Editors pick

Use Festival Software to Upsell Like a Pro

  • Riley Manning
    by Riley Manning • April 28, 2022

Riley Manning has worked as a travel and entertainment writer for more than 10 years. Today, he writes about unique events and the technology that helps make them happen.

festival software

When you’re running a festival or other event, using your festival software to sell tickets is only half the battle.

Ticket sales cover critical costs and contribute to the overall profitability of your festival. But the fact is that a significant amount of revenue can come from upselling ticket purchasers with merchandise, concessions, multi-day ticket packages, and more.

In eCommerce, effective upselling has been shown to make a significant positive impact on revenue. It’s also easier to upsell to customers already purchasing event tickets than to find brand new customers.

In fact, upselling can increase your revenue by 30%.

Upselling doesn’t have to mean aggressively trying to sell to customers. Rather, the right approach to upselling is more about offering the right choices at the right time, giving event-goers access to additional purchases they’re likely to be interested in.

You need festival software that provides a more dynamic approach to selling. A software platform that combines different types of transactions from a single point-of-sale, offering a streamlined purchasing experience, will lead to satisfied, empowered customers who’re more likely to buy additional goods and services.

Event software like SimpleTix offers functionality beyond selling tickets, with the ability to upsell to your customers, giving them what they want and increasing your event revenue at the same time.

Here’s what you need to know about using your festival software to upsell like a pro.

Table of Contents:

  1. Bundling Merch with Ticket Sales Online
  2. Streamlining On-Site Merch Sales
  3. Simplifying Redemption with Festival Software

Bundling Merch with Ticket Sales Online

When people attend events, they’re paying for a memorable experience. Mementos like hats, stickers, T-shirts, and posters can commemorate those memories. Pre-purchasing concessions and other upsells lets customers know they’re getting the most out of their time at your venue, and they’re doing it based on the choices they want.

festival software

Online bundling allows you to upsell and meet customer expectations:

  • Many event-goers want branded clothing; clothing is a leading online sales item–53% of U.S. shoppers purchased clothing online in 2022.
  • It’s easier to upsell to people already planning on buying event tickets, especially repeat customers. Upselling or cross-selling to customers you’re familiar with is 60% to 70% sure.
  • With the rise of mobile eCommerce, ticket purchasers increasingly prefer to pay online. 22% of global retail sales will be via eCommerce by 2023.

Online festival ticketing software should allow your customers to bundle tickets and merchandise seamlessly, without the need to go through different point-of-sale systems that give customers a clunky and disjointed purchasing experience.

Having one online sales system makes purchasing easy for customers and selling easy for staff. It makes for dynamic selling that’s highly customizable and allows you to present a personalized event experience.

SimpleTix offers the ability to bundle merchandise with ticket sales, with unique functionality through a partnership with Square.

With Square integration, you can add items to your Square catalog, such as different sizes or styles of branded merchandise or food choices at different price points, which you can then bundle and sell when purchasers check out to buy their tickets.

With SimpleTix’s Festival Mode, you can also upsell bundled multi-day festival tickets or offer other specialized ticketing bundles seamlessly.

Streamlining On-Site Merch Sales

festival software

In the past, you might have to sell a ticket at a gate using your ticket software, then use another software or device to sell the merch and other add-ons. This approach can create bottlenecks in the process of selling.

Staff must try to get people through the gate quickly, clear lines for on-site merch sales, and keep the entire system as uncomplicated and straightforward as possible.

With Square functionality, SimpleTix provides a multi-level approach to on-site sales.

Scan-and-go entry lets those who pre-purchased tickets get into the venue quickly by QR codes on a digital or printed ticket. With Square, purchases can be made on-site with Apple Pay and Android Pay, chip cards, and contactless payments.

Using the same Square-integrated system, you can sell merch and concessions on-site. Combining and simplifying sales with a single online system lets staff upsell items in your Square catalog from within the same app, and in the same transaction.

Simplifying Redemption with Festival Software

When customers pre-purchase merchandise and add-ons online, it’s not always practical to check them in and redeem their merchandise in the same spot.

Let’s say you’re redeeming T-shirts customers bought with their tickets for an event. If your staff has to scan attendees in and give them their shirts in the same spot, this will slow down your line.

A beer festival is another example where upselling with festival software simplifies the redemption process. A festival attendee may choose to buy a certain number of beer tokens.

With SimpleTix, those “tokens” are digital and are integrated into the attendee’s ticket.

This comes with several advantages:

  • Guests and staff don’t have to track physical tokens, which are cumbersome and can become lost.
  • Within your Square catalog, you can price different categories and variations of items. In our example of a beer festival, different styles of beer will be priced differently.
  • When customers buy tokens, you can use festival software to assign an SKU number depending on the tokens the customer pays for.

Usually, when you scan a ticket, that ticket then becomes deactivated. Because of this, a higher level of functionality was previously unavailable. Now with software like SimpleTix you can place vendors wherever works best for your festival without compromising on efficiency.

SimpleTix festival software lets you upsell to ticket purchasers in a way that’s tailored to what’s most effective for your needs. Whether you’re selling merch, concessions, multiple ticket bundles, or other add-ons, whether it’s online pre-sales or on-site purchases, SimpleTix has you covered.

