E-tickets for Apple Wallet, Google Pay based on the ticketing system “PartyTicket”

The modern entertainment and event management industry is increasingly relying not on traditional distribution channels, but on digital products for service automation and analytics. Audience expectations are growing, and now it is no longer the fact of payment and booking that matters most, but the speed and convenience of the process. Today, the visitor expects that the ticket will be available directly in the smartphone, without downloads and, even more so, printouts.

Integrating the booking system with Wallet takes the customer experience to the next level. E-tickets for Apple Wallet and Google Pay are digital passes designed according to the standards of mobile payment systems. These tickets don’t get lost, open in a second, and automatically adjust to the date, place, and time of the event. For businesses, this is a solution that reduces operational costs, eliminates fraud, speeds up throughput at the entrance and strengthens the brand through customized digital design.

AVADA MEDIA offers entertainment and event management companies to move from outdated sales models to fully automated, flexible systems. We develop virtual tickets for Wallet-application – both on the basis of our own PartyTicket platform and as part of customized solutions, fully adapted to your business processes, visual style and goals.

Apple Wallet and Google Wallet (formerly Google Pay Passes) are built-in smartphone applications used to store and manage digital cards: bank cards, discount cards, boarding passes, passes and tickets. When a user receives a boarding pass in Wallet in a compatible format (typically .pkpass for Apple and .json/.pass for Google), it is stored in Wallet and automatically becomes part of the native operating system. That is, instead of the usual PDF files or SMS links, the user gets a special object file that can be saved directly in the smartphone Wallet. A digital ticket Apple Wallet on iOS or Google Wallet on Android is displayed as a card containing a QR code (or barcode), event information and branded elements.

An attendee buys a concert ticket through your website or app – and after paying, they can immediately add their boarding pass to the wallet. On the day of the event, the smartphone itself will remind about the event, offer to open the ticket when approaching the location, and an employee at the entrance will instantly scan the code.

What is the difference from standard e-tickets?

A standard e-ticket on your phone is usually a PDF file received by email. You have to find it, open it, sometimes download it and show it on your phone screen, or even print it out. In contrast, virtual tickets in Wallet are not lost, are instantly available on the lock screen, and are automatically updated if the time, location, or status of an event changes.

Why is this convenient for the user and beneficial for businesses?

Electronic passes for Apple Wallet and Google Pay are a modern format and a logical extension of digital transformation for the event and entertainment industry.

For the visitor, it’s a matter of comfort and speed. The ticket is always at hand, no need to look for it in messages or emails. At the same time, it is designed in corporate style and contains only relevant information.

For business, it is a tool for automation and increasing sales. You also get an additional communication channel through updates and notifications, and reduce the load on tech support, as there will be many times fewer “where is my boarding pass?” questions.

Integrating e-ticketing with Apple Wallet and Google Pay provides entertainment businesses with a number of benefits that improve customer experience, increase security, reduce operational costs and open new channels to communicate with audiences.

• Ease of storage and use. Apple Wallet and Google Pay e-tickets are an intuitive and accessible way to store them. They automatically go into the user’s built-in wallet app, where they sit alongside bank cards, discount coupons and boarding passes. There’s no need to search for anything in mail or messengers, no need to install additional apps – everything is at your fingertips and opens in one click. Tickets are available even in offline mode, and the system will remind you about the event in advance.
• Push notifications and geo-triggers. Such wallet boarding passes support dynamic data updates and native push notifications. So you can remind about the event and offer additional services: for example, a table reservation, a promo code for friends. Geo-triggers are activated when the user approaches the event location and triggers the necessary scenario.
• Anti-counterfeit protection. Tickets for Apple Wallet / Google Pay are generated individually, have a unique identifier and a built-in security mechanism. The pass can be scanned only once, which excludes repeated pass or transfer of the ticket to third parties. Integration with access control, QR and NFC scanners increases security and eliminates the risk of counterfeiting typical of paper or PDF tickets.
• Fast verification at the entrance (QR/NFC). The pass verification process becomes fast and contactless. The user simply opens the pass on the smartphone screen and the employee scans the QR code or activates the pass via NFC. This minimizes queues, reduces time to entry and improves the overall organization of the event. Such passes are read instantly, regardless of the load of internet channels.

Thanks to the flexibility of the technology and the possibility of full customization, it is possible to order e-tickets in Apple Wallet and Google Pay for both large public events and chamber, niche events from different segments of the event industry, regardless of the format of the venue and the number of guests.

• Event agencies, festival and show organizers. Mass events with thousands of participants require high speed of pass processing and stable operation of access control systems. Electronic tickets in Wallet allow you to avoid queues, speed up the passage and increase audience satisfaction.
• Theaters, cinemas, concert venues. If your ticketing system implements a regular poster, zoning, dynamic pricing, as in our PartyTicket program, the user can select a seat on the scheme, instantly pay and add a ticket to Wallet without downloads and registration.
• Nightclubs, restaurants with ticket model. Virtual tickets in wallet are suitable for events with limited admission: premium parties, gastro dinners, private tastings and music events.
• Sports clubs and stadiums. Fast check in at the entrance, individualized seat control, and the ability to send out and update in real time – critical for dealing with large arenas and thousands of fans. Smartphone-based e-ticketing minimizes lines and eliminates re-ticketing.
• Private and special events. At private events (weddings, workshops, private parties) it is important to ensure accurate accounting of invitees and exclude unauthorized access. Electronic invitations in wallet-ticket format are both beautiful and technological. They are designed in a branded style, can be transmitted via a link or QR code and include any required fields: guest names, seating, dress code details, etc.
• Children’s and educational events. Workshops, show programs, trainings and classes – events where notifications, reminders and ease of use are especially important. Parents appreciate convenience: the ticket is always available in the phone, and the system will remind about the date and time of the event automatically.

Why develop e-tickets now?

In a competitive environment, those who implement technology before others and approach digitalization and automation professionally win. Electronic tickets in Apple Wallet and Google Pay format are:

• increased conversion and customer convenience;
• reduced operational costs and staff workload;
• increased security and protection against fraud;
• a powerful channel for audience interaction;
• a brand image that works to impress from the first touch.

AVADA MEDIA team has extensive experience in automation of clubs, restaurants and theaters, festivals and private events. We know what pains promoters have, how to automate sales, how to prevent fraud and how to make wallet-ticket a part of loyalty program, not just a pass.

Implementing e-ticketing is a comprehensive solution that affects key processes of your business. Our specialists offer a systematic approach to digital wallet ticket development – they use modern stack, implement API integrations provide documentation and technical support after implementation of the software solution. If you have special sales scenarios, your own ticket system, a multi-format playbill or need a unique visual, we will develop digital passes as part of a custom product.

Custom event and event ticket development allows you to:

• integrate with your current system;
• implement any business rules (slots, season tickets, multi-pass, dynamic pricing, etc.);
• create a unique user experience and corporate visual;
• scale the solution for partner networks, franchises or complex organizational structure.

We can also develop electronic wallet boarding passes for your organization or a specific event based on our PartyTicket platform. Visitors will be able to buy a ticket via mobile app, chatbot or on the website, after which it will be automatically added to Apple Wallet or Google Pay, and the ticket system. The organizer sees detailed information about customers and purchased tickets, and can gift a ticket to a customer through the admin panel – this is convenient for raffles, VIP invitations or incentives. Everything works in a single system, including accounting, control and analytics.