Wonderful Union

Review: I purchased VIP passes to the [redacted] concert for 7/26. When purchasing, it never said anything about what time we needed to be there -just to check back for more info. Come the weekend before, there was still no information, so I emailed to confirm what time we had to be there & if it would take place before or after (concert started at 7). At 9:20 pm, just 2 days before the concert, I was notified we needed to be there at 3:30 pm & if we missed it, wouldn't be let in. As much as we wanted the VIP passes, I had several important work meetings scheduled that day & wouldn't be able to make it. I called customer service the next day & the person I spoke with was rude & not helpful - I told him this was false advertising & that I wouldn't have purchased if I had known it would be so early, and he just kept reiterating that "you will not be refunded." So basically that was going to be nearly $450 down the drain. I told him I did not want to have to dispute the charge on my card, but that seemed like my only option, to which he said "fine, that is your choice, but you won't be refunded." Rather than get into a mess with a dispute, I made the decision to cancel all of my important meetings, & came in to work 3 hours early to make up for the lost time. Well, 2 hours before the event (my husband was already outside waiting to pick me up), I was emailed that the event was cancelled. I was told I could be refunded or let them know within 24 hours if I could attend another concert. Such last minute notice was completely unprofessional - especially after having dealt with a rude employee who insisted my only option was to show up at 3:30. I was caused a significant amount of stress by having cancelled these meetings, & it was all for nothing. Not to mention, this was an anniversary gift for my husband - we can't attend any of the other concerts, & were really looking forward to the VIP meet & greet. We were extremely disappointed that it had been cancelled, especially with such short notice.Desired Settlement: 1 Correct advertisement of this event (I was told that times aren't confirmed until a few days before -well that would have been nice to know when purchasing). Your description needs to be transparent.

2 Reevaluate your customer service, & have a supervisor accessible (I asked to speak to the manager, he said he is "a manager," so I asked to speak to the supervisor & he said "we can't transfer calls here")

3 A replacement VIP opportunity with [redacted] (since we can't attend the remaining concerts)

Business

Response:

This event was canceled and all purchasers were offered either a full refund or a make up VIP at another show on this tour. Since the cancelation happened on such short notice, we still provided purchasers with their laminates and gave them early entry privileges at the show. We did not receive a request to transfer this VIP so we issued the customer a full refund for the order. We do not have other make up opportunities other than the one provided to all purchasers in the cancelation email.Cancelation email: [redacted]

Review: two concert tickets were purchased separately; one refund was received, the other has not.

It has been two months since the concert I bought two tickets to back in September, 2012 was cancelled and I still have not received one of my refunds. I have been told that they have no idea of knowing where the refund went, but I know where it didn't go; my bank account, which was where it was supposed to go. I have called, and called and the last two times I waited twenty minutes for someone to answer the phone, and after listening to the same song on repeat, I hung up. I have been told that one of their departments is "looking into it" during a previous conversation, but in two months, I have not heard anything back about what they have found. someone has my money, but its not me, and no one knows where it is. someone has to know, if you don't know where the money is going, how do you keep track of all of the transactions that take place? All I want is my money back from something that was supposed to be awesome, that turned out to be a disappointment, that then turned into a frustrating nightmare of a headache.Desired Settlement: I want the other $125.30 refund posted to my account without cancelling out the first refund that I did receive. Its my money, and I think I deserve to have it back, since there is no concert to enjoy.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Hello [redacted],

Thank you for contacting us regarding your customer support issue. According to our records, you had spoken with our customer support team on June 28th, 2013, who had then provided you with your transaction ID records, and refund authorization codes.

The information provided by our customer support team can be used by your bank to locate when your refund was deposited into your account. For more information regarding your refund, please contact your bank and provide them with the authorization codes given to you by our support team.

If your authorization information has been lost of misplaced, please give us a call at 1-877-463-2875 (toll free) or X-XXX-XXX-XXXX and we will be able to better assist you over the phone. We are available Monday - Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Pacific Time.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: I bought a double platinum vip meet and greet for my daughter to meet the band [redacted] and play video games with ** other options were available but this was the one I wanted to give her as her 21st birthday present. She arrived at the required time but was then informed this option was not available as the tour bus was too far away. ** don't offered to let her listen to some music with him ( this was another VIP upgrade which I had discounted in preference for the one I picked). She was disappointed but has no other option. I complained to the company (just after the event in January) who have just responded to my complaint by saying they will not refund any money but they MAY have done so if she had declined all options at the time.I believe this is unacceptable and they should refund my money or arrange another time where she could actually receive the service advertisedDesired Settlement: I would be happy to either have a refund or for them to arrange another time where she could have the video gaming session

Business

Response:

We're really sorry that the gaming experience wasn't able to take place on the night your daughter attended this show. We were not informed that the experience you purchased was going to be canceled, which is why you weren't refunded immediately. The reason you were not refunded after the fact was that on site your daughter confirmed that she was fine with switching to a different package at the same price point that lasted twice as long as her original experience and also included a photo with **. There were no other VIP listeners that day so she got a one-of-a-kind experience that rarely happens. We can't offer a makeup VIP for this because we have not confirmed that the same experience will be available in your area in the future, but we can offer you a partial refund of $50 for the last minute change.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:the company stated that as an alternative she was offered a one of a kind experience that rarely happens- that was not the case- I had the opportunity to book that very experience as it was an option when I booked the double VIP gaming experience- I did not want that option for my daughter as I knew she would find it uncomfortable (as was the case). I wanted her to have the gaming experience NOT the listening experience - if the gaming experience was not an option she and I would have paid for the drumming lesson instead. Your other e mail also said that my daughter "may have" been given a refund if she had declined the offer- she really couldn't win what ever she did- I just know that her 21st birthday present was spoilt and she didn't get the experience I paid for and booked in good faith

