Established in 1998, TicketOne is Italy’s leading multi-channel tickets platform. It is the first ticketing, marketing, information, and ecommerce company in Italy for music, entertainment, sport, and cultural events.1 Since its inception, TicketOne has witnessed tremendous innovation and growth, evolving in sync with an ever-changing technology landscape. As the world opens up and events return, the company is more relevant than ever as a trusted entertainment brand.
While TicketOne continues to provide services through call centers and outlet retailers, its website has become its largest channel. The company’s feature set and product roadmap have one singular focus: to optimize digital ticket sales. PayPal spoke with Giorgio Aretino, TicketOne’s Online Marketing and Ecommerce Director, to learn how TicketOne has successfully navigated its digital transformation to meet the growing needs of its consumers.
The challenge.
TicketOne sells tickets for everything ranging from sports to museum exhibits, theatre, and concerts. “Italy is not a homogeneous nation – in terms of events and in terms of customer experience,” stated Aretino. Like the rest of Europe and the world, the country has witnessed a surge in demand for tickets. With 85% of TicketOne’s ticket browsing occurring on mobile devices, the mobile user customer experience has taken center stage.2
“Providing a frictionless experience for mobile users has continued to increase in importance year-over-year,” said Aretino. “The majority of people are making mobile payments now more than ever.”
For a seamless selling experience and a minimal integration effort, TicketOne turned to PayPal’s Paga in 3 rate (Pay in 3).3
With 8.7 million active PayPal customers in Italy, TicketOne saw immediate benefits to offering PayPal’s Paga in 3 rate. With Paga in 3 rate, consumers pay for eligible purchases between 30 € and 2,000 € in three equal instalments without interest or late fees.4
"Ticketing is so complex and requires a lot of effort in terms of development. So, to have a solution like Paga in 3 rate without additional cost or integration effort to us was absolutely a win-win situation." - Giorgio Aretino, Online Marketing and Ecommerce Director, TicketOne.
The solution.
PayPal was the natural choice for a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution. 79% of Gen Z and Millennial users in Italy rate PayPal as the most trusted brand to keep their financial information secure.5
A finely tuned digital experience was crucial for TicketOne. “We sell about 90% of our tickets online,” said Aretino. Boosting sales meant increasing average order value (AOV), overall ticket value, and average number of tickets per order. Each of these revenue and loyalty metrics reflect an important part of the TicketOne user experience.
With many simultaneous events and transactions, managing ticket sales is a complex balance of infrastructure and logistics. “We want to maximize sales for the event’s organizers and do it in as smooth a way as we can,” Aretino stated.
Customers who may have purchased fewer tickets or not completed their purchase now had a budget-friendly way to access their favorite events. Using Paga in 3 rate, customers could purchase tickets at zero interest and no late fees.4
TicketOne saw a growth in total customers, an increase in AOV, and a rapid adoption of the Paga in 3 rate credit solution. Integration was also a key consideration. “Adding additional services has been a battle in the past,” Aretino disclosed. “Thanks to PayPal, the effort on our part was very minimal.”
The results.
Statistics show the positive impact of Paga in 3 rate on TicketOne’s purchase experience as usage has steadily continued to rise. In fact, the percentage of TicketOne consumers using Paga in 3 rate has increased 113% in just 6 months.6
Delivering new payment flexibility was paramount to TicketOne as they continue to modernize ticket distribution. Since 79% of TicketOne’s PayPal shoppers are under the age of 50,7 adding BNPL options was a key step. Paga in 3 rate allowed TicketOne to meet the surge in demand for events of all kinds, making it even easier for consumers to secure a seat at art exhibits, concerts, and more.
Since the integration of Paga in 3 rate, TicketOne’s BNPL AOV has increased by 35%.8 Also, Paga in 3 rate has helped to deliver new customers to TicketOne. In the past 18 months, it brought in over 26k new customers who had not previously made a purchase. This is an increase of 36.3% and illustrates the power of Paga in 3 rate.6
TicketOne’s integration of Paga in 3 rate was a simple and fruitful decision. The collaboration was a natural fit for two top global brands. “We have seen an overall increase in sales with PayPal,” Aretino stated.
As the tickets market continues to demand more speed, convenience, and flexibility, TicketOne and PayPal are primed to meet those challenges.
TicketOne: data on Paga in 3 rate users
113% growth of Paga in 3 rate users.6
36% increase in new customers with Paga in 3 rate.6
35% increase in AOV.8
1 Data is from TicketOne (December 2022). https://www.ticketone.it/campaign/chisiamo/
2 Data from TicketOne interview, November 2022.
3 PayPal internal data, July 2021.
4 0% APR. Subject to approval by PayPal and to conditions: visit paypal.it/pagain3rate. A loan is a binding commitment that must be repaid. Make sure you can afford it before making any commitment.
5 An online study commissioned by PayPal and conducted by TRC in October 2021, involving 1,000 IT consumers ages 18+ (among BNPL users, n=361).
6 Data source is from PayPal, April – October 2022.
7 Data source is from PayPal, October 2022.
8 Data source is from TicketOne and PayPal, April – October 2022. Comparing TicketOne’s non-PayPal AOV to PayPal’s Paga in 3 rate AOV. Case study results presented may not be typical and may vary substantially by business. This content is provided for informational purposes only. You should always obtain independent business, tax, financial, and legal advice before making any business decision.