Jump start your holiday celebration with Metropolis Youth Symphony’s Holiday Concert, December 15, 2009 at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.
The holidays are the perfect time to enjoy the Metropolis Youth Symphony and their beautiful sound. Bringing extra cheer to the stage are top vocalists from The Metropolis Music School as well as several outstanding faculty members. Plus, everyone can join in a sing-a-long of classic holiday carols.
Metropolis Youth Symphony (MYS) creates an environment where students can achieve the highest standard of musicianship, comradeship, and professional communication. The Metropolis Youth Symphony fosters emerging leaders by engaging them in collaboration with professional guest artists and an experienced conductor, and providing them with opportunities for mentorship among their peer group. MYS offers a disciplined musical education that values students’ commitment and participation in school and the community.
Metropolis Youth Symphony’s Holiday Concert is at Metropolis on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 7 P.M. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at MetropolisArts.com or by calling the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Metropolis Youth Symphony’s Holiday Concert is part of the Music series at Metropolis, dedicated to bringing big name artists into an intimate, acoustically perfect and exclusive venue. Other artists in the 2009-2010 season include Corky Siegel & Megon McDonough, Abba Salute, Liz Carroll, George Winston and Siegel-Schwall.
Metropolis receives generous sponsorship from American Airlines, Daily Herald, Doubletree Hotel of Arlington Heights, and FastSigns of Arlington Heights.
Metropolis is located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs in downtown Arlington Heights at the intersection of Campbell and Vail Avenue (111 West Campbell Street). Street parking is available. Free parking is available in the public garage behind the theatre. For more information about Metropolis and a complete 2009/2010 performance schedule, go to MetropolisArts.com or call the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Facebook, Mobile Phones and the Future of Shopping
Forget the mall. Retailers are tapping Facebook and mobile phones to get closer to customers wherever they are.
CIO Magazine
At least 22 retailers have been driven into bankruptcy protection during this recession, including RedEnvelope and Eddie Bauer, or gone out of business altogether, like Circuit City. Blockbuster, Virgin Megastores and many more have closed stores. Survivors, suffering deflated profits and slow sales, warn of bleak holidays: The National Retail Federation predicts a 1 percent sales decline for the season compared to last year. Even Wal-Mart feels the slump, with same-store sales down 1 percent in its second quarter—its first such drop in years.
Baby, it's cold outside.
But smart retailers are going where it's warm: the hot little hands of cellphone—and laptop—toting consumers who want to shop right now, wherever they happen to be sipping their lattes or watching their kids' soccer games. Technology-backed projects to increase revenue include mobile e-commerce, coupons by text message, even storefronts on social networks. As enablers of these projects, CIOs are moving ever closer to the customer.
Social Shopping
E-mail marketing is in full swing now; the number of messages expected to be sent this holiday shopping season will far surpass last year's four billion, according to Experian Marketing Services, a consultancy. Of course, just a fraction of these will be opened. Even fewer messages will coax recipients to visit a website and buy something.
"Websites and e-mail—that's just too many steps now," says Brett Michalak, CIO with Tickets.com, which sells tickets to games, concerts and other events as well as its own ticketing technology.
______________________________________________________________________
Royal Oak Music Theatre, a Michigan music and comedy venue where acts such as Train and Bob Saget have played, started mobile ticketing three years ago and has adjusted its marketing to cover for finicky technology.
Anyone who's done self-check out at the supermarket knows that scanning takes a special, knowing touch. Still, scanning barcodes on the screens of mobile devices often requires extra wiggling of the phone and slanting it at different angles. It's slower than scanning paper tickets. To avoid ticking off patrons lined up to run in and grab general-admission floor spots, Royal Oak created a separate VIP entrance for the mobile customers. There, staff use the newer model scanners required for reading mobile barcodes, and it's not so apparent that the scanning takes longer, says Diana Williams, box office manager.
Mobile customers are also allowed to get into the theater a few minutes before traditional customers, which encourages more people to buy their tickets by cell phone, she says. That's cheaper for the theater than handling paper tickets—saving money and hassle time is Williams' goal. But it also positions the theater well for collecting future revenue.
Mobile ticketing skews young, Williams observes. The theater does shows for all ages, and for a typical adult event, 16 percent of tickets sold are through the mobile channel. But for a recent show by the boy-band Hansen, popular with tween girls, mobile accounted for nearly 40 percent of tickets.