Business

Response:

We can't issue a full refund since your daughter participated in a full one on one VIP experience with all the perks but we can issue the partial refund described in our earlier correspondence.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: It was not the option that I paid for- if I had wanted to buy the "listening experience" I would have selected it as it was available for purchase- I did not - I chose a different experience and it was not what was received.This was my daughters 21st Birthday present and it disappointed her- if the gaming session was not an option then why did you advertise it? You surely must have a responsibility to deliver what you have advertised and what I have purchased?

Review: Bought a fanclub membership in order to recieve concert pre-sale code. Never recieved code as promised; refuses to refund money.

I paid $80.00 for a Larger Than Life fanclub membership on Tuesday, May 14 at approximately 6:00 PM (central time; 4:00 pacific time). I purchased this in order to receive a code for a concert presale the next morning. Immediately upon purchase, I received an email from Ground Ctrl welcoming me. From www.backstreetboys.com fanclub, run by Ground Ctrl: "The cut off to purchase a membership and still receive a Ticketmaster presale code is Tuesday, May 14th at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Make sure you join the fan club before then to get a Ticketmaster presale code!...Ticketmaster presale codes will be emailed after midnight pacific time the night before the presale. Please be aware: make sure you register your fanclub account with an email address other than Comcast, AOL or Hotmail to ensure you get an email with a code. Comcast, AOL and Hotmail filters sometimes block our emails from coming through."

I purchased this well within the deadline, with the email address [redacted]@yahoo.com. The next morning I had not received my code. I attempted to call their number listed many times throughout the day to no avail. I sent a web request as the phone recording stated to do. I received no reply this way either. The Ground Ctrl website states this: "May 13th XXXX XX:23PM (PDT). Modified Support Hours on 05/15/13. On 05/15/13 our support team will be available from 4am PST to 4pm PST. We are expecting a high volume of calls in the morning so we recommend opening a support ticket here for faster assistance. We will resume normal business hours on 05/16/13."

I finally was able to speak with someone at 6:00PM on Wednesday evening, 11 hours after the sale went live. I requested a refund, as the company had failed to deliver my presale code that I had paid for. The representative told me it had been sent, but that the company they use has problems with Yahoo email addresses. While this may be true, it was not listed above as an email not to use; and yet I conveniently received the welcome email from the same company without problems. I was told there were no refunds for any reason. I understand that refunds will not be given for reasons such as simply not meaning to sign up, or changing your mind, etc., but this problem was HUGE and affected many fans. I am perfectly literate, and read the terms and conditions, and know that it says they are nonrefundable. But nowhere in those conditions does it say that we would not receive what we had paid for, and that the company makes it a habit of downright stealing. It was not our fault that their company did not deliver what we had paid for. After repeated requests for a refund were turned down, I requested to talk to the woman's supervisor. I was told there was no supervisor and they did not escalate complaints. I did not get tickets. While I understand tickets are not guaranteed, had I been given my code when I was supposed to, I would have.Desired Settlement: I am requesting that Ground Ctrl refund my $80 immediately to the credit card I used to purchase the membership. They should be able to look that up on my account and apply the credit. I suspect Ground Ctrl fielded complaints all day on May 15, 2013, as it took me 11 hours to finally speak with someone. The following was posted through the fanclub: "Addressing Today's Presale Code Problems Wed, May 15, 2013 at 4:37 PM.

Dear fans of BSB, We are aware of the problems some of you experienced this morning receiving your presale code email, and we just want to say that we are deeply sorry and saddened about the way this happened...The codes were sent out at 1:30am PDT this morning to everyone in the fan club at the same time. Looking at the data, we know that most of you received an email, but unfortunately some of you never got that email. We share in your disappointment. That being said, we wanted to shed some light on why and how this happened: We rely on an email service called Campaign Monitor to send email blasts out to a large volume of recipients. It has come to light that...experienced a service disruption with certain email domains, and some of the emails containing the code were not delivered. The affected email domains include but are not limited to: yahoo and gmail, on top of the AOL, Comcast, and hotmail domains we already knew had been experiencing problems, which we mentioned in all of our presale messaging leading up to today. We do know that effective immediately, Campaign Monitor is working on a solution to the delivery disruption, and we will keep you informed as we find out more. We will continue to do our part as well, looking into alternative solutions to ensure that in the future, everyone who needs an email, gets an email..." The entire message can be read at: http://backstreetboys.com/news/XXXXXX

This is not sufficient. Simply saying "sorry" to thousands of individuals who did not receive what they paid for is simply thievery. I find it hard to understand why other emails from the fanclub/Ground Ctrl have come through without any problems to my Yahoo email, but the one I paid $80 for failed to be delivered. I see on the Revdex.com website, Ground Ctrl has 124 complaints in the last 12 months. In reading complaints from others on the Revdex.com website, it would seem that prior to this Backstreet Boys presale, they were indeed having problems with Yahoo emails not being received, back in 2012. It would seem then, that Ground Ctrl knew perfectly well that people were having problems with Yahoo long before this sale. Why then weren't we told to not use this email?

