January Charges From The 2023 NETHERWORLD Season FAQ
What happened?
We experienced a serious issue involving our online ticketing payment processor in which many people who purchased tickets, and initially saw their payment as pending, did not in actuality get charged for their tickets at the original time of purchase. These tickets were still purchased, issued, honored, and/or were scannable for entry at Netherworld on the appropriate dates. In early January 2024, after months of communication with our ticketing company, our gateway company, and our processing vendor to understand the situation, the processor began charging the affected customers for their tickets that were originally purchased during October/November 2023. Unfortunately, they did not alert us prior to recharging to allow us the ability to alert patrons in advance of the transaction.
How did you respond and attempt to resolve the issue?
As soon as the Netherworld team was alerted of this issue, we reached out to our pertinent vendors and it was ultimately determined that our credit card processing vendor would need to resolve the situation which they assured us they would do as quickly as possible. Communication between the two parties to resolve the matter began in November 2023 through early January 2024 which took much longer than we wanted to not only understand the situation, but to also get the help needed to rectify what transpired. It has been a frustrating experience and does not mirror how we like to do business and have done business as a family-run entity for the last 28 years.
How exactly are online transactions handled?
When you purchase a ticket at our event, the first step in the process is our ticketing company Interactive Ticketing. They determine inventory and the amount to be charged, then pass it on to a credit authorization company or gateway. This company reaches out to the purchaser’s account to make sure that it is valid and begins the process. This is when you may see a “Charges Pending” alert. The sale is then approved and the tickets may be used at the attraction.
The purchases are then batched and sent to a processing company. The processor will then withdraw the funds from the purchaser’s account and transfer them to the attractions account. This might take a number of days to complete. This is where the problem happened.
The processor had an issue that caused a significant number of customers to never have the funds transferred over to the attraction. Thus, the tickets were approved, used, and the pending charges just went away, or if they came out, they were subsequently returned to the purchaser’s account. The batches of pending transactions sat in limbo in the processor’s system going nowhere.
Why am I being charged now?
Tickets were purchased by you in October or November 2023, these charges may have initially appeared in your account as pending charges, but if you review the appropriate statement (October or November) from your financial institution, you will find that charges made for online tickets are not there or were erroneously credited back to your account. Therefore, you were never charged and payment for the purchased tickets was not received by Netherworld.
Please note that the only transactions affected by this incident were for tickets purchased online. Upon reviewing your statement, you may find other charges from Netherworld, but these charges would have been for food items, gift shop items, tickets purchased in person at our box office, or tickets to visit our escape rooms.
Why was I not notified before the charge was made in January 2024?
While we frequently stressed the importance of informing our customers affected by this issue, our processor did not let us know charges were finally issued until after the fact. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
I purchased a ticket but did not attend Netherworld. Can I get a refund?
Netherworld’s policy is that no changes or refunds will be provided for no-show ticket purchases or requests after your scheduled visit since timeslot capacity is limited, and we, therefore, must turn away other guests to secure your spot. Timed ticketing restricts attendance, and once a date passes, we have no way to sell that lost inventory again. Much the same as a concert, theater performance, or sports game, we cannot issue refunds if you purchased a ticket and did not attend.
Please contact netherworldoperations@gmail.com if you have any further questions or concerns.
