Recently, fans of Coldplay, Diljit Dosanjh, and Karan Aujla faced disappointment when trying to buy tickets for their upcoming concerts in India. Many tickets sold out quickly on platforms like Zomato and BookMyShow, leaving eager fans without passes. Soon after, these tickets appeared on resale sites like Viagogo at much higher prices. This situation has sparked a discussion about “ticket scalping” and the need for better regulations in ticket sales.
What is Ticket Scalping?
Ticket scalping is the practice of buying tickets to an event, often using automated bots, and then reselling them at a higher price for profit. This can make it hard for regular fans to get tickets at fair prices. Reports show that around 40% of online ticket sales are made by scalper bots.
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How Does Ticket Scalping Work?
- Using Automated Bots: Scalpers often use software to buy tickets as soon as they go on sale. These bots can complete transactions faster than any human, allowing scalpers to grab many tickets quickly.
- Bulk Buying: Scalpers target popular events where they expect high demand. By buying large quantities of tickets, they create a shortage for fans trying to buy tickets at face value.
- Reselling at Higher Prices: Once they have the tickets, scalpers list them on secondary markets like Viagogo or StubHub, often marking up prices significantly. For example, tickets for a Coldplay concert, originally priced at Rs. 38,000, were resold for up to Rs. 3 lakh on Viagogo.
While ticket scalping is legal in many places, it raises ethical questions. Some regions have laws against it, especially when bots are used. Many fans feel frustrated when they miss out on tickets only to find them listed at inflated prices later.
Ticket scalping can lead to disappointment and frustration for genuine fans. They may be forced to buy tickets at much higher prices from scalpers, which can make attending events feel unfair.
In response to the recent issues, BookMyShow stated that platforms like Viagogo are unauthorized and that ticket scalping is illegal in India. They encouraged fans to purchase tickets only through official channels to avoid scams.
As the concerts approach, fans are hopeful for a fairer ticketing process that ensures everyone has the chance to attend their favorite events at reasonable prices.