SimpleTix has offered an affordable, premium event ticketing platform that outperforms Eventbrite and similar apps for over 12 years. Compared to the competition, SimpleTix offers better options at a better price point. To learn more, call us at +1 (855) 550-3670 or email us here.

Latest News

Related Articles

festival software
Editors pick

Ticketing Made Simple: Sell Tickets Online with Ease

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • August 1, 2024

Gone are the days of long queues and printed stubs. Selling event tickets online has revolutionized the way event organizers connect with attendees thanks to the unparalleled convenience and benefits it offers over traditional methods. When diving into the digital realm of ticket sales, various factors must be considered. Keep reading to explore these considerations and streamline the event management process with a seamless online ticketing system. Benefits of selling event tickets online Online ticket sales have significantly changed the way event tickets are sold and managed. By using an online ticketing system, event organizers can enjoy a variety of benefits that streamline the registration process and enhance the overall ticket buying experience for the audience. Firstly, the customizable nature of online tickets allows for a personalized approach to ticket design, helping events stand out. This, coupled with the real-time insights provided by ticketing platforms, enables organizers to track sales effectively and make data-driven decisions. Secondly, the registration process is greatly simplified through online systems. Event organizers can set up event registration pages with ease, offering ticket buyers a hassle-free purchase experience. Additionally, flexible event payouts ensure that revenue flow is managed efficiently. Online ticketing platforms can also facilitate multiple payment methods, from credit cards to various digital payment options, making it convenient for buyers to complete their transactions. Thirdly, online ticketing extends the reach of event marketing, maximizing ticket sales. The availability of ticket scanning apps simplifies entry management on the day of the event, ensuring a smooth and professional check-in. In all, selling tickets online offers a strategic advantage by providing a streamlined, secure, and user-friendly ticketing process that benefits both event organizers and ticket buyers. Considerations for selling event tickets online When selling event tickets online, organizers must consider integrating their ticketing platforms with marketing tools to...

festival software
Editors pick

Maximize Your Ticket Revenue: How to Sell Event Tickets Online 

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • August 1, 2024

In the digital age, selling event tickets online has become vital to success for event organizers. It streamlines how potential attendees are reached, offering convenience and extending the market far beyond traditional methods. From the seamless experience of easy integration to the perks of low service fees, event ticketing websites are becoming the go-to solution for event planners. These platforms not only simplify the sales process but also offer customizable ticketing options, allowing for unique and tailored ticketing experiences. Let's explore how these advantages can contribute to increased sales. Benefits of selling event tickets online The primary advantage of selling tickets online for an event is convenience. Ticket sales can occur around the clock, freeing up valuable time for both attendees and organizers. By utilizing an online ticketing platform, the ticketing process becomes automated, streamlining event management. A major benefit of online ticket sales is the way it enhances the customer experience. A professional event website builds consumer trust, encouraging potential attendees to move forward with their purchases. Moreover, event registration forms simplify the ticketing process, allowing for various ticket types and the inclusion for promo codes, which can incentivize early purchases. Platforms like SimpleTix offer more than just ticketing; they deliver insights into marketing performance, empowering organizers to adjust their strategies and maximize sales. Additionally, ticketing fees are a critical consideration, and choosing the right platform can lead to substantial savings. SimpleTix, for instance, offers a competitive edge with its cost-effective structure compared to platforms such as Eventbrite or TicketLeap. By transitioning to online ticketing, event organizers not only enhance the ticket-buying experience but also position themselves to capitalize on both analytical data and financial savings. Advantages of using event ticketing websites Online event ticketing websites offer an array of advantages for event organizers and attendees. The automation of...

festival software
Editors pick

Online Ticketing 101: Essential Tools and Tactics for Selling Event Tickets

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • August 1, 2024

Imagine your event selling out minutes after tickets go on sale. This can be a reality thanks to the power of online ticketing. The era of long queues and printed tickets is giving way to a new era where accessibility to events is just a click away. Online ticketing is not just a convenience but an expectation for how event organizers connect with attendees. From choosing the right ticketing platform to harnessing the power of digital promotion, keep reading to learn the ins and outs of online ticketing, including the essential tools and tactics necessary to set your event up for success. The Importance of Online Ticketing Online ticketing has dramatically changed the way event organizers approach the ticketing process. Online ticketing is far more than just a convenient method for sales, though; it also serves as a powerful tool for data collection, providing event organizers with insights that help them recognize patterns, preferences, and potential areas for improvement in their offerings. By implementing an online ticket sales platform like SimpleTix, event organizers can harness data to fine-tune marketing tactics, helping find and convert new prospects more effectively and elevating the success of their event. Advantages of Selling Event Tickets Online Offering online ticketing gives event organizers a number of benefits, starting with the broad, global reach it provides. By selling event tickets online, organizers can reach beyond the limits of local audiences and physical sales points, inviting a worldwide demographic to take part in their events. Another efficient benefit of digital ticketing is quick, secure transactions that can happen any time of day, multiplying the opportunities to capture sales. Additionally, online ticketing systems collect and analyze attendee data, guiding organizers to tailor their event experiences to the preferences of their audiences and, as a result, enhance the overall event...

Sell More Tickets—More Easily

Attractions, seasonal events, performing arts centers and festivals love SimpleTix because it makes selling tickets… Simple!

GET STARTED FOR FREE