any safe way to sell and distribute event tickets

I have a client who wants to sell tickets online for his annual show.

I said we could set up a paypal account to handle the money, but that it
would be best to mail the tickets, or hold them at will call, but told
him I would look into it anyway.

It is easy enough to print a ticket, but as far as I can see validation
and duplication are a problem. Any thoughts on how to integrate a
payment transaction with a ticket delivery system that doesn't allow
someone to pay for 1 ticket and print 100?

Re: any safe way to sell and distribute event tickets

On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:39:36 +0200, William Gill
wrote:

> I have a client who wants to sell tickets online for his annual show.
>
> I said we could set up a paypal account to handle the money, but that it
> would be best to mail the tickets, or hold them at will call, but told
> him I would look into it anyway.
>
> It is easy enough to print a ticket, but as far as I can see validation
> and duplication are a problem. Any thoughts on how to integrate a
> payment transaction with a ticket delivery system that doesn't allow
> someone to pay for 1 ticket and print 100?

Barcodes & a scanner at the entrance (which will offcourse pick up
duplication)?

Or just give the a unique (unguessable) ticketnumber (so not in ascending
order, more of a simple random string or number), and have a list at the
entrance where people can give their number, and once someone used it, it
gets crossed off the list?
--
Rik Wasmus

Re: any safe way to sell and distribute event tickets

William Gill wrote:
> I have a client who wants to sell tickets online for his annual show.

> I said we could set up a paypal account to handle the money, but that it
> would be best to mail the tickets, or hold them at will call, but told
> him I would look into it anyway.

> It is easy enough to print a ticket, but as far as I can see validation
> and duplication are a problem. Any thoughts on how to integrate a
> payment transaction with a ticket delivery system that doesn't allow
> someone to pay for 1 ticket and print 100?

The way Blockbuster Video does it is to put a unique barcode on
each coupon, which is then scanned at the store.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

Re: any safe way to sell and distribute event tickets

> Barcodes & a scanner at the entrance (which will offcourse pick up
> duplication)?
>
> Or just give the a unique (unguessable) ticketnumber (so not in
> ascending order, more of a simple random string or number), and have a
> list at the entrance where people can give their number, and once
> someone used it, it gets crossed off the list?
> --Rik Wasmus

That's basically what I told him. Either they pick up tickets at will
call, or they get manually validated via bar code or id number. He
wouldn't want to slow the gate, so we're back to will call.


Thanks Jim and Rik

Re: any safe way to sell and distribute event tickets

William Gill wrote:
>
>> Barcodes & a scanner at the entrance (which will offcourse pick up
>> duplication)?
>>
>> Or just give the a unique (unguessable) ticketnumber (so not in
>> ascending order, more of a simple random string or number), and have a
>> list at the entrance where people can give their number, and once
>> someone used it, it gets crossed off the list?
>> --Rik Wasmus
>
> That's basically what I told him. Either they pick up tickets at will
> call, or they get manually validated via bar code or id number. He
> wouldn't want to slow the gate, so we're back to will call.
>
>
> Thanks Jim and Rik

I've been to baseball games where the validation is done by handheld
scanners. It's quite quick, and doesn't slow down the flow in any
noticeable manner.

With a little practice, you can scan a ticket as quickly as you can tear
it in half.

--
==================
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Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================