Ticket app Dice is introducing what it is calling a world-first for a ticketing platform - no-fuss refunds for customers unable make the show.
The new “Refund Tickets” function allows fans who can no longer make an event to return tickets beforehand. Returned tickets will be offered to other music fans on the waiting list while the original purchaser is refunded in full.
“If someone can’t make a show they either don’t turn up or are forced to put their tickets on secondary ticketing platforms," said Dice CEO and founder Phil Hutcheon. "Those tickets are often snapped up by speculators and sold at insane prices. We believe a fan shouldn’t be allowed to sell their tickets for more than they paid for it, but they have the right to get a refund. By being 100% mobile we make it super easy for fans to do exactly that.”
"We’re constantly looking at ways to make sure that our artists tickets go to real fans and eradicate or at least minimise any exploitation of tickets by touts," said booking agent Angus Baskerville of 13 Artists. "Dice allows promoters to control inventory and the refunds/waiting list feature helps allow fans to exchange a ticket with another fan easily when they are unable to attend a sold out show. We need to embrace innovative ticketing solutions like this if we are going to create a transparent and fan-friendly environment for the purchase of tickets.
"This is another step in the right direction from Dice and I look forward to seeing other ticketing companies adopt similar measures to improve the customer experience for everyone in the future.”
Founded in 2014, Dice was created to make buying tickets and discovering music easier than ever for music fans across the UK. It cites research by Mintel that indicates UK music fans waste £169 million per year on gig tickets they are unable to attend. Dice data shows 17% of gigs are currently missed with tickets costing less than £10 most likely to see a no-show (21%).
Ed Walker, head of live production at Vevo, added: “Secondary ticketing not only makes it harder for us to gauge retention on our shows, but it also places a prohibitive premium on tickets which often hits the most loyal music fans hardest.
"We understand that people's plans change, and having a secure and easy way for fans to allow their ticket to go to another music fan is a process we highly value.”
