'drip pricing, fee misrepresentation, and misdirection and concealment of the total price' and that fees add 'as much as 80%' to advertised ticket prices; the original complaint is dated May 7, 2025. An amended complaint with a signature-block date of August 24, 2026 (docket filing date not verified) names the district attorneys of Monroe, Bucks, Lackawanna, Pike, Luzerne, Wyoming and Montgomery counties as plaintiffs; the defendants remain Vivid Seats, Inc. and Vivid Seats LLC. It pleads one count under the UTPCPL and seeks a permanent injunction, restitution for Pennsylvania residents (and for anyone who paid service or transfer fees for an event at a Pennsylvania venue), and civil penalties of $1,000 per transaction ($3,000 where the consumer is 60 or older). These are the prosecutors' allegations; no finding has been made.
The company's position. A Vivid Seats spokesperson, quoted by PhillyVoice on September 10, 2026, said the company 'does not agree that it has broken any laws' (paraphrased by the outlet) and characterised the methods described as 'alleged and unproven historic practices'. The company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 states 'None.' under Legal Proceedings and, in the text searched, does not mention the Pennsylvania suit.
Federal Trade Commission. The FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees took effect May 12, 2025 and covers live-event tickets. In the FTC press releases and case pages checked on 2026-10-11, no FTC enforcement action or order naming Vivid Seats was identified; this is a statement about the sources checked, not a statement that none exists.
Who operates Vivid Seats
Vivid Seats Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered at 24 E. Washington Street, Suite 900, Chicago, whose Class A common stock trades on Nasdaq under SEAT (CIK 0001856031). According to its Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, 'Vivid Seats was founded in 2001' and launched vividseats.com in 2004 (company statements). The 10-Q lists Vivid Seats LLC, Hoya Intermediate, LLC and Hoya Midco, LLC among Vivid Seats Inc.'s subsidiaries.
The Terms of Use (effective July 22, 2026) say a buyer contracts with Vivid Seats LLC for tickets to events outside Canada, and with Vivid Seats Canada Ltd. for tickets to events in Canada when the buyer is reasonably believed to be located in Canada. Vivid Seats Inc. reports that it also owns Vegas.com, LLC (acquired November 2023) and Wavedash Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based ticket marketplace (acquired September 2023), and offers the Vivid Seats Rewards loyalty program and a Skybox tool for ticket sellers.
The company describes its Marketplace segment this way: 'We do not hold ticket inventory in our Marketplace segment. The amount of Marketplace revenue earned in a given period is primarily represented by service and delivery fees charged to buyers.'
What complainants and review sites show
Archive complaints on this site. 17 approved complaints on usacomplaints.com name Vivid Seats (also written 'Vivid Seats Ltd' and 'VividSeats.com'), submitted between 2010 and 2016. They are individual allegations and have not been verified by us. Keyword counts across those 17 posts (a post can appear in several groups): fees or overcharge wording appears in 8, non-delivery or wrong-ticket wording in 8, refund or cancellation wording in 9, and customer-service wording in 7. One post (2011) is from a person who says they were offered a customer-service job by the company and did not purchase tickets.
BBB. The BBB profile for Vivid Seats, LLC (Chicago), as displayed on 2026-10-11, shows rating A+ and BBB Accredited status, '1,706 total complaints in the last 3 years' and '488 complaints filed in the last 12 months', and a customer-review score of '2.27 /5 stars, Average of 1,102 Customer Reviews'. BBB notes that the complaint text displayed 'might not represent all complaints filed with BBB'.
Trustpilot. The Trustpilot page for www.vividseats.com, as displayed on 2026-10-11, shows a displayed score of 4.3 across 121,718 reviews, with 38,563 reviews in the last 12 months, a claimed profile with a paid Trustpilot subscription, and 'Replied to 94% of negative reviews'. Trustpilot states that the company invites customers to review.
These figures come from different sources with different methods and are not added together or compared with our own post count.
Court cases and settlements
Cheezum v. Vivid Seats, Inc. (D. Md., 1:25-cv-03432-MJM). A putative class action under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act over fees added during checkout, removed to federal court on October 16, 2025. On September 28, 2026 the court denied Vivid Seats' request to compel arbitration, finding the arbitration agreement in the October 27, 2024 Terms of Use unenforceable because the company could change terms without notice, and dismissed the complaint without prejudice because the plaintiff did not allege she would not have bought the tickets had the fees been disclosed. It gave her until October 16, 2026 to seek leave to amend or give notice that she would not.