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Hello [redacted],

Thank you for reaching out regarding your Backstreet Boys membership package. We apologize for any confusion surrounding this past pre-sale and have looked into your issue specifically.

Your pre-sale code was sent to your email address at 1:35am PDT the night before this pre-sale. Due to an email blocking system through your account the email did not arrive and the code was provided to you through our customer support team later that day. This pre-sale started on Wednesday May 15th and continued until Friday May 17th, which means you did receive your membership code in time to participate in the pre-sale. Being a paid member also entitled you to the VIP pre-sale which did not need a code and only required you be logged into your paid account in order to participate.

The digital portion of this membership has been fulfilled and we will be mailing out your membership items in the timeframe indicated in the product description at the time of purchase. Due to the fact that each item in the membership purchase has been or will be fulfilled, and per the item description in our return policy, we will not be offering a refund. We will, however, be happy to extend your digital membership for an extra year, which we will automatically put on your account.

Please review the ground(ctrl) Return Policy for more information.

http://groundctrl.com/return-policy/

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: I purchased a fan club membership on gunsnroses.com (a site managed by Wonderful Union) for $50 that was to include a promo code for access to pre-sale tickets. They did send me a promo code, but the code didn't work and when I asked for a refund because of the faulty code they refused stating that fan club memberships are non-refundable.

Nowhere on the gunsnroses.com site, or the fan club product description page, or at any point before I submitted my order, did it say that fan club memberships were non-refundable. Only AFTER I ordered, within a confirmation email was there a link to the "Return Policy" which stated that fan club memberships are non refundable. As someone with experience with managing e-commerce websites, FTC laws place the onus on the seller to make sure the customer is aware of relevant purchase policies BEFORE the customer orders a product. I even tried to click their "Privacy Policy/Terms & Conditions" link at the bottom of the page, but that only took you to a general "Privacy Policy" page with nothing about return or purchase policy.

I explained all this to them and they still denied me a refund, not even acknowledging my complaint giving me a canned response. But I know they read my complaint and email BECAUSE NOW ON THE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION PAGE IT SAYS: "Since memberships are digital and go into effect automatically at the time of purchase, they are all sales final. Please see our return policy for details."!!!

So clearly they know what they were doing was deceptive and fixed it, BUT STILL REFUSE TO ISSUE ME A REFUND!!

Sad they are using fan's affinity for musical artists to fleece them out of their money. If you notice your favorite band's page is managed by Wonderful Union (you can check at the bottom of the page) DO NOT ORDER ANYTHING FROM THEM!!Desired Settlement: I have repeatedly asked for a refund of my $61.40 since the code sent to me did not work and other items included in the package have not yet shipped.

Since I was getting nowhere with them and no real response or acknowledgment of their deceptive sales practices, I have started a dispute with my credit card company.

All I want is my $61.40 back that I paid for something that didn't even work.

Business

Response:

This order was refunded last week.

Review: Ground Ctrl offered a "blind" sale of items. This sale included different types of items including clothing. The company never asked for a shirt size just in case clothing was sent. Ground Ctrl shipped a grown man a youth small shirt. They are hiding behind a no return policy becuase of the type of sale.This company should ask for a clothing size if they are going to sell clothes.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund or a new item in my size shipped to me.

Business

Response:

The intention of the promotion was not to sell clothing, which is why

sizes weren't collected, but rather to give fans access to items as a

part of this "blind sale". Normally, T-shirts on this site cost $25 each, whereas items

that were part of this promotion were priced at $6. This item is all-sales-final.

Below, in bold, is the item description of what was purchased:

To celebrate [redacted]'s birthday today, [redacted] wanted to do something special for all of his fans...With a fun twist!

From now until we run out, you can head over to the

store and receive ANY MERCHANDISE ITEM (excluding CDs) for only $6 + S&H.

The Twist?

It's a "Blind Item" sale - you won't know what you're going to get

until it arrives on your doorstep*. For $6 though, what can you lose?

Get it. Keep it. Gift it. Pass it.

You'll have the opportunity to possibly get a T-Shirt, a Tote Bag & more! So what are you waiting for?

Get yours now!

*No returns/refunds/exchanges

-sum41.com

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:

Review: I have not received my items promised for the NKOTB 2013 Full service membership.

I have not received my items promised in the NKOTB 2013 Full Service Membership. On Oct 3 I renewed my NKOTB 2013 Full Service Membership that included a poncho and sweatpants. It is now Dec and I have not received the items. I paid for expedited shipping and have not received the items. My order status says READY. I called customer service today and they stated they do not know when I will receive the items. I think it is ridiculous to purchase and item and to tell a customer you cannot guarantee them when they will recieve the items. In 2012 we had the same issue with our membership and not receiving the items so they exented the membership. I even asked if I could receive the items for the 2014 since they cannot guarantee me the 2013 items. They refused. When I callled they were not helpful. They stated that the item were back ordered and they do not know when or if I will receive them. They make no attempt to help customers. I even asked why I was never notified of the delay and they stated that they do not notify customers. They also do not change the status of the order to notify customers. So for 2 months it has said ready but I do not have my items. Desired Settlement: I want to receive my items ASAP or if they are not going to get the items for 2013 and they stated they cannot give me the 2014 items then I want a refund.

