The broadcast received a letter from viewer Arta, who regularly uses train services, or the brand Vivi.
'So far, I've been satisfied with the options offered by the website. But now - when the new website appears, registration is required to buy a ticket,” Arta noted, expressing confusion over the system created for buying a train ticket. 'There are alternatives - you can buy tickets while queuing at Central station or buy tickets on a train with a surcharge. I don't understand why a foreigner who is most likely to use the service once in his life must necessarily go to ticket offices or overpay for a ticket. Why is there no “buy a ticket without registration” option on the website? ”
Aija Babre, a spokeswoman for the company Vivi, explained that creating a user profile on the new website is "meant to think about regular customers" and has been decided upon looking at past experience.
"The user account solves a problem such as not emailing an e-ticket. That service is provided by third parties, so there can be different restrictions - either a full mailbox or a misspelled email address. Then one doesn't get the train ticket," said Babre, noting that all purchased tickets show up in the user-created account.
Meanwhile, the Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) explained that no laws or regulations stipulate that it is mandatory to be able to buy anything without registration when shopping on the Internet. PTAC agreed that it can be annoying for the customer, but it is legal.
Consumer advocates don't receive similar complaints often, but Sanita Gertmann, head of consumer support, public outreach and communications at CRPC, agreed that requiring them to register with even the smallest purchase isn't too convenient.
Vivi also said that passenger habits have changed recently. If pre-pandemic, tickets were more often bought at the checkout, then e-tickets are now far more popular.
