Scalping tactics: What Coldplay-BookMyShow online tickets row is all about

The highly-anticipated Coldplay concert in Mumbai in January 2025 have been clouded by concerns over ticketing scams on BookMyShow, the official platform for sales. Over 1.3 crore people logged in to BookMyShow to secure one of the 1.5 lakh available tickets but fans have reported a number of issues, raising questions about the fairness and efficiency of the ticketing process.

The demand for Coldplay tickets was unprecedented, with millions of fans vying for a limited number of tickets. Despite the large number of tickets available, all tickets for the concerts sold out within 30 minutes of the sale opening.

 The website and app experienced significant strain due to the overwhelming traffic, leading to technical difficulties for some users.The concerts, set for January 18, 19, and a third show added later on January 21, each have a venue capacity of 50,000 but the dream of attending the concert turned into a nightmare for most.

Fans' Frustration:

 Eager fans were ready well before the noon sale, refreshing their screens in anticipation. Despite their efforts, most were met with the disheartening message of "not enough tickets" on BookMyShow. Their frustration was further compounded by a thriving resale market with exorbitant prices.

The Problem:

Massive Price Inflation: Tickets originally sold by BookMyShow for a range of Rs 2,000 to Rs 35,000 reappeared on resale platforms like Viagogo for significantly higher prices.

Examples:

• A Rs 12,500 ticket was being resold for a staggering Rs3.36 lakh, an increase of over 2,700%.
• Standing tickets, originally priced at Rs 6,450, were listed for up to Rs 50,000, an almost eightfold markup.
• Tickets originally priced as low as Rs 4,500 being resold for Rs 1.05 lakh – a markup of over 2,340%.
• Lounge Tickets: Tickets initially sold for Rs 35,000 were listed for a mind-boggling Rs 10 lakh - a near 30-fold increase.

Social Media Sales:

Beyond official resale platforms, social media saw individuals capitalize on the situation by selling "extra" tickets – often at inflated prices. These sales lacked transparency, and fans faced the risk of purchasing fake or invalid tickets.

Seeing the original tickets being resold at such inflated prices added insult to injury for fans who were unable to secure them through legitimate channels.  Fans felt that these exorbitant resale prices were driven by profiteering rather than genuine fan interest.

Underlying Issues:

With high demand and a limited number of tickets available, scalpers saw an opportunity to exploit the situation. The ease with which tickets can be resold on these platforms allows scalpers to manipulate the market and drive up prices.

Scalping Tactics: Explained 

Scalping refers to the practice of buying tickets for events, such as  the Coldplay concert with the intent to resell them at a significantly higher price. Here are some common scalping tactics:

1. Bulk Buying: Scalpers purchase large quantities of tickets, often using bots or automated scripts to bypass waiting lists and secure multiple tickets

2. Reselling on Third-Party Platforms: Scalpers list tickets on secondary marketplaces like Viagogo, at significantly inflated prices.Example: A scalper might purchase a concert ticket for Rs 5,000 and resell it on a secondary platform for Rs 20,000.

3. Creating a False Sense of Scarcity: Scalpers may deliberately limit the number of tickets they sell, creating a false sense of scarcity and driving up prices.

4. Using Bots and Automation: Scalpers often use bots and automation tools to purchase tickets faster than human buyers, giving them a significant advantage.

5. Exploiting Demand: During a sold-out concert, scalpers can charge exorbitant prices for tickets, knowing that desperate fans may be willing to pay any amount to attend.

Other issues reported by fans:

Unfair Queuing Systems: Several have raised concerns about the queuing system. Fans reported experiencing long virtual queues despite being among the first to access the ticketing platform. A content creator named Simone Khambatta had even logged in before the official sale window but was placed behind others in the queue. This raises suspicions of potential manipulation or technical glitches hindering fair access for everyone.

Technical Glitches: Technical difficulties faced by users on BookMyShow further complicated the ticketing process. Users experiencing glitches which prevented them from completing their purchases. These technical problems added to the frustration of fans already struggling with the queuing system.

Impact and Response:

These issues have resulted in widespread criticism of BookMyShow, with fans feeling unfairly disadvantaged by the ticketing process. The frustration is understandable as securing tickets for a highly anticipated event becomes a battle against potential scams and technical hurdles.

BookMyShow, however, has acknowledged the concerns:

They have issued warnings against falling victim to ticket scams, emphasizing that BookMyShow is the only official platform for purchasing Coldplay concert tickets.

They have likely taken steps to address technical glitches to improve the user experience on their platform.

A spokesperson from BookMyShow said “We implemented a queueing system to manage the overwhelming demand and addressed issues caused by suspicious and malicious traffic within minutes, causing a brief delay, but ensuring minimal disruption for genuine fans.”

To accommodate the unprecedented demand, BookMyShow added a third show on January 21, but even this  was sold out in a jiffy. 

BookMyShow and its live events division, BookMyShow Live, shared a joint post on Instagram cautioning fans about potential scams. The post read, “It has come to our attention that unauthorised platforms are listing tickets for Coldplay's Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India, both before and after the official sale. These tickets are invalid. Ticket scalping is illegal in India and punishable by law. Please don't fall prey to this because you will be buying fake tickets. Avoid scams! BookMyShow is the only official platform for ticket sales.”

How to avoid ticketing scams

• Staying vigilant is crucial for fans to safely navigate the ticketing process:
• Always purchase tickets directly from BookMyShow. Never rely on third-party platforms, especially for tickets priced significantly higher than the original cost.
• Be wary of unusually low or high prices. While some price fluctuations might occur, extreme deviations from the official selling price are a red flag.
• Verify seller authenticity: If purchasing from a secondary platform (which is highly discouraged), ensure the seller is legitimate and offers a secure transaction process.
• By being aware of these tactics and following these tips, fans can increase their chances of acquiring legitimate tickets for the Coldplay concert and avoid falling prey to  scammers.