Business

Response:

Initial Business Response

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us in regards to your NKOTB membership purchase. As you have stated in your message, the membership package that you have ordered is currently on backorder. A restock of one of the items included in your package has been ordered, but the item in question is currently being manufactured. While we do fully expect to receive this item soon, it is difficult to provide a precise estimated ship date until the items are in route to our shipping facility. The best estimate to we can provide at this time is another 2-4 weeks for delivery of your package.

We sincerely apologize for the delay regarding your shipment. We have every intention to fulfill this order as quickly as possible. As soon as the backordered item has been received, your order will be shipped right away. You can check the status of your order in your account dashboard. Once your order has shipped, it will change from its current status of "backordered" to "fulfilled."

As a token of our sincere apologies, your fan club membership has been extended for 2 months. Thank you for you patience and understanding. If you have any further questions, you are welcome to contact our customer support representatives at http://support.groundctrl.com.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Final Consumer Response

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

This is very upsetting. I still have no answer as to when I will receive my times. They keep saying they are working on it and yet it has been 3 months now and I haven't received anything. I don't not accept the answer as to they will fulfill the item as soon as it is available. This has happened before and again they are doing the same. I can't believe a business can continue to function with so many of the same complaints. If you read the other complaints here they are all so similar. I can't get my items or a refund. This is ridiculous. I want to know how to move forward with a refund if I will not receive my times.

Final Business Response

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us in regards to your NKOTB membership purchase.

Unfortunately, we are unable to honor your request to refund this purchase. Due to the fact that the digital membership subscription was applied to your account at the time of purchase, you have received the online membership benefits included in your package such as access to exclusive content, contests, and fan club pre-sale access.

We do understand your frustration in regards to your shippable items. Our NKOTB team is currently working to restock the item in question, and we will be sure to fulfill your shipment as soon as your items are available.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to write our customer support representatives at http://support.groundctrl.com

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: Control ground failed to give me the location and address of the Backstreet Boys After Party in Atlanta GA on August 22nd 2013.

I purchased a Backstreet Bots meet and greet for Howie D's Birthday Celebration After Party in Atlanta Georgia. The order number was Order #: GCXXXX-XXXXXX-XHXXXXX. I made my purchase on August 21st 2013. The concert was on August 22nd 2013. The only thing that Control Ground did right was actually send me an email with my total and it told me to go to Will Call.

I showed up to the venue 25 minutes before the show. I was directed to an area by [redacted] staff where we were supposed to check in at for the After Party pass. I went to a small table, gave the staff member my ID, and a print off of my order number. I was given a BSB After Party pass that went around my neck. I asked the staff where was the After Party located and they said it was right up the street in a house on the hill. I was confused, because I hadn't received any information from Control Ground regarding the location of the Party. The Control Ground representative told me she didn't have the address to the After Party. I didn't receive any further emails from Control Ground regarding the location of the event. All I knew was the "After Party" was after the concert was over.

Once the concert was over I met with a couple I didn't know that also was going to the "After Party". We both had no idea where exactly the party was located. We did know that the Party wasn't at the Chastain Park Amphitheater. The concert ended around 9:30 pm. It was dark and everyone was leaving the Amphitheater. As a single woman, I was very nervous and scared to be walking up a road with no address and no idea where I was going other than what the Control Ground representative told me "up the road to the left at a house". I was given no address and no other information. I didn't know if I could park there, so I walked.

From the venue Chastain Park Amphitheater to the house the Party was located at [redacted] NW (I didn't get the address until I googled it when I got home from the After Party) it was 0.26 miles away. How sad is it that I found out it was a house near the Chastain Horse Park and the address through my own research? You would think that Control Ground would make it a priority to inform the consumer on where to go.

Anyways, from the Venue to the house it was 0.26 miles. This is equal to a six minute walk. Again, this is in the middle of the night. There was very poor lighting on the streets, and not in the best area (poorly lite, minimal people walking around). I was honestly nervous and scared for my own well being. If I wouldn't have met random strangers at the event that were walking with me, I am not sure I would have gone to this house alone.

There were no other Control Ground representatives around to inform us where to go. There were no signs. We kept walking until we saw the house that the event was being held at. The party was fun and I had a good time, but Control Ground failed to provide the promised assistance or support to me (the customer).

I actually posted a comment to the Backstreet Boys website about my experience which is run by Control Ground. They removed my comment so here I am. If you have to deal with this company be warned the customer service is horrible. Don't rely on them for anything. Control Ground failed to deliver the proper information to me, and left me literally out in the dark walking up a street in the middle of the night with no idea where I was going. Shame on you Control Ground.

Desired Settlement: If Control Ground owes me anything it is an apology. No matter what, my customer service experience was well below sub par and dangerous.

I wouldn't mind giving the company a second chance if they were to discount my next meet and greet.