"There's an age—around 22 or younger—where it would never occur to patrons that you couldn't buy a ticket from your phone," Williams says.
Impulse Buys
Mobile and social commerce projects will change the business of any company that invests in it, says Russ Stanley, managing vice president of ticket services and client relations for the San Francisco Giants.
For example, instead of being a long-planned activity, a Major League Baseball game can become an impulse buy, Stanley says, bringing in more sales for the organization.
Every game day, the Giants have 40,000 seats to sell. If they've sold only 30,000, 10,000 spoil every bit as badly as old pears. Last year, the team changed prices daily on about 2,000 seats. Stanley imagines the day when he'll have a database of fans who, say, live within a mile of the ballpark to whom he can text last-minute offers. "Hey, the Giants have $5 tickets left for tonight. For $5, I'll walk down there," he says. "As they're walking up to the entrance, they're buying on the mobile."
The Giants started to offer mobile tickets midway through the 2008 season, when they sold about 100 tickets that way per game. In 2009, it was about 200 and Stanley expects to do about 400 per game in the coming year. "Fans who use it love it. It's getting the people to use it," he says.
Like hot dogs and cold beer, holding a ticket is part of the rite of baseball, he says. Plus, there's the souvenir value. When pitcher Jonathan Sanchez threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in July, about 50 mobile fans, as well as people who had bought tickets online and printed them on plain paper at home, later requested the team print "real" tickets for them to commemorate the event. "We did that for them. It's good relations," says Stanley. And, he adds, it could turn into a money-making service in the future.
Start small and expand gradually, Stanley advises. He could outfit all 42 entryways at AT&T Park with scanners to read mobile tickets, but the Giants just don't sell enough of them yet to make that cost worthwhile. Not until about 1,000 mobile tickets are sold per game—81,000 in a season—does he expect to see real labor savings compared to handling paper tickets. Ramp-up may be slow, but commerce in these new outlets is a commitment these early adopters say they will keep.
"Eventually there will be far more things that are accessible via your phone," Williams says. "I would rather have our box office be on the forefront of that than scrambling to catch up years down the line."
Today the payoff comes in other ways, she says. The novel technology makes retailers who use it more memorable among consumers and no paper—or less, anyway—makes it a greener way to do business.
Read more >
CIO Magazine
At least 22 retailers have been driven into bankruptcy protection during this recession, including RedEnvelope and Eddie Bauer, or gone out of business altogether, like Circuit City. Blockbuster, Virgin Megastores and many more have closed stores. Survivors, suffering deflated profits and slow sales, warn of bleak holidays: The National Retail Federation predicts a 1 percent sales decline for the season compared to last year. Even Wal-Mart feels the slump, with same-store sales down 1 percent in its second quarter—its first such drop in years.
Baby, it's cold outside.
But smart retailers are going where it's warm: the hot little hands of cellphone—and laptop—toting consumers who want to shop right now, wherever they happen to be sipping their lattes or watching their kids' soccer games. Technology-backed projects to increase revenue include mobile e-commerce, coupons by text message, even storefronts on social networks. As enablers of these projects, CIOs are moving ever closer to the customer.
Social Shopping
E-mail marketing is in full swing now; the number of messages expected to be sent this holiday shopping season will far surpass last year's four billion, according to Experian Marketing Services, a consultancy. Of course, just a fraction of these will be opened. Even fewer messages will coax recipients to visit a website and buy something.
"Websites and e-mail—that's just too many steps now," says Brett Michalak, CIO with Tickets.com, which sells tickets to games, concerts and other events as well as its own ticketing technology.
______________________________________________________________________
Royal Oak Music Theatre, a Michigan music and comedy venue where acts such as Train and Bob Saget have played, started mobile ticketing three years ago and has adjusted its marketing to cover for finicky technology.
Anyone who's done self-check out at the supermarket knows that scanning takes a special, knowing touch. Still, scanning barcodes on the screens of mobile devices often requires extra wiggling of the phone and slanting it at different angles. It's slower than scanning paper tickets. To avoid ticking off patrons lined up to run in and grab general-admission floor spots, Royal Oak created a separate VIP entrance for the mobile customers. There, staff use the newer model scanners required for reading mobile barcodes, and it's not so apparent that the scanning takes longer, says Diana Williams, box office manager.
Mobile customers are also allowed to get into the theater a few minutes before traditional customers, which encourages more people to buy their tickets by cell phone, she says. That's cheaper for the theater than handling paper tickets—saving money and hassle time is Williams' goal. But it also positions the theater well for collecting future revenue.
