Fans need more from digital gig tickets and AXS need to step up.

With the old paper tickets slowly becoming obsolete (sadly). Gig tickets are now almost exclusively digital, either print at home or tethered to an app. Whilst the print at home option is fine and often keeps the ability to sell on a possibility, with the apps it can be much more restrictive. I buy a lot of gig tickets. I tend to buy from preferred sellers. Ents24 are my favourite, but on occasion I’m forced to go elsewhere as bands have exclusive deals with Ticketmaster etc. Ticketmaster aren’t my favourite by any means, but I think I’ve a new name to go to the top of my shit list. Welcome AXS!! Tickets can be expensive. We all know this. Don’t get me started on booking fees and handling. What are they handling? Most tickets are digital these days. Fair enough there’s websites to maintain, but some of these add ons are getting ridiculous for what often appears to be an automated system. Which brings me to my latest gripe. I’ve a ticket for NIN at The Eden Project. I’m not going now as it clashes with another gig and I’ve got tickets to see them in Manchester. Normally, I’d just sell the ticket. Ideally for face value (minus those booking fees) or a loss. At least I recover a bit of money and someone else gets to enjoy the gig. AXS however don’t allow the transfer or resale of tickets. At least for this gig. They are blaming the band/promoter, but I’m not sure I believe them. Why would the band care. Why do AXS care for that matter. Wouldn’t it make sense to allow fans to sell the tickets through the seller, ensuring that no one gets ripped off. Not that I’d be doing that anyway. Death to touts! Even Ticketmaster allow this. It works really well. I sold three tickets last month through Ticketmaster. Fast, painless, everyone happy. Although they did take a cut again. Which is a bit cheeky. So come on AXS. I appreciate the efforts to keep ticket sales secure but you need to up your game. Demand that everyone wanting to use your service allows the safe resale of tickets between fans. It really shouldn’t be this hard. Fans need to be able to resell.