Business

Response:

Initial Business Response

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for contacting us in regards to your Backstreet Boys After Party experience. We are very sorry to hear that you were unsatisfied with the customer service you received at this event. While this After Party Event did take place at Chastain Horse Park, located on the same grounds as the Chastain Park Amphitheater, our VIP staff acknowledges that the directions you seems to have received are unsatisfactory. We want to assure you that we are taking steps to make sure we can provide more thorough information at similar events in the future. We appreciate you taking the time to express your concerns and provide feedback. We depend on the feedback of fans like yourself in order to improve the fan experience at future VIP events. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our customer support staff at http://support.groundctrl.com

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl) Support

Review: Backstreet Boys

I am very unhappy with the way that Ground Control handled the presale tickets for the Backstreet Boys. I am a huge fan and have been for 20 years. My dream is to sit in the front rows of a concert but have not been able to yet because of the tickets not being released. Since I am part of the fan club, I had access to presale and was supposed to recieve an email the night before so I could purchase them as soon as they went on sale. When I went to check my email to buy them, I had not received an email. I frantically called Ground Control and it took me 45 mintutes to get through to get my code. By this time tickets had already been on sale for an hour. I feel as though I could have gotten better seats if it weren't for Ground Control's issue of not sending me the code. They delievered an apology for those that had this problem but for me that is not enough. I am still upset about this and I wish that something could be done. I dont make a lot of money so I cant just buy better seats after the fact. I think that my tickets should be able to be traded in for better seats since Ground Control messed it up for me in getting better seats. I usually dont complain but being as big of a fan as I am, this is really heartbreaking. Desired Settlement: I would like my seats that I currently have to be traded in for better ones.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Hello [redacted],

Thank you for reaching out regarding your Backstreet Boys membership package. We apologize for any confusion surrounding this past pre-sale and have looked into your issue specifically.

Your pre-sale code was sent to your email address at 1:35am PDT the night before this pre-sale. This email has since been opened and the code has also been provided to you through our customer support team. This pre-sale started on Wednesday May 15th and continued until Friday May 17th, which means you did receive your membership code in time to participate in the pre-sale. Being a paid member also entitled you to the VIP pre-sale which did not need a code and only required you be logged into your paid account in order to participate.

Due to the fact that each item in your membership bundle has been fulfilled, that you purchased a VIP package during the pre-sale, and per the item description in our return policy, we will not be offering a refund.

Please review the ground(ctrl) Return Policy for more information.

http://groundctrl.com/return-policy/

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: WE HAD A BAD VIP EXPERIENCE THROUGH WONDERFUL UNION ON APRIL 16, 2015 at the [redacted]. Paid $150 each for two VIP tickets. We didn't get what we paid for. The add post:[redacted] VIP UpgradeMeet and Greet with [redacted]Individual Photo with [redacted]Exclusive Soundcheck Access (WE DID NOT RECEIVE)Exclusive Q&A Session with [redacted] (WE DID NOT RECEIVE)Autographed VIP PosterCommemorative VIP Tour LaminatePriority Entry To Venue (where available)We were informed to be at the venue at 4pm sharp. Me and a guest left our jobs early to ensure we would get into the VIP event. The crew member informed us the bus broke down and the artist would be late to the event. We waited and waited and didn't get to see [redacted] until 8pm. When we finally got in we got about 5 minutes of [redacted]'s time and we're abruptly sent away. I have since gone back to Wonderful Union the company that sold me those tickets to complain and request partial reimbursement. They informed us that they are not going to offer any partial reimbursement because they claim we did in fact get the soundcheck and Q&A session. Their claim is simply untrue. I have written them over and over and they now refuse to respond. I wonder has this happened to other participants in varying cities? This is not right! I know there were several other VIP participants that night that can back up this claim.Desired Settlement: Partial refund for each ticket. I would accept $75 each ticket for two tickets to total $150 as partial reimbursement.

Business

Response:

We're sorry to hear that this event did not meet your expectations. We followed up with the staff that handled the event again and got new details. Each of your packages included the following: Meet and Greet with [redacted]Individual Photo with [redacted]Exclusive Soundcheck AccessExclusive Q&A Session with [redacted]Autographed VIP PosterCommemorative VIP Tour LaminatePriority Entry To Venue (where available)The day of this particular event, the bus broke down so the band's soundcheck didn't take place as scheduled. Instead, they let everyone into their dressing room for photos and signatures. They did this to compensate for the change because access to the dressing room and signatures were not included in the package. We understand from your email to our support team that you also got a second meet and greet after the show as well. We agree that a partial refund of $75 per ticket is fair due to the last minute change as well as the misinformation we had when we worked with you previously on this inquiry. Our apologies for the miscommunication.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

This company is sincerely the worst. They have no reliable staff members and everybody is very lackadaisical at best. They will tell you one thing and another thing will happen. They have no official paperwork ever and it's very hard to know if they have actually done something or are just lying to you. I contacted them several days before my concert to update my change of address for a VIP event and was promised that all the information had been updated. I confirmed with the woman several times, and I even had to go through their special dept (which took forever to get them to give me the phone number too.) They also can't really help you properly until you have an "Order Number" which you don't get until a package actually ships. So good luck getting any help from them prior to that. You would hope that a VIP would actually be treated like a VIP, but unfortunately, my package supposedly shipped out... to the wrong address. They use a terrible delivery system called "UPS Mail Innovations" which means that you receive a UPS tracking number, but UPS has NO control over the package. The USPS is in charge. I have been trying to contact anyone and everyone to make sure this package gets to the right place... but for some reason it's been a nightmare. When I contacted them and submit a problem ticket, all I got was a one-line response email, very unprofessional, saying "Yes it's updated." That's great. Don't you have any official paperwork or anything? So now I am trying to work with the USPS for my package, which I shouldn't have to do in the first place. These people are insanely incompetent and disorganized and I will never buy VIP tickets to any event ever again simply because I hate working with them.

