A resident of Kazakhstan has secured a full refund for a ticket to a Jennifer Lopez concert through the courts, after the seller initially withheld 30% of the cost. The case ended in an appellate court, which ordered the seller to pay nearly 377,000 tenge, reports infohub.kz.

The consumer was assisted by specialists from the Department of Trade and Consumer Protection for the Pavlodar region.

According to case documents, the ticket was purchased through a travel agency. However, after payment, the buyer received neither a contract, a cash receipt, nor the ticket itself. He later canceled the purchase and demanded a refund. The seller agreed to return only part of the amount, withholding 30% — 113,061 tenge.

Initially, a lower court ruled that the seller should refund only part of the money, considering the dispute related to tourist services. 'In the court of first instance, the seller argued that the dispute arose within the framework of tourist services, since the ticket was purchased through a travel agency, and asked to apply the provisions of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Tourist Activity." The court agreed with this position and partially satisfied the claim, awarding the consumer 263,809 tenge, while refusing to recover the withheld amount of 113,060 tenge,' the department explained.

However, the appellate court concluded that no tourist product contract was concluded between the parties; it was solely a ticket purchase. 'The legal relationship between the parties is governed by the norms of Chapter 33 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on paid services, and not by the Law "On Tourist Activity,"' the court decision stated.

Furthermore, the seller could not provide documentary evidence that it actually incurred expenses that would justify withholding over 113,000 tenge. 'The conditions for withholding 30% of the service cost were communicated to the consumer only after payment was made, therefore they cannot be considered agreed upon by the parties,' the court noted.

As a result, the appellate panel ordered the seller to refund the full ticket price — 376,869 tenge — and to cover legal costs.

The Department of Trade and Consumer Protection reminded that before a purchase, the seller must provide full information about the terms of purchase and ticket refunds. Consumers are advised to use official ticket operators and keep receipts, invoices, electronic tickets, and correspondence, which may be needed to protect their rights.

Jennifer Lopez performed in Astana on August 1, 2025, and in Almaty on August 10.