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StubHub rolls out in-app personalized ticket recommendation, relisting features

StubHub is introducing event-goers to a slew of new ecommerce features within its mobile Web and application platforms, including a ticket recommendation tool and the ability to instantly relist purchased tickets if fans can no longer attend.

The online ticket marketplace is ramping up to enhance personalization on all of its digital channels, pointing to growing consumer demand for customized experiences on mobile. Consumers will now be able to more easily search for best-value deals and manage relisted tickets when using the iOS and Android apps or StubHub’s site.

“In today’s increasingly mobile environment, fans require the ability to research and purchase tickets from any place and at any time,” said Ryan Kennedy, senior product manager at StubHub. “However, in a constrained mobile environment (with limited screen real estate), the process of researching every ticket listing for an event is difficult, if not impossible.

“To address this challenge, StubHub has developed a technology that uses data science to provide fans with the power to quickly identify those seats which are great deals (priced below the predicted value) from any device – phone, tablet, or desktop.”

Clarity-filled discovery
StubHub’s newly-developed ticket recommendation feature was designed to empower customers to quickly locate optimal deals, enjoy a more streamlined browsing experience and conduct more informed purchasing decisions.

The brand currently uses a transactional dataset to better determine how users assess seat value and quality. This prompted StubHub to create an algorithm to power the new best value filter, which pulls information such as location, price and availability from the historical data.

The feature enables consumers to adjust their browsing based on best value, or by price or location.

Mobile users will be able to experience streamlined browsing when searching for local events on their smartphones. If they are able to quickly find what they are searching for on StubHub’s platform, they will be much less likely to abandon their transactions and head to a competitor’s app or mobile site.

The brand seeks to keep individuals’ preferences top-of-mind, fueling it to roll out the feature after discovering that both buyers and sellers were clamoring for this type of quality ranking.

StubHub now claims it offers one of the strongest ticket recommendation algorithms in its marketplace, meaning that others will have to play catch-up when it comes to introducing in-app customization tools.

Catering to sellers
Additionally, StubHub is implementing an instant relist feature within its apps, mobile site and desktop site. If a consumer purchases tickets to an event but can no longer attend, he or she can easily turn to mobile and relist those tickets back on StubHub’s platform.

Fans can modify the number of tickets they are selling, as well as indicate the desired price per ticket and where buyers should submit their payment.

“Thanks to ‘Instant Relist,’ if fans buy tickets to a show and then realize they’re unable to attend, they’re able to repost their tickets back to the marketplace with a few quick clicks,” Mr. Kennedy said.

“The feature also allows fans to easily modify how many tickets they’re relisting, the price per ticket and where to send the payment, further streamlining the process and dialing back to our mission to make the event-going experience as intuitive, individualized and convenient as possible.”

This integration could be a big draw for individuals interested in re-selling their seats, or fans who are not sure if they will be able to attend an event but want to book tickets anyway, knowing they will likely find buyers if a conflict arises.

StubHub’s recent personalization efforts stem from a long-term plan to revamp the ticket-selling space, especially in regards to mobile optimization.

Over the summer, StubHub partnered with ride-sharing app Uber to help users organize all aspects of their night out by enabling them to order a ride after purchasing tickets for an event, all from a smartphone (see story).

The brand’s mobile and tablet apps also underwent a significant update to customize the process of purchasing event tickets even more, including adding a personalization algorithm to recommend activities, ESPN content for sports fans, enhanced mobile ticketing options to replace physical tickets and mobile payment options for Android users (see story).

“At StubHub, we recognize that consumer behavior and expectations are shifting towards 24/7 access to events and experiences,” Mr. Kennedy said.

“The strength of StubHub’s mobile Web and native apps speaks to these needs and we’re constantly working to further enhance and streamline the fan experience, whether they’re looking for something new to do on a Friday night or seeking tickets to see their favorite band, no matter the device.”