Review: I purchased an VIP package for a show out of state. After a small emergency that led me to not be able to attend I've provided WU ample notice to return the package and provide them with the ability to resell the item. They state their policy is no refunds on VIP packages, but emergencies happen and there is an exception to every policy.

I'm simply requesting my monies be returned for a purchase I am unable to use.Desired Settlement: Refund my purchase back to my paypal account.

Business

Response:

We're sorry to hear you aren't able to attend this event. We aren't able to accept returns on VIP packages, which is why we make this clear in our item descriptions which are available prior to purchase. All VIP packages are all sales final.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: the company is able to return my funds. Simply accept the refund request through the PayPal dispute. It's disappointing to see a company favor policy over doing what is right by the customer. Had I waited until the last minute I could understand denying the claim, but providing ample notice it's extremely disappointing and definitely makes me think twice about purchasing from the company in the future. This issue can be resolved by simply returning my funds.

Review: I need a refund for my ticket because I'm sick

I bought a payment plan for my tickets to Kansrockas festival and found out that I was sick and I can't go now. I would like to try and get a refund for my tickets. After numerous times that I contacted your company your staff refused to help me and I would like to use that money for my doctor bills. I would hope y'all would understand if you were in my shoes. ThanksDesired Settlement: I would just like a refund for my 1 payment of my payment plan.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Hello [redacted],

Unfortunately, after reviewing your request we are unable to issue a refund for this order. Please review the ground(ctrl) ticketing policy for more information.

http://groundctrl.com/ticketing-policy/

All Sales are Final

All ticket sales completed though ground(ctrl) are final. Our client venues do not allow us to refund or exchange any order once it has been confirmed. Once tickets are issued, they are like cash and will not be replaced or refunded if lost or stolen.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Consumer's Final Response

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

I do understand your policy but I'm asking you for this one time refund I believe and you believe it's the right thing to do. Ill never order tickets from your company again. I know y'all don't care but it's a typical company like yours that keeps us Americans bankrupt. It's sad and you know it.

Business' Final Response

Hello [redacted],

As noted previously, all ticket sales are final. Our client venues do not allow us to refund or cancel any orders once they have been confirmed. Upon purchasing this ticket you agreed to the terms and conditions of this sale, which includes accepting that this tickets, once issued, are like cash and will not be replaced or refunded.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: I ordered a BSB fan club package on 5/16/2013 and have yet to receive my order.

I have still not received the backstreet boys fan club package that I ordered on 5/16/2913. the order number is [redacted] for which I paid $92.66. They received their money but I have gotten nothing. I have sent numerous emails and made lots of phone calls to their customer support about this.

I keep getting the same response that items on back order and that the group is busy touring. this would more believable if the group wasnt posting vacation pics every month with their families. when I placed the order I was told 6-8 weeks and given a shipment of date of 7/15/2013 which by the way is still listed that way on their website. I just cant really believe that it is taking this long. the other issue that I have with them is that they haven't even offered any type of real time frame, any type of resolution or any type of extras, just lots of excuses. The customer service I have received has not been customer service at all. When complaints started rolling in they should have informed customers of the situation instead of waiting a month to do so. In the end they acted as if they didn't really care and it is MY problem that they cannot fulfill their orders on time. I would encourage other potential customers to research the complaints and lack of customer service others have received before placing an order with this company. This was suppose to a birthday gift for my wife but they didnt work out.Desired Settlement: My fan club merchandise and something extra for all my wait and wasted time.

Business

Response:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us in regards to your Backstreet Boys Membership Purchase.

We sincerely apologize for the continued delay regarding your membership bundle shipment. These packages have not yet been shipped due to a delay receiving the autographed merchandise required to fulfill your order. Unfortunately, as a result of the Backstreet Boys current touring schedule, the autographed merchandise has taken longer to receive than previously expected. The band has been working to send us signed merchandise a quickly as possible, and we do expect to start receiving these items soon. We will be sure to ship your fan club bundle will be shipped as soon as the items have been received. Due to the nature of the item and the limited availability of the artist, it is difficult to provide a precise estimated ship date at this time. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Please note that the digital portion of this membership has been active since the date of purchase. There are no items included in your package that are required to access these digital benefits. These benefits include access to exclusive online content, access to the fan club community, and access to fan club pre-sales during the time of your membership subscription. Due to the delay regarding the shipment of your goods, we have extended the membership portion of this order for 3 months.

Again, we are very sorry for the unexpected delay. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this purchase or your account, our customer service representatives would be happy to assist you. You can submit any inquiries at http://support.groundctrl.com/.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Business

Response:

Hello again,

Thank you for your continued patience while we waited to receive the autographed merchandise necessary to fulfill your order. We shipped your items out to you on January 9th and we see that your package was delivered and that you spoke with one of our representatives and confirmed that everything you were waiting on was received. We hope that you enjoy these items.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

Review: Order two vip packages, still waiting for them after more than a year has past.

