Watch CBS News

New Hampshire woman relieved to get refund for postponed Aerosmith concert

Aerosmith fan wins refund fight after postponed Boston concert
Aerosmith fan wins refund fight after postponed Boston concert 00:48

SEABROOK, NH - Phyllis Willett lives for legendary live music. And what is more iconically New England, than a farewell tour of its most famous band?

"I've seen Aerosmith before; I even saw Steven Tyler at Market Basket in Portsmouth. But to see them in concert on New Year's Eve; Rent a room down there, it would have been a great celebration!" the Seabrook woman said.

Aerosmith tour postponed   

But after Steven Tyler announced a vocal cord injury last September, the tour was postponed - with the Boston show bumped a year.

"I was going to go with my twin brother. My twin brother passed away unexpectedly January 8. That's a no-go. Now I don't even want to go," she explained.

Phyllis had spent close to $1,800 for the two Ticketmaster tickets, on a resale site with different rules: no refunds on postponed or rescheduled shows. She was told she'd have to resell them herself, but she doesn't even own a computer.

Phyllis Willett
Phyllis Willett CBS Boston

"Unlike buying through an official channel, third party sites may have weaker refund and buyer protection policies. In this situation specifically no one is wrong. It's a set of circumstances that no one could foresee," said Paula Fleming of the Better Business Bureau. 

Full refund from third party website

WBZ contacted Ticketmaster, and Tickets-Center.com where the purchase occurred. After explaining the sensitive situation, Tickets-Center.com responded:

"In addition to the full refund, we would like Phyllis to keep the tickets. We want her to consider attending the concert as a tribute to her twin brother's memory, a celebration of the bond she shared, and a step towards healing."

Now after months of worry, countless calls and e-mails, and a trip to her credit union, Phyllis finally feels relief.

"Me not knowing there was a third party involved just made it even tougher on me. I'm just grateful I met you and WBZ did something for me," Phyllis said happily. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.