A superstar ticket on-sale (and why it melts down)
Process map by Brian. 20 steps, 2 layers. Tags: culture, music, tech, controversy.
- The artist team: A tour is announced
- Fans: Millions sign up for presale codes
- Ticketing site: Verified fans get codes and a queue spot
- Ticketing site: On-sale day: everyone arrives at once
- Ticketing site: Does the site hold up under the load?
- Bots and scalpers: Automated buyers try to grab tickets first
- Fans: Do you get through the queue?
- Fans: Pick seats before the timer runs out
- Ticketing site: Pay and receive the ticket
- Resale market: Resale prices appear almost instantly
- Fans: Outrage on social media
- The artist team: Statements, extra shows and calls for reform
- Fans: Sold out before you reach the front
- Fans: Errors, frozen pages and frantic refreshes that make it worse
- Ticketing site: Pause the sale and add capacity