What is STAR?
STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers) was formed in 1997 in a bid to tackle the rising trend of ticket touts who were threatening the credibility of the ticketing industry by selling tickets at inflated prices and, in some cases, distributing forged tickets.
STAR is now the leading self regulatory body for the UK’s entertainment and ticketing industry. Star is supported by official bodies such as the Society of London Theatre, the Department of Culture Media and Sport and the Office of Fair trading. STAR members include major ticket agencies, box offices, venues and sales outlets across the country. STAR and its associate members’ aim is to promote trustworthy sales by providing consistently high standards of service to consumers. STAR also provides a dispute resolution service for customers wishing to resolve issues with its STAR members.
How to Recognise STAR Members
STAR members can be recognised by the use of the STAR logo (at the top of the page) which should be visible on all STAR member and associate websites and outlets.
Visit the STAR website for a full list of member agencies or call the STAR helpline on: 0870 603 9011
Information on complaining through STAR can be found on the STAR website.
The STAR Code of Practice
In order to ensure members comply with STAR’s intention to bring both transparency and security into the ticket industry, STAR has set out a code of practice for members to abide by. The code sets out standards and procedures that should be adopted when dealing with customer purchases and even procedures for handling complaints in order to avoid unnecessary disputes. Whilst the code is not a legal document but does clearly state STAR’s expectations from its affiliates. The following is a summary of the code’s key points:
- Clearly identify the face value of any tickets purchased and any additional booking fee and/ or service charge
- Refund at least the face value of a ticket if an event is cancelled and a refund is agreed by the promoter.
- To handle bookings politely and courteously, giving the highest standards of professional service.
- To highlight any terms and conditions, including transferability, cancellation and viewing restrictions.
For a full version of STAR’s code of practice, visit the STAR website: http://www.star.org.uk/