Gary Devitt, founder of Toutless, joins Lara Piras on the Recommerce Intelligence podcast to share the journey of the fan-to-fan ticket resale marketplace. Founded eighteen years ago as a hobby, Toutless has evolved from a community-driven ticket swap site to recently relaunch as a fully transactional platform. By week three, conversions were up 139%.

A new era for Toutless

Gary shared how Toutless began simply as a small website for friends to trade concert tickets, reflecting the strong culture of live events in Ireland. Over the years, the platform grew to around sixty thousand users, but challenges with scams and touts prompted a necessary transformation.

After closing to the public to address those issues, Toutless partnered with Trustap to develop a more secure and reliable ticketing system. The relaunch in August introduced an escrow-style protection feature, allowing users to trade tickets safely without worrying about scams.

“Being able to work with Trustap and their escrow-style ecosystem has been an absolute game changer for us,” said Devitt.

Trust and transparency in transactions

A key focus for Toutless has been maintaining the ethos of stopping touts and scalpers from charging above face value. Devitt emphasized that customers are seeking a trustworthy marketplace where they don’t have to worry about losing their money.

The new system allows sellers to list tickets for free, and buyers can purchase with confidence, knowing their money is secure until the transaction is complete. This has seen remarkable acceptance from customers, with significant increases in both listings and paid transactions in the weeks following the launch.

Building community

Devitt shared valuable lessons learned from building a strong community over the years. He noted that it’s crucial to keep the community engaged and to avoid angering long-time users. As Toutless resumes community features, it is prioritizing security and trust to ensure a safe environment for all users.

The future of ticket resale

Looking ahead, he anticipates changes in the ticket exchange space, particularly with dynamic pricing becoming more common. He believes that while ticket prices are rising, the emotional value of access to live events remains paramount.

“What I’ve always said is that resale in most categories is about value. Whereas in tickets, it’s about access and access is emotional.”

As Toutless continues to innovate, it plans to expand its offerings, including same-day sales and a mobile app to enhance user experience.

To dive deeper into this journey and learn more about the changes in the ticketing industry, check out the full episode.

This synopsis was created by AI.