Ticket fulfillment services LP is a company that provides fulfillment services for tickets sold for events, concerts, sports games, and more. They handle all aspects of getting tickets into the hands of customers who purchased them.
What does a ticket fulfillment company do?
A ticket fulfillment company takes on the logistics of getting tickets distributed to customers on behalf of an event organizer or ticket seller. Their services include:
- Receiving ticket orders and payment information from ticket sellers
- Printing hard copy tickets or generating mobile/electronic tickets
- Packaging tickets and any other items to be shipped to customers
- Shipping tickets via mail or courier services
- Providing tracking information and delivery status to customers
- Managing ticket inventory and allocation
- Issuing ticket refunds or exchanges as needed
- Providing customer service regarding ticket orders and deliveries
In essence, a ticket fulfillment company serves as an intermediary between the entity selling the tickets and the customers buying them. This allows the event organizer or ticket broker to focus on ticket sales and marketing, while the fulfillment company handles order processing and logistics behind the scenes.
Benefits of using a ticket fulfillment service
There are several advantages to using a third-party ticket fulfillment service for both event organizers and ticket purchasers:
- Efficiency – Fulfillment companies have specialized resources, staff and systems designed for high volume ticket processing and delivery. This makes them far more efficient at ticket logistics than an event organizer handling it in-house.
- Cost savings – Outsourcing to a fulfillment service allows organizations to avoid invests in their own printing, packaging, shipping and customer service infrastructure.
- Accuracy – Experienced fulfillment services have very low error rates in ticket handling and deliveries, reducing problems for customers.
- Better customer experience – Customers can receive tracking information, have delivery issues resolved promptly and get questions answered by fulfillment service staff.
- Flexibility – Fulfillment services can scale up or down as needed to handle variable ticket sales volumes for different events.
- Focus – With fulfillment handled externally, organizations can stay concentrated on promoting their event and selling tickets without distribution distractions.
Types of ticket fulfillment services
There are a few main types of ticket fulfillment models:
- Independent fulfillment companies – These are third-party companies that fulfill tickets as their primary business. Event organizers hire them on an as-needed basis to handle fulfillment for specific events or seasons.
- In-house fulfillment divisions – Some large ticket sellers have their own fulfillment departments as part of their operations. These handle fulfillment needs for tickets sold directly by the company.
- Venue or team fulfillment – Many major venues and sports teams handle fulfillment in-house for tickets sold for events at their facility.
- Hybrid models – Some organizations use a combination of in-house staff and outsourcing to independent fulfillment partners depending on seasonal volumes.
Independent fulfillment companies allow the most flexibility for organizations to outsource fulfillment any time without having to build their own infrastructure and staffing.
Ticket fulfillment process
The basic ticket fulfillment process involves the following steps:
- The event organizer or ticket seller sends ticket sales data to the fulfillment service after tickets are sold.
- The fulfillment company allocates inventory and generates the tickets through printing or digital means.
- Tickets are packaged along with any other items (parking passes, vouchers, etc).
- Packages are sent out to customers via postal service, courier or other delivery method.
- Customers receive ticket packages and fulfillment service provides tracking and status updates.
- For electronic tickets, customers receive their tickets via email or mobile delivery.
- Fulfillment company handles exchanges, refunds, customer service issues as needed.
There is also ongoing inventory management and sales data exchange between the ticket seller and fulfillment service throughout the sales process leading up to an event.
Major ticket fulfillment companies
Some of the largest national ticket fulfillment companies in the United States include:
- Paciolan
- Puzzle Piece
- Ticket printing services
- Accesso ShoWare
- The Ticket System
- Tickets.com
- AXIS
- Patron Technology
- Fandango
- Bypass
Many regional and local fulfillment companies also exist in markets around the country. Venues, sports teams and larger event promoters also have their own in-house fulfillment departments.
Factors in choosing a ticket fulfillment company
Key factors organizers should consider when selecting a ticket fulfillment partner include:
- Fulfillment capabilities and capacity
- Experience with venues/events of similar size and scale
- Ticket distribution network and shipping options
- Digital ticketing platforms and features
- Reporting and data integration capabilities
- Pricing and service fees
- Production turnaround times
- Security and fraud prevention measures
- Customer service quality and support
- Refund and exchange policies
The right fulfillment partner can handle ticketing logistics seamlessly so organizers can deliver a smooth, positive experience for their attendees.
The future of ticket fulfillment
Some key trends shaping the future of ticket fulfillment include:
- Rise of digital ticketing – Mobile and paperless tickets are becoming more common, requiring digital fulfillment processes.
- Use of blockchain – Blockchain technology enables secure digital ticket transfer and validation without third-party fulfillment.
- Demand for flexibility – Customers want options for exchanges, refunds and ticket transfers requiring adjustable fulfillment.
- Data integration – Fulfillment platforms need to integrate deeply with CRM, marketing and sales systems.
- Automation – Automating more fulfillment processes improves efficiency and reduces labor costs.
- Personalization – Event organizers want to gather more customer data and offer VIP packages/upsells during fulfillment.
As events recover from the pandemic, the role of fulfillment services will grow in distributing tickets and providing fantastic customer experiences.
Conclusion
Ticket fulfillment companies provide a vital service in getting event tickets to customers efficiently and reliably. Their capabilities allow organizers to focus on event production and ticket sales, while fulfillment partners take care of order processing, delivery logistics and customer service. As events, venues and ticket sales continue growing in scale, professional fulfillment services will play an essential backstage role bringing live experiences to enthusiastic audiences.
