Ticket scalpers and the secondary market are a problem that my company has been dealing with for years. Our goal, of course, is to protect ticket buyers from the ill effects caused by the secondary scalping market without requiring them to jump through too many inconvenient hoops. The question then becomes how do you make things difficult for scalpers without also making them difficult for ticket buyers and event producers?
We could require every ticket buyer to show their ID and credit card at the event to gain entry, but what about situations where a legitimate ticket buyer can't attend and wants to give or sell the ticket to someone else? Should a ticket buyer never be allowed to sell his or her ticket? And what about buying tickets as a gift for someone? Even if you ignored the problems this requirement would cause the ticket buyer, checking names on a list at the door can become a nearly impossible task for larger events with multiple points of entry.
We could limit the number of tickets available for a single purchase. The problem here, of course, is that scalpers are always going to find a way to automate the purchase process, so really all you've accomplished is annoying people who want to legitimately buy a large number of tickets for their friends, family, class, etc.
We could try to preempt the secondary market by offering some sort of built-in auction service. But then who gets the money from the increased ticket price? The original ticket buyer? Then all you've done is give scalpers a more convenient way to scalp. Does it go to the event producer? It should, but then why would anyone use our built in service when they could use an outside service and keep the profit for themselves? Should it go to the ticketing agency? Yes! (Kidding. Though in the case of some ticketing agencies, that's exactly what happens.)
We could try to get the laws changed to disallow ticket reselling. But I don't believe that laws limiting peaceful civil interaction are ever in the best interest of the general public. And let's be honest, scalping laws are never going to be brought back anyway. There's way too much money and there are way too many lobbyists involved at this point. Whatever the solution is, it's either technologically or logistically based.
I should probably submit this as an Ask Slashdot, but until that happens, I would be happy to chat with anyone who has suggestions for ways that we can protect ticket buyers from the secondary market without limiting their ability to give or sell tickets to others. You can message me through Slashdot or email me directly at slashdot at BrownPaperTickets dot com.
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I think that you are mistaken. Our events in Georgia are available here.
Ticket scalpers and the secondary market are a problem that my company has been dealing with for years. Our goal, of course, is to protect ticket buyers from the ill effects caused by the secondary scalping market without requiring them to jump through too many inconvenient hoops. The question then becomes how do you make things difficult for scalpers without also making them difficult for ticket buyers and event producers?
We could require every ticket buyer to show their ID and credit card at the event to gain entry, but what about situations where a legitimate ticket buyer can't attend and wants to give or sell the ticket to someone else? Should a ticket buyer never be allowed to sell his or her ticket? And what about buying tickets as a gift for someone? Even if you ignored the problems this requirement would cause the ticket buyer, checking names on a list at the door can become a nearly impossible task for larger events with multiple points of entry.
We could limit the number of tickets available for a single purchase. The problem here, of course, is that scalpers are always going to find a way to automate the purchase process, so really all you've accomplished is annoying people who want to legitimately buy a large number of tickets for their friends, family, class, etc.
We could try to preempt the secondary market by offering some sort of built-in auction service. But then who gets the money from the increased ticket price? The original ticket buyer? Then all you've done is give scalpers a more convenient way to scalp. Does it go to the event producer? It should, but then why would anyone use our built in service when they could use an outside service and keep the profit for themselves? Should it go to the ticketing agency? Yes! (Kidding. Though in the case of some ticketing agencies, that's exactly what happens.)
We could try to get the laws changed to disallow ticket reselling. But I don't believe that laws limiting peaceful civil interaction are ever in the best interest of the general public. And let's be honest, scalping laws are never going to be brought back anyway. There's way too much money and there are way too many lobbyists involved at this point. Whatever the solution is, it's either technologically or logistically based.
I should probably submit this as an Ask Slashdot, but until that happens, I would be happy to chat with anyone who has suggestions for ways that we can protect ticket buyers from the secondary market without limiting their ability to give or sell tickets to others. You can message me through Slashdot or email me directly at slashdot at BrownPaperTickets dot com.
William Scott Jordan, CTO
Brown Paper Tickets
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/