Quite simply, there is nothing convenient about “convenience” charges. As music fans and avid concert-goers, Iain Bluett and Jamie Dwyer made it their mission to provide ticketing for events without the costly fees charged by major companies like Ticketmaster.

The two entrepreneurs reasoned that if service fees were lowered, advance ticket sales would increase. Keeping in line with this strategy, Ticket Alternative was launched in 2002. Their first major event was a 2003 New Years Eve party organized by Dan Caplan of Abstract Rhythms. Promoters in the area took note of the new affordable ticketing service, and soon venues were lining up as clients. By 2004, Ticket Alternative was regularly printing and selling tickets for such venues at 10 High Club, Park Tavern, Crescent Room, Hardrock Café, and Vinyl in Atlanta.

Just three years later, Ticket Alternative has expanded into an international venture. The home office handles thousands of events across the nation, and a budding UK office promises advance sales by the fall of 2008. Their dedication to top notch customers service has attracted a wide range of clients, from beer festivals to ballet recitals, in nearly every state.

“We receive calls from venues that had used other ticketing companies in the past,” says Bluett, “and they are eager to switch to Ticket Alternative. They appreciate the extra effort we make to promote events and make tickets affordable.”

Both event organizers and event patrons benefit from the low costs. There are no set-up fees for printing tickets or for selling tickets online. In fact, clients set and retain 100 per cent of the ticket price! That's a deal unprecedented in the ticket business.

“Our goal here is to sell tickets,” Bluett continues. “Our profit depends on that small service charge, so we do everything in our power, from increasing traffic to our Web site to mailing out newsletters, to get those tickets sold!”

Likewise, 2007 also saw the debut of TALive.com, an interactive blog and news site featuring a behind the scenes look at Ticket Alternative's shows. Artist interviews, reviews, and podcasts showcase Ticket Alternative's true passion for the arts and entertainment industry. It's also further indication of the many ways Ticket Alternative goes above and beyond to promote their events.

For such a young company, Ticket Alternative's exponential growth is certainly impressive and inspiring. Recent technological advances have introduced a variety of new services to improve the customer experience and provide flexibility for clients. For example, new print-at-home tickets paired with our Express Entry System scanning saves customers from the frustration of long will call lines and the risk of losing tickets in the mail. Ticket Alternative also offers a remote box office application so that sales can be completed simultaneously on site in addition to online and over the phone.

Along with these new services, Ticket Alternative has seen sales and site hits skyrocket. On the printing side of the business, Ticket Alternative currently produces about 450,000 tickets each month--that's nearly a 900 per cent increase since 2005! Ticketalternative.com gets about 500,000 hits annually, garnering about 225,000 sales in 2007. Projected sales for 2008 are twice that!

For more information about what Ticket Alternative can offer your facility or event, please browse through the site or give us a call and ask to speak with a new account representative.