Is the link to your ticket shop prominently displayed in the header of your website? Or do you actively promote the purchase of e-tickets in the waiting area of your box office? If not, you’re leaving easy ticket sales on the table! If your sales numbers are lagging behind expectations, the problem is often not a lack of demand, but rather technical hurdles, unclear processes, or missed opportunities. The good news: Many of these ticket sales mistakes can be avoided with a few measures, once you recognize and understand them. In this post, we show the most common issues along the customer journey and explain how to turn them into concrete optimization potentials.
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Error 1: You’re hiding the link to the ticket shop – visitors can’t find it immediately
If the path to your ticket shop is not directly and prominently visible on the first page of your website, many potential customers will drop off before they even reach the ticket page. Every additional “search hurdle” decreases the likelihood that interest will turn into a purchase. Especially users who are looking for quick information or tickets will often click away if they have to search for it first.
How to avoid the mistake:
- Place a clearly visible call-to-action like “Buy tickets” prominently on the homepage and every event page.
- Use clear labels (not “Info” or “Learn more,” but e.g. “Get your tickets now”).
- Repeat the CTA sensibly – e.g. in the header, footer and next to event information, so that it stands out regardless of scrolling behavior.
Studies show that users first look for information in the top menu bar, the header (source: Nielsen Norman Group). A clear, color-highlighted “Tickets” button at the top of the page, also available in the mobile menu, ensures that users immediately know where to click without searching or scrolling through the menu.
Error 2: Your ticket shop doesn’t fit properly on a mobile screen
More and more users are searching for and purchasing tickets with their smartphones. If the shop is not responsive, meaning it doesn’t display properly on small mobile screens, it causes significant friction. Studies show that especially on mobile devices, the abandonment rate increases if websites load slowly or are difficult to use (source: Infosys). This often leads to purchase abandonment.
How to avoid the mistake:
- Ensure responsive web design, so the shop automatically adjusts to different screen sizes.
- Optimize layout and content for mobile users.
- Regularly test user-friendliness on smartphones and tablets.
- Minimize loading times by regularly maintaining your website.
A good ticket shop should be as easy to use as an app on mobile devices. It is worth investing in good usability here and possibly hiring a specialist, as your ticket shop is your source of revenue!
Error 3: Your buttons and other shop elements are not designed to be accessible
Poor usability causes confusion and frustration. Especially on mobile devices, abandonment happens quickly if buttons are too small to tap comfortably or read, there’s poor color contrast (e.g. white text on a yellow background), or the shop elements are not optimized for touch devices. Particularly users with visual or motor impairments, or users with smartphones, can encounter difficulties and be discouraged.
Poor usability undermines your professionalism, and since the Barrier-Free Web Accessibility Act (BFSG) will require all websites in Germany to be accessible by the end of June 2025, it’s high time to act!
How to avoid the mistake:
- Ensure buttons are large enough and easily reachable with clear color contrast.
- Use responsive design that works well on smartphones and tablets.
- Test your ticket shop with various devices, different light/contrast conditions, and users from different target groups.
A comprehensive UI test is always recommended, but often it’s enough to have someone over 60 (e.g., a friend or employee) book a test ticket on a mobile phone and incorporate their feedback. This is especially beneficial for organizers serving older target groups.
Accessibility – Everything you need to know about BFSG compliance
The new law on web accessibility is here, but you have no idea what exactly to do? Our blog post explains clearly what you need to pay attention to and how to easily optimize your website.
Error 4: You force ticket buyers to create an account – many drop off because of this
Studies show that mandatory registrations are one of the most common reasons why buyers abandon the checkout process (source: Sellers Commerce). When users are forced to create an account before purchasing, many get discouraged. The effort required to create an account – with email, password, and possibly additional information – feels like an extra hurdle, especially when the purchase is supposed to be spontaneous or mobile. Many are also not yet willing to commit themselves right away.
How to avoid the mistake:
- Offer a “guest checkout” – purchasing without requiring an account.
- Consider social logins or minimal data requirements to reduce friction.
- Optional: Only offer the registration option after the purchase is complete.
Customer accounts are a valuable way to collect data or contact users directly. However, most users appreciate the freedom to decide whether to register or not. Still need certain data, best collected in connection with the purchase? Consider showing a form after the purchase or sending an email along with the purchase confirmation, directing customers to the next steps. For example, you could encourage buyers to add the names of ticket holders or upload photos for season tickets.
Error 5: You don’t offer fast online check-ins for box offices and lose buyers as a result
If visitors have to wait in long lines at the box office without knowing that they could have purchased tickets online beforehand, it creates frustration. Crowds and delays at the entrance negatively affect how visitors perceive your event. The result? Visitors tell others (online or offline) about their unpleasant experience and may not return. Especially if you rely on walk-in customers, some potential buyers may consider the wait too long and leave, missing out on spontaneous online sales. Many visitors prefer to buy online at the location for convenience.
How to avoid the mistake:
- Communicate clearly online: “Buy tickets online – save time at the entrance.”
- Provide QR codes or direct links on posters, flyers, or social media.
- Implement a fast-lane check-in or digital entrance for online tickets.
So how can online sales be integrated at the box office to make entry smoother and more efficient? By placing posters or stands around the box office, where the line forms, with a notice about the online ticket shop. Ideally, a large QR code with the note “To the ticket shop” quickly guides visitors to their tickets with a scan. If you also set up a separate line for e-ticket holders, i.e., a fast lane, the advantages of online purchasing will be even clearer to waiting visitors, and your box office staff will be less overwhelmed by the rush. Additionally, you will benefit long-term from the knowledge of online bookings, as your customers will already purchase their tickets well before their visit, giving you a better overview of your capacity usage.
Conclusion: Act now and take advantage
The ticket sales mistakes described here are not isolated incidents. They are structural issues that affect many events. At the same time, they can be solved with relatively little effort:
- Clearly visible ticket shop link
- Accessible & mobile-friendly buttons
- Options without mandatory registration
- Mobile optimization and online check-in
By considering these points, you can significantly increase visitor numbers and avoid losing interest due to friction points.
Our event experts will show you in a non-binding demo how you can avoid these and other typical ticket sales errors to make your event even more successful. Contact us!
Your Questions.
- Why are my event tickets selling worse online than expected?
It’s often not due to a lack of interest, but avoidable hurdles in online ticket sales. Hidden ticket shop links, poor mobile display, complicated checkout processes, or lack of signs for online tickets at the box office cause potential buyers to drop off before completing a purchase.
- Where should the ticket shop link be placed on my website?
The ticket shop link should be immediately visible – ideally as a clear call-to-action (“Buy tickets”) in the header of the website as well as on every event page. Studies show that users first look for important information in the upper part of the page. The less they have to search, the higher the likelihood of a purchase.
- How important is mobile optimization for ticket sales?
Very important. A large part of ticket purchases happens via smartphones. If the ticket shop is not responsive, slow, or difficult to use, the abandonment rate increases significantly. A mobile-optimized ticket shop should be intuitive to use, have fast loading times, and be fully usable on small screens.
- Should ticket buyers have to create a customer account?
No, mandatory registration is discouraging and one of the most common reasons for checkout abandonment. It is recommended to offer a guest checkout without an account, optionally followed by voluntary registration after the purchase. This lowers the entry barrier and increases conversion rates while also encouraging users to register.
- How can I sell more online tickets at the box office?
Communicate online ticket sales clearly on-site. QR codes, posters, or stands in the waiting line with the note “Buy tickets online – faster entry” enable spontaneous purchases via smartphone. A separate fast lane for online tickets reinforces the incentive and reduces waiting times.

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