Mobile ticketing skews young, Williams observes. The theater does shows for all ages, and for a typical adult event, 16 percent of tickets sold are through the mobile channel. But for a recent show by the boy-band Hansen, popular with tween girls, mobile accounted for nearly 40 percent of tickets.
"There's an age—around 22 or younger—where it would never occur to patrons that you couldn't buy a ticket from your phone," Williams says.
Impulse Buys
Mobile and social commerce projects will change the business of any company that invests in it, says Russ Stanley, managing vice president of ticket services and client relations for the San Francisco Giants.
For example, instead of being a long-planned activity, a Major League Baseball game can become an impulse buy, Stanley says, bringing in more sales for the organization.
Every game day, the Giants have 40,000 seats to sell. If they've sold only 30,000, 10,000 spoil every bit as badly as old pears. Last year, the team changed prices daily on about 2,000 seats. Stanley imagines the day when he'll have a database of fans who, say, live within a mile of the ballpark to whom he can text last-minute offers. "Hey, the Giants have $5 tickets left for tonight. For $5, I'll walk down there," he says. "As they're walking up to the entrance, they're buying on the mobile."
The Giants started to offer mobile tickets midway through the 2008 season, when they sold about 100 tickets that way per game. In 2009, it was about 200 and Stanley expects to do about 400 per game in the coming year. "Fans who use it love it. It's getting the people to use it," he says.
Like hot dogs and cold beer, holding a ticket is part of the rite of baseball, he says. Plus, there's the souvenir value. When pitcher Jonathan Sanchez threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in July, about 50 mobile fans, as well as people who had bought tickets online and printed them on plain paper at home, later requested the team print "real" tickets for them to commemorate the event. "We did that for them. It's good relations," says Stanley. And, he adds, it could turn into a money-making service in the future.
Start small and expand gradually, Stanley advises. He could outfit all 42 entryways at AT&T Park with scanners to read mobile tickets, but the Giants just don't sell enough of them yet to make that cost worthwhile. Not until about 1,000 mobile tickets are sold per game—81,000 in a season—does he expect to see real labor savings compared to handling paper tickets. Ramp-up may be slow, but commerce in these new outlets is a commitment these early adopters say they will keep.
"Eventually there will be far more things that are accessible via your phone," Williams says. "I would rather have our box office be on the forefront of that than scrambling to catch up years down the line."
Today the payoff comes in other ways, she says. The novel technology makes retailers who use it more memorable among consumers and no paper—or less, anyway—makes it a greener way to do business.
Read more >
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving from Tickets.com!
Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Tickets.com.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Cranberries reunite, will bring their tour to Seattle 12/7/09
Maria Christensen
CultureMob in Music, Seattle
Although The Cranberries never actually used the words “breaking up,” they certainly haven’t released a new album in eight years – the last being ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’ in 2001 – or been on tour together for the last seven years.
While each band member has had plenty to keep them busy with new projects and solo acts, apparently the time is right for some kind of new iteration of The Cranberries. Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan has been quoted as saying, “I’ve decided to reunite with my former band members in The Cranberries and we will be writing new songs and performing tracks off my new album as well as our greatest hits during the shows.”
The new tour brings them to Seattle to perform at The Moore Theatre on December 7. Tickets are $33 and can be bought through STG Presents.
CultureMob in Music, Seattle
Although The Cranberries never actually used the words “breaking up,” they certainly haven’t released a new album in eight years – the last being ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’ in 2001 – or been on tour together for the last seven years.
While each band member has had plenty to keep them busy with new projects and solo acts, apparently the time is right for some kind of new iteration of The Cranberries. Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan has been quoted as saying, “I’ve decided to reunite with my former band members in The Cranberries and we will be writing new songs and performing tracks off my new album as well as our greatest hits during the shows.”
The new tour brings them to Seattle to perform at The Moore Theatre on December 7. Tickets are $33 and can be bought through STG Presents.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Nickelback returning to Tulsa’s BOK Center
Brandy McDonnell
BAM's Blog
Nickelback, along with special guests Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown, will return April 24 to the BOK Center.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 5. Price are to be determined. They will be available online at www.bokcenter.com, www.livenation.com, Arby’s Box Office, all Tickets.com outlets, or by phone at (866) 7BOKCTR.
Nickelback also played an April show this year at the Tulsa arena.
