Concerns rise over ticket scalping and dynamic pricing for live events in the UK
The recent controversy surrounding Oasis' comeback tour highlighted the growing frustrations among UK consumers over ticket pricing and access to live events. With dynamic pricing causing ticket prices to soar, 64% of British consumers, the highest across 17 surveyed markets, say this practice is unfair as per April 2024 survey. While the debate over ticket pricing continues, YouGov's Omnibus survey sheds light on broader concerns among consumers when purchasing live event tickets online, including worries about counterfeit tickets and the potential for new technologies like AI and blockchain to mitigate fraud.
We surveyed 2,129 GB adults of which 46% of Britons said they have purchased tickets for live events online. Among these buyers, 49% expressed concerns about buying counterfeit tickets, with more women (52%) being worried compared to men (45%).
Despite these concerns, half of adults (51%) think AI could effectively combat ticket scalping, particularly younger adults aged 18-24 (65%) and 24-35 (63%).
In contrast, older adults showed less confidence, with only 41% of those aged 45-54 and 43% of those over 55 trusting AI’s effectiveness. On the other hand, 28% of ticket buyers do not think AI would be effective, with the majority (61%) believing that scalpers would find ways to bypass detection, and 46% fearing that legitimate customers might be mistakenly flagged.
When asked about alternative technologies, such as blockchain or rotating QR codes, three in five Britons (63%) expressed comfort with using these methods to prevent fraud when buying tickets online. Additionally, 24% of ticket buyers said they would be willing to pay more for these technologies to ensure the authenticity of tickets, with younger adults, particularly those aged 18-24 (45%) and 24-34 (38%), showing the most willingness. However, older age groups were less inclined to pay extra for these safeguards, with only 12% of those aged 45-54 and 14% of those over 55 expressing support for the additional cost.
Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced and Omnibus UK/ GB provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 4-5 Sept 2024, with a nationally/ representative sample of 2,129 adults (aged 18+ years) in Great Britain, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in Great Britain (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.