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Author: ticket_guru

Verified Fan is a Marketing Tactic. Period.

Verified Fan is a Marketing Tactic. Period.

In August, Taylor Swift turned heads (again) when she announced a collaboration with Ticketmaster’s new Verified Fan program. The widely reported reasoning for supporting Verified Fan was to get tickets into the hands of fans, as opposed to scalpers and bots. Funny thing: in order to participate in #VerifiedFan, one needs: A verified email address; A cell phone number The ability to click on links On last check, scalpers can definitely cover these three requirements and any high school kid…

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Paperless Tickets Driving Wild Pricing Patterns

Paperless Tickets Driving Wild Pricing Patterns

Used to be that ticket prices would consistently fall in the days leading up to a concert event. As paper ticketing has become more prevalent, there are signs that ticket pricing patterns are more volatile as events grow near. I propose that those changes are a direct consequence of paperless ticketing, the device that was intended to curb ticket resale (what?).

Ticket Bots: Scapegoats for Uninspired Ticketing eCommerce

Ticket Bots: Scapegoats for Uninspired Ticketing eCommerce

Two weeks ago, a large population of disenfranchised Tragically Hip fans raged on the web about their inability to buy tickets for the bands final tour due to lighting fast sell outs. The blame for lack of tickets quickly pointed to ticket scalpers because as tickets were not available on the primary market, they were freely available for significantly higher prices on Stub Hub and Ticketnetwork affiliated websites, among many others. This is not the first time there has been…

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Dynamic Pricing: Two Minutes Too Late?

Dynamic Pricing: Two Minutes Too Late?

As reported by the New York Post, among other popular press, Ticketmaster has figured out that dynamic ticket pricing could help them capture additional profits, sell more tickets and head off the secondary market. But, this announcement, almost two years after I wrote a call for dynamic pricing, two minutes too late. First, we need to understand why Ticketmaster is pursuing dynamic ticket pricing now. As The New York Post pointed out, “According to concert tracker Pollstar, total ticket revenue…

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Red Sox Tickets at Bargain Prices?

Red Sox Tickets at Bargain Prices?

It seems the market has flipped at Fenway. Now is a good time to buy from the secondary market in Boston (yes, I really just did say that!). “For more than seven years, the Red Sox have claimed that for every home game, the number of tickets sold and distributed has eclipsed the seating capacity of America’s Most Beloved Ballpark. But recently, the task of filling those seats has grown more difficult. Television ratings are down, and marketing campaigns have…

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Resale Prices: What Goes Up…

Resale Prices: What Goes Up…

This article is a follow-up on a concern often expressed by readers and friends alike that for one reason or another, a particular concerts ticket prices will not come down because everyone want tickets to that show! Most recently, I have been asked specifically about Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. During my research, which was a few years ago, I observed resale ticket prices on the internet for more than 150 concerts over the course of a two year history….

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SOLD OUT? Three Strategies for Getting Tickets

SOLD OUT? Three Strategies for Getting Tickets

It’s been about three years since I originally wrote this post. I came back here to check it for relevance and made a couple of light edits. This is still by far one of the most common questions that are posed when people ask about tickets. Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, One Direction, Madonna, [insert] your favorite team… in each case, the below are consistently applicable methods for finding tickets for events where tickets are not available for sale on Ticketmaster.com…

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N.Y. State Ticket Report: Where’s the Data?

N.Y. State Ticket Report: Where’s the Data?

New York City is an exceptionally vibrant market for secondary market ticket sales. In the U.S. the Big Apple is nearly head to head with Las Vegas in scalping activity and high resale prices.  It is no secret that New York has sought to curb ticket resale through various forms of legislation over the years. In June 2007 the states position changed when then Governor Eliot Spitzer opened ticket resale to the free market. The bill is presently extended through June…

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Wiseguys Tickets: Good for Fed’s, Bad for Resellers

Wiseguys Tickets: Good for Fed’s, Bad for Resellers

The recent allegations against Wiseguy Tickets represents a step forward for law enforcement in the illegal and unfair practice of hacking primary ticket seller websites to get the best tickets. Simultaneously, this case represents a step backward for ticket resellers.