The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band has announced the 2010 North American leg of their “Dark Horse World Tour,” a Live Nation-produced event. The tour will feature special guests Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown with the opening act and additional dates to be announced.
The newly confirmed dates are hot off the heels of summer and fall dates in which the band played to sold-out crowds around the world.
Nickelback fan club members will have access to presale tickets beginning Nov. 27 in select markets. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. local time through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details, tgo to www.citiprivatepass.com. For more information on the tour, ticket on sales, fan club membership and VIP packages, go to www.Nickelback.com or www.LiveNation.com.
Find tour dates and more info after the break.
NICKELBACK DARK HORSE 2010 TOUR DATES:
April 6 London, ON John Labatt Centre
April 8 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
April 9 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
April 11 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
April13 Washington, DC Verizon Center
April 14 Hampton VA Hampton Coliseum*
April16 Greenville, SC BI-LO Center*
April 17 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Complex*
April19 Orlando, FL Amway Arena*
April 21 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
April 24 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
* Shinedown not included.
“Never Gonna Be Alone,” the newest single from Nickelback’s latest album, “Dark Horse,” is already top 15 at Hot A/C and heating up quickly at Top 40. Last week also saw the premiere of the video for “Never Gonna Be Alone.” Added out of the box at VH1 and Fuse, both channels will start airing it Nov. 23. The video can currently be seen via Nickelback.com, RoadrunnerRecords.com and YouTube. The video was shot by veteran director and longtime Nickelback friend Nigel Dick.
Nickelback is one of the biggest rock bands in the world, with more than 35 million albums sold. The band’s latest album, “Dark Horse,” produced by the legendary Mutt Lange, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and has remained on the Top 200 for 50 weeks, selling more than 2.4 million albums in the United States alone. Nickelback is currently nominated for a 2009 American Music Award in the Pop/Rock category for Favorite Band, Duo or Group.
Nickelback has enjoyed unprecedented success with their last album, “All The Right Reasons,” which has been RIAA certified eight-times platinum. The six singles from the album totaled 12 million downloads and 6 million ringtones. All proceeds of digital single and video sales for “If Everyone Cared” between Feb. 1 and July 31, 2007 were donated to charity, equally distributed between Amnesty International and International Childrens’ Awareness Canada. Each of the five videos from “All The Right Reasons” has reached No. 1 on VH1’s playlist, “Photograph,” “Savin’ Me,” “Far Away,” “If Everyone Cared” and “Rockstar.”
In 2006, Nickelback was awarded a World Music Award for World’s Best Rock Group, a Billboard Touring Award for Breakthrough Artist, an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and a People’s Choice Award for Best Rock Group.
BAM's Blog
Nickelback, along with special guests Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown, will return April 24 to the BOK Center.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 5. Price are to be determined. They will be available online at www.bokcenter.com, www.livenation.com, Arby’s Box Office, all Tickets.com outlets, or by phone at (866) 7BOKCTR.
Nickelback also played an April show this year at the Tulsa arena.
The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band has announced the 2010 North American leg of their “Dark Horse World Tour,” a Live Nation-produced event. The tour will feature special guests Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown with the opening act and additional dates to be announced.
The newly confirmed dates are hot off the heels of summer and fall dates in which the band played to sold-out crowds around the world.
Nickelback fan club members will have access to presale tickets beginning Nov. 27 in select markets. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. local time through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details, tgo to www.citiprivatepass.com. For more information on the tour, ticket on sales, fan club membership and VIP packages, go to www.Nickelback.com or www.LiveNation.com.
Find tour dates and more info after the break.
NICKELBACK DARK HORSE 2010 TOUR DATES:
April 6 London, ON John Labatt Centre
April 8 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
April 9 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
April 11 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
April13 Washington, DC Verizon Center
April 14 Hampton VA Hampton Coliseum*
April16 Greenville, SC BI-LO Center*
April 17 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Complex*
April19 Orlando, FL Amway Arena*
April 21 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
April 24 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
* Shinedown not included.
“Never Gonna Be Alone,” the newest single from Nickelback’s latest album, “Dark Horse,” is already top 15 at Hot A/C and heating up quickly at Top 40. Last week also saw the premiere of the video for “Never Gonna Be Alone.” Added out of the box at VH1 and Fuse, both channels will start airing it Nov. 23. The video can currently be seen via Nickelback.com, RoadrunnerRecords.com and YouTube. The video was shot by veteran director and longtime Nickelback friend Nigel Dick.
