Alternative Event Ticketing Solutions that Avoid the big Ticketing Organisations.

Almost all tickets for events are now sold online which requires an element of technical knowledge to implement. As the majority of event and festival organisers do not possess these skills the use of third-party ticketing companies has become the norm. What are the more cost-effective alternatives to using these dominant ticketing organisations.

Anyone wishing to purchase tickets for events is now used to using online systems to make their purchase and ticketing platforms provide a secure transaction environment that is straightforward to use. Event organisers want simple solutions that just deliver ticketing revenue without the hassle of building and running complex systems. However, there is an increasing backlash from users and event organisers that exorbitant add-on costs and hidden fees are out of control. Alternative ticketing solutions can help reduce overall ticket prices for customers and reduce fees charged to organisers as well as giving them back more control of ticketing processes. 

The Ticketing Platform Giants. 
The event ticketing market is dominated by a number of large corporate providers that include Ticketmaster/Live Nation, Eventbrite, AXS and See Tickets for example. All these suppliers have been criticised in recent years for their high fees and hidden extras charged to ticket buyers significantly increasing the cost of a ticket. They also take a large portion of ticket sales revenue away from organisers significantly reducing overall ticket sales revenue. This has led to a disconnect between ticket buyers and organisers especially if there are any customer service issues. There is a feeling of loss of control over the process which can adversely impact of an event’s brand along with ongoing disputes over data ownership. Given their market dominance these large ticketing platforms are reluctant to reduce their costs and are determined to maintain control over the entire ticketing environment. 

White Label Solutions. 
When using a third-party ticketing platform users are often sent to that providers own branded website to complete a transaction usually from a link on the organiser's own website. A white label ticketing platform allows organisers to retain their own branding and introduce related offers in an environment that appears like their own system. All fees are generally more transparent for organisers and users without the hidden extras and flat fee rates are common.  White label platforms can also allow organisers to run and control their own capacity management, tiered pricing, payment plans, promotions and other upsells. The data ownership remains with the organising entity and detailed analytics and reporting linked to organiser's own CRM systems are usually available too. These solutions allow organisers to control the entire ticketing process form payment to fulfilment and on-site scanning. Notable suppliers of white label systems include TicketSpice, Ticket Tailor, Ticketsauce, Eventcube and Purplepass. 

Integral Event Management platforms. 
There is a growing trend amongst event and festival organisers to use event management software that helps to automate and control the complex operations and logistics of running an event. Market leading suppliers like Festival Pro incorporate a comprehensive ticketing module that links seamlessly with other system functionality. They offer a complete one stop solution for event organisers with transparent pricing and fees. 

Custom Built Solutions. 
Building a bespoke ticketing platform is no longer beyond the capabilities of event organisers with advancements in software development tools. There are an increasing number of open-source solutions available that enable organisers to build and develop their own systems that gives them ultimate control and customisation. Aside from the development and ongoing maintenance costs organisers no longer have to endure processing fees charged by ticketing platforms as they have complete ownership of their system. Popular open-source system suppliers include Pretix and Hi, Events. 

Future Trends. 
The use of blockchain-based ticketing is still being explored by some organisations but has very low adoption by users and organisers due to the potential complexities in implementation. Tickets are often offered as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on a blockchain and are designed to combat fraud as well as provide transparency and controlled resale. Other providers have designed ticketing systems that use blockchain technology to issue digital smart tickets linked to mobile phones with rotating QR codes to prevent fraud for example. This space is still evolving but may offer significant benefits to users and organisers as alternatives to the ticketing platforms currently available. 

For festival organisers planning their next event using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics including a dedicated ticketing module. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by ignartonosbg via Pixabay

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