This article was published on May 2, 2014

Y Combinator-backed Eventjoy makes its ticketing service free for organizers


Y Combinator-backed Eventjoy makes its ticketing service free for organizers

Just a couple months after launching, mobile-focused event planning platform Eventjoy has decided to drop the fees from its ticketing service and pursue alternative monetization options instead. Coinciding with the pricing change, Eventjoy has also redesigned its website.

Previously, the startup took a 2 percent cut + $0.99 per ticket for paid events.

Co-founder Todd Goldberg told TNW that Eventjoy’s goal is to always keep its core experience free while pursuing premium services, like event promotion and commerce, in order to monetize. The company is counting on the possibility that the power of mobile will open up new opportunities for organizers to make additional money.

The Eventjoy app offers additional services beyond ticketing, such as push notifications related to the event and social features for connecting with other attendees.

Moving to a free model will give Eventjoy a shot against Eventbrite, which has already picked up significant momentum in the ticketing space. When I asked Goldberg how he plans to differentiate his company from its competitor, he pointed to Eventjoy’s focus on mobile as its core strength.

Installing a separate app for events like conferences is bothersome, especially when the software feels hastily cobbled together, but Eventjoy will have to establish itself as an attractive platform for organizers for its strategy to pay off. Considering how tight the margins are for most independent event planners, free ticketing will make it quite a bit easier for them to opt for Eventjoy.

Image credit: iStockphoto

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