Q: I have purchased two tickets online to watch a show with my daughter. Unfortunately, after concluding the purchase I realised that my daughter and I have another commitment on that day. I therefore asked the online seller to refund me the price paid for the tickets as I could not use them. The seller informed me that, as per the terms and conditions of the booking website, the tickets I purchased are non-refundable. The seller suggested I either try to sell the tickets to someone else or I can opt to pay an additional €3 per ticket and change the tickets to a different date.

Since I bought the tickets online isn’t my purchase covered by a cooling-off period?

A: It is true that when consumers purchase goods and services through a distant means of communication, according to the Consumer Rights Regulations, there are 14 days during which they can change their mind and cancel the sale. However, within the same regulations there is a list of situations that are exempted from the right of withdrawal. One of these exceptions is the provision of services related to leisure activities if the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance. Hence, since the purchase of online tickets to watch a show falls under this exception, legally you are not entitled to cancel the purchase and ask for a refund. Thus it is advisable that you accept the trader’s offer to pay an additional fee and change the dates or try selling the tickets.

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