I ordered two BIP packages for a Guns n Roses concert in Dublin. With it comes a package with shirt and laminated card. I have contacted the company over dozen times and gotten every excuse in the book or no response at all. The concert was on the 17th of May 2012 and now a year later I have yet to receive the two VIP packages.Desired Settlement: I would like to receive what I have paid for. I paid 590 US dollars for this and either want my packages with all that I purchased or I want a refund.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Hello [redacted],

Thank you for reaching out regarding your Guns N Roses VIP package. We apologize in the delay of receiving the items included in this package. We are scheduled to have new laminates in our warehouse within the next few weeks and will make sure to mail out a set of laminates and a Guns N Roses poster to your shipping address.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Consumer's Final Response

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

I have been waiting for more than one year and now they want to send me the new ones coming out in a few weeks? What happened to the old ones? From the tour I went to? I have had this promise of receiving it in the "next few weeks" for a year now. I would like to have an exact date when it will be shipped. After waiting for more than one year, this is hardly accaptable.

Business' Final Response

Hello Will,

Thank you for notifying us of this issue. Our shipping department has mailed out another package to fulfill any current missing items. This package was mailed out on July 12th using USPS with the tracking number LM215440517US.

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: I am disgusted at the fact that I need to pay in order to purchase tickets first of all. Then I purchase this digital membership for $15.30 and wait until the clock hits 10:30 and click on the "Tickets" and nothing happens, the wheel just keeps turning until it goes to home page. I had previously attempted to buy the better membership however to charge $15+ for shipping, give me a break. My husband loves My Morning Jacket which is why I have been attempting to get him tickets for Boston. I do everything I can by buying a membership that does nothing is a waste of money. I am so upset right now. The fact is that I am thinking this membership is a scam to get people to give more money. As soon as they go on sale there is nothing. But when you google the tickets they are all over the web with the ticket companies. The limit 4 is a joke. I do not want to be part of any club that exploits working people into spending money to get nothing from it. I am asking for a refund for the $15.30 that I believe has been stolen, you say a pre-sale and then there is nothing available at 10:30. Unbelievable!! If I do not hear back from someone by the end of Thursday 7/16 I will be sending this to the Revdex.com. I am ashamed at the fact that I was lead to believe that by joining this "membership" I would be able to buy tickets earlier. I should have known better, any tickets that I have ever done a pre-sale for I have never paid for a code. The group sends them to the fans and doesn't ask for money for a code to buy tickets.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of $15.30, for the "membership" that would allow me to purchase pre-sale tickets at 10:30am on 7/14/15. Nothing was available for either show in Boston at 10:30am.

Business

Response:

We're sorry to hear you weren't able to purchase tickets for this event during today's fan-club presale. We had a limited number of tickets available and the tickets sold out quickly. As we mention in the product description on our site, when there is a fan club presale, concert tickets/VIPs are purchasable on a first-come, first-serve basis and are not guaranteed. The membership offers other benefits in addition to pre-sale access as well: -One free live show download redemption code (it will be emailed you during your membership year with instructions on where to redeem it)-access to these exclusive areas of [redacted]a. Exclusive members-only forumsb. Members-only commenting, friending, blogs and more social featuresc. Members-only chatd. Members-only contests (recent past contests have included access to listening parties and private concerts)Since these memberships do go into effect automatically at the time of purchase, they are non-refundable.

Review: I purchased 2 Gold VIP After Party packages for $300 to a Backstreet Boys concert in St. Paul, MN. The package was described as including: Entry to the After Party, Group Meet and Greet with Select Members, and Group Photo on the Red Carpet with Select Members (Groups of 5). When it came time for the Group Meet and Greet I was very upset and disappointed to find out that there was no real meet and greet time given; we were instead quickly ushered in for a photo and then promptly rushed out for the next group to come in. My friend and I were not given time to even say hi to all the band members that were present, the most basic definition of a meet and greet.I am very upset by the company's false advertisement. Had the packages been accurately described as to what would actually be included I would have saved myself $150 and purchased the After Party Admission Ticket where I would have actually received what was advertised.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of $150 for the Group Meet and Greet portion of the package that I purchased, but did not receive.

Business

Response:

We are sorry to hear that your Backstreet Boys Gold After Party Packages didn't meet your expectations. Since these packages include live interaction with members of the band, every night of the tour is unique. We assure you that the team on site does its best to make the experience as memorable as possible, so for this event in particular, photos with the guys were mostly taken in smaller groups of 2 or 3 (as opposed to 5 as advertised) to maximize time with the guys and multiple photos of each group were posted (as opposed to the 1 that comes with each package). Since you and your guest attended the event, met the guys who attended, took a photo (which is posted on Backstreetboys.com) and were given the laminate, this package has been fulfilled in its entirety and we cannot provide you with the settlement you have asked for. We are however, willing to issue you a partial refund of $25 a ticket.

Review: I bought a membership before the posted deadline to receive a presale password to purchase tickets prior to start of presale but didn't get it.

