Online ticket sale site, Ticketmaster is changing their pricing system which could see fans pay more to see their favourite artists.
The new system, called 'dynamic pricing' will see the price of tickets altered based on demand.
With the recent ticket sale for popular artists including Harry Styles, Coldplay and Blackpink all seeing fans pay varied prices.
Ticketmaster has said they are introducing a new system to stop touts and to give more money to artists.
However, fans and music industry experts have criticised the change as more people are being priced out of concerts and can't afford to see their favourite artists.
How does Ticketmaster's new dynamic pricing work?
The new system means that Ticketmaster will no longer share the cost of tickets ahead of sales as the prices will constantly change based on demand.
A Ticketmaster page for the Harry Styles tour shared a notice that told fans: "These tickets vary in price driven by demand from fans, similar to airline tickets and hotel rooms.
"We give fans an opportunity to safely buy official tickets for the events they love, right up to the date of the show."
The system has been used widely in the US where they see a larger resale market and touting is more prevalent.
Artists, including Drake, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, and Paul McCartney all used the pricing and received backlash.
Waited 2 hours in the queue for Harry Styles tickets for Coventry and this is what they hiked the prices to! How are people meant to afford that it’s absolutely ridiculous pic.twitter.com/DHyfAFMfa1
— Sinéad (@xSinead_OB) September 1, 2022
Following the backlash, Ticketmaster shared a statement saying: "The promoters and artist representatives determine the specific pricing for their shows.
"The biggest factor that drives pricing is supply and demand. When there are far more people who want to attend an event than there are tickets available, prices go up.”
But not everyone is pleased with the new system, with fans finding they had paid more than double the advertised price after confirmation.
One Harry Styles fan has since asked for a refund from Ticketmaster, after spending £697 on two tickets that had originally been advertised as £155.
One fan wrote: "How is it even legal to use ‘dynamic pricing’ like tickets should stay the same price regardless of how many people are buying them.”
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