Sold-out events are what creators dream of. With rising costs, it has become more important than ever for creators to maximise the revenue potential from every in-person event.

Even sold-out events can have empty seats. No-shows decrease your attendance numbers and, on the day, they can affect sales of merch, food, and more – which can be the biggest additional sources of event revenue. Taking control of the event’s ticket resale options can help tackle these challenges.

Should event organisers prevent the resale of tickets?

Some attendees will inevitably change their minds between your sales launch and the event. Allowing them to resell tickets through verified sites means they won’t lose out. Plus, eager fans who missed out on the first wave of tickets get the opportunity to take their place.

Zac Leigh, CEO and co-founder of verified ticket marketplace, Tixel, explains. “By giving ticket holders the option to resell their ticket safely, you can make sure it’s in the hands of someone who is able to attend on the day. It also gives you the flexibility to reschedule event dates if you need to, knowing that people can sell their tickets if the new dates don’t suit – and eager fans can snap up any tickets that become available rather than starting on-sale again.”

Verified ticket resale gives attendees more flexibility

Flexibility has become important for attendees deciding to commit to an event date. Many will have been burned by cancelled events and, as an event creator, you may have needed to reschedule an event and found yourself inundated with refund requests and unhappy ticket holders.

Allowing attendees to resell their tickets easily gives people an alternative to asking for refunds. This offers more flexibility if their plans (or yours!) change, giving them the confidence to buy sooner. It will also help attract a bigger crowd by reducing no-shows.

Reduce no-shows to increase your sales

Event marketing strategies that increase attendance are key to maximising your event’s total revenue. The logic is clear: more attendees at your event means more food, drink and merchandise sales. You miss out on these additional revenue streams when tickets go unused, even if they’re already paid for.

“When ticket transfers are complicated, they generally go to the organisers for a refund or look to third-party sites that could cause complications for you at the door. When fans have a simple and secure way to transfer tickets, they are more likely to use it. We have seen live event venues halve their rate of no-shows by using Tixel to manage their secondary ticket market,” says Leigh. “Not only are these venues increasing the revenue across their bar, they are also saving money by minimising [the] time staff spend on ticket inquiries.”

Eventbrite ticket resale partners

To make sure as many seats as possible are filled, Eventbrite has partnered with verified ticket resale specialists like Tixel and Lyte to enable ticket holders to resell their tickets if their plans change. A bonus is that eager attendees get a second chance to buy a ticket if they missed out when the event was launched. See how verified ticket resale is good for everyone?

Both ticket resale sites allow ticket holders to resell to other fans in a safe, verified environment. Tixel caps prices to prevent for-profit sales. When ticket holders use Lyte, they receive a refund, and their original ticket is digitally destroyed. Lyte then creates a new ticket and sells it to a new attendee so the seat isn’t left empty. Both sites allow fans to sign up for notifications, so whenever a ticket for an event they’re interested in becomes available, they can snap it up. This helps everyone make the most of ticket reselling.

Of course, tickets can and do change hands regardless of whether you use a verified marketplace. But by using a verified resale partner that integrates with Eventbrite, you’re ensuring both ticket holders and those trying to get their hands on a ticket are protected from fraud. Plus, fans can be sure they’re buying a verified ticket at a fair price.

Fortunately, enabling integration with Tixel or Lyte to your event is easy. Check out how to do it in minutes at either Tixel or Lyte. You can post links to the resale sites in the description of your sold-out event so customers know where they can find verified resale tickets. You can also offer resale as an option for guests who can’t make it to your event by including the information in your cancellation policy.

This leaves your ticket buyers happy, even if they cannot attend, as they’ll be able to resell their tickets quickly and recover their money safely. And happy ticket buyers mean repeat business for you.

Host sell-out events

Is your event set up and ready to go? Then get the revenue flowing and start selling tickets with Eventbrite.