Nellis v. Vivid Seats LLC (N.D. Ill., 1:20-cv-02486). A class action over refunds for events cancelled, postponed or rescheduled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The docket shows an order on November 1, 2021 granting final approval of the class action settlement. TicketNews reported the settlement fund as $7.5 million.
Carroll v. Vivid Seats LLC (N.D. Tex., 3:25-cv-02904). Charlotte Carroll filed a complaint with jury demand against Vivid Seats LLC on October 27, 2025, without counsel (the docket records a notice to a pro se party). On September 29, 2026 Senior Judge A. Joe Fish accepted the magistrate judge's findings, conclusions and recommendation, overruled the plaintiff's objections and ordered that 'The plaintiff’s claims are DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE' (Doc. 46). The order does not describe the claims, and this page does not characterise them.
Other matters disclosed by the company. The Form 10-K and 10-Q say Vivid Seats was a co-defendant in a Canadian class action alleging failure to disclose service fees before checkout, with a final settlement order entered in 2020 and a $0.9 million liability recorded for expected claims and credits as of June 30, 2026; and was a defendant in an Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act lawsuit for which a final order approving the settlement was entered on January 29, 2025, with $0.3 million paid and covered in full by insurance.
Is Vivid Seats Legitimate?
Vivid Seats LLC is the contracting entity named in the company's Terms of Use for U.S. purchases and is a subsidiary of Vivid Seats Inc., a Delaware corporation at 24 E. Washington Street, Suite 900, Chicago whose stock trades on Nasdaq (SEAT) and which files annual and quarterly reports with the SEC. BBB shows Vivid Seats, LLC as BBB Accredited with an A+ rating, as displayed on 2026-10-11.
The documented record also includes a Pennsylvania district attorneys' consumer-protection suit alleging fee practices (unproven; the company disputes the characterisation), a September 2026 federal ruling in a Maryland fee class action dismissing it without prejudice, and a 2021 final settlement approval in a COVID-era refund class action. Complaints on BBB and our own archive concern fees, delivery and refunds; they are allegations. Readers should rely on the order confirmation, the Terms in force on the date of purchase and the company's own channels listed on this page.
Court & Public Records
| Case | Authority | Dates | Type | Outcome | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso, et al. v. Vivid Seats, Inc. and Vivid Seats LLC Docket 3090 CV 2025 | Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County, Pennsylvania (Forty-Third Judicial District) | — | Filed | Filed — no final outcome recorded Consumer-protection action under the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law alleging drip pricing, fee misrepresentation and concealment of the total ticket price; announced by the Monroe County District Attorney on May 13, 2025 (original complaint dated May 7, 2025). An amended complaint with a signature-block date of August 24, 2026 (docket filing date not verified) adds the district attorneys of Bucks, Lackawanna, Pike, Luzerne, Wyoming and Montgomery counties as plaintiffs (both complaints name Vivid Seats, Inc. and Vivid Seats LLC as defendants), and seeks an injunction, restitution and civil penalties. These are allegations; the company disputes them and no ruling on the merits was identified in the sources checked on 2026-10-11. | Source |
| Cheezum v. Vivid Seats, Inc. and Vivid Seats, LLC Docket 1:25-cv-03432-MJM | U.S. District Court, District of Maryland | — | Dismissed | Dismissed Putative class action under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act alleging drip pricing of service and electronic transfer fees. Removed from the Circuit Court for Caroline County on October 16, 2025. In the Memorandum Opinion and Order of September 28, 2026 (ECF 24) Judge Matthew J. Maddox granted in part and denied in part the motion to compel arbitration or dismiss: the request to compel arbitration was denied because the arbitration agreement in the October 27, 2024 Terms was unenforceable, the complaint was dismissed without prejudice for failure to allege reliance and loss, and the motion to certify a question to the Supreme Court of Maryland was denied. The plaintiff was ordered to file by October 16, 2026 either a motion for leave to amend or a notice that she does not seek leave to amend. | Source |
| Nellis v. Vivid Seats LLC Docket 1:20-cv-02486 | U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois | Settled | Settled Class action concerning refunds for events cancelled, postponed or rescheduled during the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 1, 2021 Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr. entered an order granting final approval of the class action settlement, awarding attorneys' fees and expenses and named-plaintiff service awards, and entering final judgment; objections were overruled. TicketNews reported the settlement amount as $7.5 million; the amount was not read from the order itself. | Source | |
| Carroll v. Vivid Seats LLC Docket 3:25-cv-02904 | U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (Dallas Division) | Dismissed | Dismissed Complaint with jury demand filed pro se on October 27, 2025. On September 29, 2026 the court accepted the magistrate judge's findings, conclusions and recommendation, overruled the plaintiff's objections and ordered the plaintiff's claims dismissed without prejudice (Doc. 46). The order does not state the claims and this entry does not characterise them. | Source |
Company Relationships
- Owned by: Vivid Seats Inc.
