Ticketmaster, one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies in the world, has been experiencing some unexpected errors recently that have been causing frustration for customers trying to purchase tickets online. There are a few potential reasons why these errors may be occurring.
High Traffic Volume
One of the most common reasons for errors on Ticketmaster is a high volume of traffic all trying to access the website at the same time. When there is a big on-sale, such as for a very popular concert or sporting event, millions of fans may be logged on and refreshing at the exact same time. This flood of requests can overwhelm the servers and capacity that Ticketmaster has available, leading to timeouts, crashed pages, and failed ticket purchases.
Ticketmaster has extremely high traffic pretty much anytime tickets go on sale for a major event. While they prepare for these spikes in traffic, it can be difficult to account for the full level of demand. Networks and servers can only handle so much capacity at one time, so errors can still occur when there are too many users.
Bots and Scalpers
Another issue that can contribute to errors on Ticketmaster is bots and ticket scalpers trying to buy up tickets. Bots are automated programs that are designed to purchase tickets the moment they go on sale. Scalpers will often run thousands of bots all executing ticket purchases at the same time.
These bots don’t have to deal with captcha verifications or the other steps real human customers do. This allows them to flood Ticketmaster with purchase requests, scoop up large quantities of tickets, and resell them on secondary market sites at inflated prices.
All of these bot requests add strain on top of the normal user traffic Ticketmaster gets. With so many requests coming in concurrently right as tickets go live, it can heighten the likelihood of glitches and unexpected errors for everyone else trying to get tickets.
Website Glitches
No website or ticketing system works perfectly 100% of the time. With Ticketmaster handling millions of ticket sales and customers every day, there is always the chance of some technical issues arising.
Problems with their website infrastructure, network outages, software bugs, or other technology glitches can lead to errors popping up during the ticket buying process. Even minor technical problems or blips can cause issues when amplified by the huge level of traffic Ticketmaster gets.
Ticketmaster likely has monitoring in place to catch many problems ahead of time. However, some glitches may still slip through, especially when site usage spikes leading up to big on-sales.
Increased Load from Mobile Users
Another factor that may be leading to more errors on Ticketmaster lately is the continued increase in customers accessing the website from mobile devices. Industry data shows that now over 60% of Ticketmaster’s traffic comes from mobile users.
Mobile introduces some challenges though. Speeds may be slower on cellular networks. Devices have less processing power than desktops and laptops. Users on small screens may tap buttons or links incorrectly more often.
With the majority of their traffic now mobile-based, Ticketmaster has to ensure their website and servers can scale and perform well under the demands of all those mobile users. Otherwise, it can contribute to timeouts, failed purchases, and other errors.
How Ticketmaster Can Address These Issues
Ticketmaster is likely aware of many of these challenges that can lead to unexpected errors for fans. Here are some ways they may be looking to address these problems:
- Continuously monitor website performance and traffic levels to prepare for demand spikes.
- Increase network bandwidth to handle more concurrent users.
- Add more servers and scale their infrastructure as needed.
- Look for and fix any glitches in website code and functionality.
- Improve load times and optimize site for mobile users.
- Use CAPTCHA and other verification methods to detect and block bots.
- Stagger on-sales over multiple dates and times to spread out traffic.
Despite their best efforts, problems can still occur given the sheer scale at which Ticketmaster operates. Customers experiencing issues should keep trying and have patience during popular on-sales. Allowing some time to pass may let traffic die down and increase success rates.
Tips for Customers to Avoid Ticketmaster Errors
While many issues are outside of customers’ control, there are some tips that fans can follow to try and avoid running into errors on Ticketmaster:
- Log in to your Ticketmaster account ahead of time – this speeds up the purchase process.
- Use a desktop/laptop instead of mobile if possible for a more reliable connection.
- Make sure to disable any ad blockers, as they can interfere with the site.
- Have payment details saved in your account to check out faster.
- Only try accessing the site a few minutes before the tickets go on sale.
- Refresh the page if you run into an error, but don’t over-refresh.
- Try alternative browsers like Chrome or Firefox if one isn’t working.
Being prepared, using a stable device, and having a little luck can sometimes help fans avoid issues and successfully get tickets even during high demand on-sales.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster has to deal with huge traffic spikes whenever major events go on sale, making errors and technical glitches an unfortunate reality of the ticketing industry. Persistent fans who are ready to contend with potential issues still often walk away with the tickets they want. Remaining patient and utilizing some best practices can help customers push through unexpected errors the next time they arise on Ticketmaster.