Someone lands on your ticket sales page. They’re interested. They choose their ticket type. They start the payment process. And somewhere between that selection and the final confirmation click — they disappear. The sale doesn’t complete. No error message. They just left.
This happens more than you think. And most promoters don’t know it because they don’t have abandonment data. They see completed sales but not the number of people who started the process and never finished. That gap is where the missing revenue hides.
Why people abandon the ticket checkout
The process is too long
More than 4 steps between “I want this ticket” and purchase confirmation causes abandonment. Each additional screen is an opportunity to lose the sale.
Mobile isn’t properly handled
Over 70% of ticket purchases start on mobile. If the payment form isn’t optimised for touchscreen, typing errors and frustration pile up.
Mandatory registration to buy
Forcing buyers to create an account before paying is one of the biggest drivers of abandonment. In arts and entertainment events, the proportion of occasional buyers is very high.
Too few payment options
If you only accept card and the buyer prefers Apple Pay or Google Pay, they leave. Friction at the final step is the most expensive friction.
Hidden costs appearing at the end
The buyer sees a €20 ticket, reaches checkout and discovers it’s €24.50 with booking fees. That surprise generates abandonment and distrust.
Redirected to another site to pay
If payment takes the buyer to a different URL, trust drops. They don’t know if they’re on a secure site. Abandonment rates shoot up.
68%
average abandonment rate in online ticket purchase flows. For every 100 people who start the process, only 32 complete the purchase. Optimising checkout is the most direct path to increasing revenue without boosting traffic.
European ticketing e-commerce average 2024
What a good ticket checkout looks like
Maximum 3 steps from selection to confirmation
Ticket selection → buyer details → payment → confirmation. Any step beyond this needs very clear justification.
Guest checkout always available
Buyers can create an account if they want, but it’s never required. The option to buy without registration must be visible and easy to find.
Total price visible from the start
If there are booking fees, they should be visible from the moment of selection, not just at the end. Transparency builds trust and reduces surprise abandonment.
Multiple payment methods
Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and for higher-priced tickets, instalment payments. More payment options = more conversions.
Checkout on the same domain, no redirects
Buyers shouldn’t leave your website or the platform environment to pay. Redirects to third-party domains generate distrust and increase abandonment.
Operational tip
Check that your ticketing platform has real integration with Google Analytics 4 or Google Tag Manager. If it only gives you data on completed sales, you’re flying blind. You need to see the full funnel: how many people reach checkout, at which step they abandon, and why. That information is worth more than any investment in additional traffic.
At Klapper, the checkout is designed from the ground up to minimise friction. Native GTM and GA4 integration, no-registration purchase, multiple payment methods including Apple Pay, and instalment payments for higher-priced tickets. The buyer never leaves the promoter’s brand environment.
If you want to see the full flow, you can explore the platform in detail.
How many sales are you losing at checkout?
With Klapper, the purchase process is optimised to convert more from the first click. No friction. No surprises.