- Affiliated with: Vivid Seats Canada Ltd.
- Affiliated with: Vegas.com, LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vivid Seats' refund policy?
The Terms of Use say 'All sales are final' and that Vivid Seats 'does not offer buyer's remorse refunds'. Refunds or credits are described for cancelled events (decided 'in its sole discretion'), denied entry, and under the Buyer Guarantee for tickets that are not delivered, not valid or not as ordered. The Help Center suggests listing tickets for resale if you cannot attend.
What should I do if my Vivid Seats tickets do not arrive or are not valid?
The Buyer Guarantee page says tickets will be delivered in time 'or your money back' and will be valid and authentic 'or your money back'. The Terms ask buyers to notify the company if tickets have not arrived within 48 hours of the event start and to report inconsistencies within 48 hours of delivery. Contact the company through in-app chat or [email protected] and keep your order confirmation and any venue statement.
What happens if a Vivid Seats event is cancelled or postponed?
For an event cancelled with no new date, the Terms provide a refund of the purchase price (including delivery charges, less possible restocking fees) or a future-purchase credit at the company's discretion, and require the tickets to be returned within two weeks of notice. For a postponed or rescheduled event where the original tickets stay valid, the Terms say the order does not qualify for a refund except where the law requires it, including California.
Why are service and delivery fees added at Vivid Seats checkout?
The Terms say the total order amount includes 'all service and delivery fees and any applicable taxes', and the 10-K says Marketplace revenue is primarily service and delivery fees charged to buyers. The FTC's fee rule, in effect since May 12, 2025, requires live-event ticket sellers to show the total price up front. A Vivid Seats spokesperson says the company has displayed all-in pricing since May 2025.
What is the Pennsylvania lawsuit against Vivid Seats?
Pennsylvania district attorneys, beginning with Monroe County in a suit announced May 13, 2025, allege under the state consumer-protection law that Vivid Seats used drip pricing and other practices that obscured the total price. An amended complaint with a signature-block date of August 24, 2026 (docket filing date not verified) lists six more county district attorneys as plaintiffs. The company disputes the allegations, which have not been decided.
Does the Vivid Seats arbitration clause stop me from suing?
The Terms in force since July 22, 2026 contain an arbitration agreement and class-action waiver, with a 30-day written opt-out by certified mail to Vivid Seats, LLC, Attention: Legal Department, 24 E. Washington St., Ste. 900, Chicago, IL 60602, and an informal dispute step first: the Terms require a completed Intent to Arbitrate Notice sent by certified mail to the same address, and neither side may start an arbitration or other legal proceeding during the following 30 days. In Cheezum, a federal court held the earlier (October 2024) arbitration agreement unenforceable; it did not rule on the current Terms.
Who owns and operates Vivid Seats?
Vivid Seats LLC contracts with U.S. buyers under the Terms and is a subsidiary of Vivid Seats Inc., a Chicago-based Delaware corporation listed on Nasdaq as SEAT. The company says it was founded in 2001.
Where can I report a Vivid Seats problem outside the company?
The FTC's consumer alert directs readers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov; the Illinois Attorney General's office says it takes consumer complaints and can engage in informal dispute resolution; BBB accepts complaints about Vivid Seats, LLC. A buyer can also contact their own state attorney general.
What are Seat Saver tickets on Vivid Seats?
The Terms say that for certain events a limited number of pre-approved sellers may offer tickets 'that they do not currently possess', marked as part of the Seat Saver program, and that the seller commits to obtain the tickets after the order. The company says these are backed by the Buyer Guarantee.