Short term pain, for long-term gain.
Or something.
Or something.
Fans will be aware that during the close season we completed a switchover to a new online ticketing system.
It has been a major project and the transition from our old system to the new solution has not passed without difficulty. We are aware that some supporters have, since the launch of the new ticketing system, experienced issues during the ticket purchasing process online, including log-in issues, Autocup processing and delays to the friends and family functionality. We understand the frustration these technical issues have created and we’d like to apologise for any inconvenience that has been caused.
While we acknowledge there has been issues, we saw the move to a new platform as essential in supporting our future ambitions and in providing our fans with the best possible ticketing platform moving forward.
There were new features we wanted to introduce, which the old system wouldn’t support. Already we have introduced new features such as a fully rendered 3D view of the stadium, which allows fans to visualise the seating options for every seat in the ground before completing a purchase. We have a much-improved Print at Home facility which has seen a huge increase in fans using this facility – with more than 28,000 transactions already taken place. We will shortly be trialling software that will allow us to send tickets directly to digital wallets, so fans can scan their mobile phone to gain entry, in much the same way Apple or Android Pay can be used to purchase goods in shops. We have also introduced a single sign-on process which means fans need to login only once between the ticketing sections and other areas of the site, and fans will received personalised and enhanced content, appropriate to their level of membership.
Fans can also now choose their seats at an opposition stadium and offer the view from your seat functionality for some away stadiums, though this is dependent on the stadium information offered by the away club.
Our service to Hospitality members has also been enhanced with the new platform with supporters able to purchase individual games or packages online, something that was previously restricted on our previous platform.
In the coming months we will be introducing the opportunity for fans to pay for their Season Ticket in a number of new, previously unavailable options, including staggered payments.
We will also soon be issuing more information on the benefits of the integration with our Everton Rewards platform. This will allow supporters to use cashback they have earned on online purchases at hundreds of websites against their purchases with the Club.
We understand that while the ticketing system changes will continue to bring benefits in the medium and longer term, this recent changeover period has created in some issues and we genuinely appreciate the feedback, understanding and patience you have afforded us over the past few months. We know that the new system will ultimately provide a much-improved service in the future and we will be sharing updates on these benefits as they become available.
Thank you all for your ongoing support.