I purchased a fan club membership for the Backstreet Boys from the company ground(ctrl) before 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Tuesday, May 15th in order to meet the requirement to receive a presale password after midnight for the 7 am Eastern Standard Time presale for the concert on August 9th in Cincinnati, OH. This requirement was stated in an email from the company issued on May 14th. I adhered to this requirement and purchased the ticket well before the cutoff time, but I did not receive the password for the 7 am pre-sale. I filed a support ticket with the company's website at 7:01 am Eastern Standard Time which was one minute after the time of the presale, but I did not receive the password until 1:46 pm Eastern Standard Time. By that time, the priority seats released during the presale were gone. Because I purchased the fan club package with the reasonable expectation of receiving a presale password to use during the beginning of the presale and that did not happen, I tried to call this business. I was on hold for several minutes before an automated message told me there was no available representative to speak with me. Again, I filed a support ticket with the company's website on May 15th requesting a refund for the money paid, $30.30. On May 21st, I received a response from the company including the following message:

"Thank you for contacting ground(ctrl) support. We are very sorry that we were unable to address your support request before the fan club pre-sale concluded. In many cases, we were able to provide fan club members with codes over the phone, and in other cases the delivery of your pre-sale codes to your email may have been delayed. An official statement regarding this situation can be found in the news portion of the fan club website here: http://backstreetboys.com/news/XXXXXX

In most cases, tickets for the concert dates included in this pre-sale have now gone on sale to the general public. You can reach the ticketing page by clicking the "buy" link for your desired show from the following page: http://backstreetboys.com/events

We at ground(ctrl) want to stress that we are truly grateful for your dedication as a fan, and we would love to assist you if you still have any questions, feedback, or concerns regarding your issue. If you are still in need of assistance, please submit a new inquiry through our customer support website: http://support.groundctrl.com/

You can also reach us by phone at at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX (toll free) or X-XXX-XXX-XXXX and we will be able to better assist you over the phone."

While I appreciate the apology of the company, the fact remains that I did not receive the product (i.e.,password) that I paid for in time to purchase tickets. As the email requested, I called the customer support and spoke with a representative. He confirmed that he is unable to refund my money, but offered an extension of the fan club membership. However, without the guarantee that there would be another concert to which I would use a presale code, I do not think this is a fair offering.

Simply stated, I did not receive the product that I paid for and I would like to be refunded the money ($30.30) that I paid for the product I did not receive. Desired Settlement: I paid an amount of $30.30 (thirty dollars and thirty cents) for this product that I did not receive and I seek a full refund of $30.30.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Hello [redacted],

Thank you for reaching out regarding your Backstreet Boys membership package. We apologize for any confusion surrounding this past pre-sale and have looked into your issue specifically.

Your pre-sale code was sent to your email address at 1:35am PDT the night before this pre-sale. This email has since been opened and the code has also been provided to you through our customer support team. This pre-sale started on Wednesday May 15th and continued until Friday May 17th, which means you did receive your membership code in time to participate in the pre-sale. Being a paid member also entitled you to the VIP pre-sale which did not need a code and only required you be logged into your paid account in order to participate.

Due to the fact that each item in your membership bundle has been fulfilled, and per the item description in our return policy, we will not be offering a refund.

Please review the ground(ctrl) Return Policy for more information.

http://groundctrl.com/return-policy/

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl)

Review: This is Ground Control, a fan club company. However, when I went to contact them, they came up as a ticketing company, so I'm confused. I paid a membership fee for a fan club ([redacted]). They were supposed to provide info about a concert presale, which they didn't. Then I tried to call them and the only number I could find is disconnected. I don't know if they do anything other than take membership fees for nothing.Desired Settlement: At the very least it would be nice to be able to talk with someone there! Since this apparently a ticket service and not a fan club, I want a refund. If I want tickets, I'll go to a legitimate ticket company, not one that says they are a fan club with perks when they are clearly not.

Business

Response:

Hi [redacted], we're so sorry for being difficult to contact today. We see you've been shopping with us since 2010; since then we changed our name from ground(ctrl) to Wonderful Union. Apologies for the confusion. We left you a voicemail at the number you used to place your order. We'll also try to call you again later today. In the mean time, we're available through live chat on [redacted]t's site, email (h[redacted]), website (h[redacted]), and phone ([redacted]). We're looking forward to talking to you about the exciting things we have going on in the fan club, including a presale just announced today.

Review: Hello,I purchased two Selena Gomez packages for 692.25. I should have received two of each of the following, because I bought two packages:Selena Gomez Diamond Meet and Greet Experience One Premium Concert Ticket One Meet and Greet with Selena Gomez One Photo Opportunity with Selena Gomez One Limited Edition, Autographed Poster One Commemorative VIP Passport One Selena Gomez Drawstring Backpack One Pair of Selena Gomez Sunglasses One Selena Gomez Snapback HatI did not receive the two Limited Edition Autographed Posters. I contacted Ticketmaster first who told me Groundctrl handles all these packages. I contacted Groundctrl first in August 2013 by phone. They told me they were aware of the issue and I would receive signed posters in the mail or a similar signed item.I patiently waited a month, nothing came in the mail so I contacted them again, over and over by email and phone for the next few months. Every time I would hear a different story. That they were just waiting for the items to be received in their warehouse, that they would have to get back with me and they never did, and finally that I would receive a full refund for my order. Again I waited over a month and no refund, I called and they said they had no file of my previous calls or emails. I have everything saved. I have spent months of work back and forth calls and emails, explaining my story over and over. I have a very upset young fan that was not able to get an autograph and this is unacceptable. This was supposed to be a VIP experience but I have been treated like garbage.Desired Settlement: I want the full refund of 692.25 that I was promised by GrountCtrl customer service and also by Selena Gomez's management, I want the refund in the form of a check mailed to me.

Business

Response:

We worked with the merchant who sold this package to offer a refund for this purchase in the form of a check. This has been mailed and an email confirmation was sent to the purchaser.