Why Every Event Should Offer Buy Now Pay Later Tickets

At AttendStar, we’re always looking for new features to add to our event ticketing platform that can help event organizers sell more tickets, generate additional revenue, and hold successful events. That’s why we partnered with Affirm, a well-known and highly respected payment processor, to add a new Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) feature to the AttendStar ticketing software.

We released BNPL in December 2022, and it’s quickly becoming one of the key drivers of ticket sales growth for our clients this year! For that reason, we recommend that every event offer Buy Now Pay Later tickets.

Following is a complete guide to what BNPL is and how it benefits both ticket sellers and ticket buyers, so you can make the right decision for your events about offering it to your attendees.

What is Buy Now Pay Later?

Buy Now Pay Later is a payment option that allows customers to pay for a purchase in multiple installment payments over a specific period rather than paying the entire amount due at the time of the purchase. Today, large and small businesses offer a BNLP option for customers to pay for anything from tickets to electronics and everything in between.

Rather than paying high fees and interest using a credit card to extend payment for a purchase over time, Buy Now Pay Later is an easier, transparent process that helps people defer full payment without incurring interest charges and expensive added fees.

For example, event organizers who sell tickets to their events using the AttendStar ticketing platform can offer BNPL simply by enabling it in the AttendStar dashboard. Once enabled, your customers will see the BNPL option when they checkout and both you and your customers will immediately start benefiting from it.

In three easy steps, people can buy tickets to your events and pay over time:

Step 1: Customers Choose Buy Now Pay Later at Checkout

Your customers simply select the Affirm payment option at checkout and enter a few simple pieces of information to get a real-time decision. Even people with less-than-perfect credit typically receive approval for BNPL.

Step 2: Customers Choose a Payment Plan

Once approved, your customers can pick the payment plan they like the best. They can choose to pay in four interest-free payments or longer monthly installments.

Step 3: Pay over Time

Your customers will need to make a payment at the time of purchase for part of the full purchase price and make the additional future payments at affirm.com or in the Affirm app. They’ll get email and text reminders, so they won’t forget.

Data Shows Consumers Want to Buy Now and Pay Later

A study by Juniper Research reported that more than 360 million people around the world use Buy Now Pay Later when they make purchases, including ticket purchases. That number is expected to increase by 157% to 900 million by 2027, which shows people are already familiar with and using BNPL. In the United States, research from Motley Fool’s Ascent found that 50% of Americans used Buy Now Pay Later in 2022.

If your event is targeted at Gen Z or Millennials, it’s critical that you offer BNPL for ticket sales because they were responsible for nearly 75% of BNPL purchases in 2021 according to research by eMarketer.

The reality today is many people will actively look for an option to purchase tickets to your event now and pay for them in the future, so you need to make sure you offer it for every event.

Benefits of Buy Now Pay Later for Ticket Sellers

Allowing eventgoers to pay for tickets over time will increase ticket sales, per-customer spending, and more. Here are some of the top benefits ticket sellers get with BNPL:

1. Attract and Convert More Ticket Buyers

Flexible payment options enable a wider audience to buy tickets to your event – an audience you would otherwise lose. Rather than thinking they can’t afford to attend or waiting until their next paycheck comes to decide (and then forgetting to do so), people can buy tickets with the peace of mind they’ll be able to make smaller payments they can afford over time.

2. Reduce Cart Abandonment and Boost Ticket Sales Page Conversions

Giving people more ways to pay that fit their needs will lead to less cart abandonment and more conversions on your ticket sales page. A study by Mastercard found that offering BNLP reduces cart abandonment by 35% and increases average sales by 45%.

3. Sell More Add-ons and Boost Revenue

According to research by Affirm, the average order value (AOV) of purchases made with Buy Now Pay Later is 85% higher than purchases paid for in other ways. That’s because people are more likely to spend more on upgraded tickets and add-ons when they can spread the cost over time.

After Enabling Ticket Financing

  • + $143 / per order in added revenue
  • 115% increase in avg. order value
*Based on large outdoor events. 07-06-23

4. Reach More Ticket Buyers

Offer Popular Credit Card Alternatives: Over 26% of millennials and almost 11% of Generation Z shoppers choose to buy now, pay later services to pay for their most recent online purchases.

Fast Approval and Simple Financing: There are no separate applications, application fees, or additional processing time, and most providers have simple-to-understand repayment plans and terms.

Offer Payment Flexibility: Depending on the total order amounts, customers can break up their payment into 3-4 interest-free installments (monthly) or up to 12x installments with interest.

5. No Downside, All Upside for Events/Venues

Get Paid Upfront and the Full Amount: Offering financing to your ticket buyers doesn’t mean you have to wait to get paid in full. You receive the total transaction amount up front immediately, whether the customer has successfully paid their installments or not.

Increase Conversions: Customers are more likely to make a purchase, especially a large one, if they can pay for the item over time. This is great for retailers with high-value goods.

Increase Average Order Value: Buy now, pay later services remove the barrier to larger purchases, allowing ticket buyers to break up the payment over time to fit within their budget.

Benefits of Buy Now Pay Later for Ticket Buyers

As the data discussed above shows, many ticket buyers are actively looking for a Buy Now Pay Later option. Others may not be looking for it but are likely to be pleasantly surprised – and more likely to make a purchase – when they find the option is available. That’s because there are significant benefits to consumers when they choose to use BNPL. Here are some of the top benefits for ticket buyers:

1. Increased Flexibility

When you give people more payment options, they can choose the method that works best for them. People are much more likely to complete a transaction when they can pay using their preferred method, especially when one of those methods allows them to pay a smaller amount at the time of checkout combined with an agreed-upon number of future payment amounts.

2. Purchases are Easier on the Wallet

Paying in full for event tickets can be stressful and uncomfortable for many people, but paying over time can be much easier on the wallet and the mind. Since all terms are disclosed upfront and there is no interest charged if payments are made within the required time frame, customers can plan and control their budgets and spending more reliably.

3. Boosts Consumer Confidence

People can buy tickets to your events with peace of mind that they’ll be able to afford it when they have the choice to pay over time. When you sell tickets through AttendStar and offer Buy Now Pay Later, your ticket buyers will know the total amount they’ll pay upfront, and that number will never go up.

Our BNPL partner, Affirm, won’t charge your ticket buyers hidden fees, late fees, or penalties of any kind, ever. The entire process is fair and transparent, so customers know exactly what they’ll own and when they’ll be done paying.

Key Takeaways about Buy Now Pay Later Tickets for Events

Offering Buy Now Pay Later for your event will increase ticket sales and revenue. Ticket buyers are actively looking for BNPL and are much more likely to purchase – not just tickets but upgrades and add-ons too – when you offer it as a payment option.

Want to learn more about how you can boost event ticket sales and revenue by adding Buy Now Pay Later to your ticket payment options?

Contact us or schedule a demo of the AttendStar platform to see it in action.

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