Nickelback is one of the biggest rock bands in the world, with more than 35 million albums sold. The band’s latest album, “Dark Horse,” produced by the legendary Mutt Lange, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and has remained on the Top 200 for 50 weeks, selling more than 2.4 million albums in the United States alone. Nickelback is currently nominated for a 2009 American Music Award in the Pop/Rock category for Favorite Band, Duo or Group.
Nickelback has enjoyed unprecedented success with their last album, “All The Right Reasons,” which has been RIAA certified eight-times platinum. The six singles from the album totaled 12 million downloads and 6 million ringtones. All proceeds of digital single and video sales for “If Everyone Cared” between Feb. 1 and July 31, 2007 were donated to charity, equally distributed between Amnesty International and International Childrens’ Awareness Canada. Each of the five videos from “All The Right Reasons” has reached No. 1 on VH1’s playlist, “Photograph,” “Savin’ Me,” “Far Away,” “If Everyone Cared” and “Rockstar.”
In 2006, Nickelback was awarded a World Music Award for World’s Best Rock Group, a Billboard Touring Award for Breakthrough Artist, an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and a People’s Choice Award for Best Rock Group.
Monday, November 23, 2009
MLBAM's Bob Bowman Named "Ultimate Game Changer" by Huffington Post
Eric Fisher
SportsBusiness Journal
Readers of HuffingtonPost.com have selected MLBAM President & CEO Bob Bowman as the Ultimate Game Changer in sports. The Web site conducted a reader survey to select Ultimate Game Changers in 10 different categories, including business, politics and philanthropy, drawing more than 1.7 million votes. Within sports, Bowman beat out other nominees such as ESPN's Bill Simmons, Citizen Sports Network executives Jeff Ma and Mike Kerns, StubHub President Chris Tsakalakis, CBSSports.com Senior VP & GM Jason Kint, Cavaliers C Shaquille O'Neal and tennis star Serena Williams.
SportsBusiness Journal
Readers of HuffingtonPost.com have selected MLBAM President & CEO Bob Bowman as the Ultimate Game Changer in sports. The Web site conducted a reader survey to select Ultimate Game Changers in 10 different categories, including business, politics and philanthropy, drawing more than 1.7 million votes. Within sports, Bowman beat out other nominees such as ESPN's Bill Simmons, Citizen Sports Network executives Jeff Ma and Mike Kerns, StubHub President Chris Tsakalakis, CBSSports.com Senior VP & GM Jason Kint, Cavaliers C Shaquille O'Neal and tennis star Serena Williams.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Albany River Rats to Offer $5 Tickets This Wednesday
Rats offering $5 tickets on Thanksgiving Eve
Pete Dougherty
TimesUnion.com
The Albany River Rats announced today that tickets for their game next Wednesday night — the day before Thanksgiving — against the Syracuse Crunch will be available for $5 apiece.
Single-game tickets generally run $17 ($13 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and older).
Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the Times Union Center box office (487-2000), at http://www.tickets.com (1-800-30-EVENT), or at select Price Chopper stores.
Pete Dougherty
TimesUnion.com
The Albany River Rats announced today that tickets for their game next Wednesday night — the day before Thanksgiving — against the Syracuse Crunch will be available for $5 apiece.
Single-game tickets generally run $17 ($13 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and older).
Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the Times Union Center box office (487-2000), at http://www.tickets.com (1-800-30-EVENT), or at select Price Chopper stores.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tickets@Phone® Mobile Ticketing Technology
Send paperless, barcoded tickets directly to your customers’ mobile phones. Tickets@Phone tickets are redeemed at your venue directly from their mobile phone display through the use of a barcode scanner.
Tickets@Phone is an innovative ticket delivery method that expands your options of how your customers receive their tickets. With Tickets@Phone, your customers’ tickets are delivered to their mobile phones.
If you would like to learn more about mobile ticketing technologies, please contact Tickets.com at sales@Tickets.com or 888-397-3400.
Tickets@Phone is an innovative ticket delivery method that expands your options of how your customers receive their tickets. With Tickets@Phone, your customers’ tickets are delivered to their mobile phones.
If you would like to learn more about mobile ticketing technologies, please contact Tickets.com at sales@Tickets.com or 888-397-3400.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Shawn Mullins Set to Perform, Teach at Metropolis
Platinum-selling rocker Shawn Mullins is at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre for one night only, November 21, 2009.
Shawn Mullins has had two number one songs, sold over a million albums and been nominated for a Grammy. Now, this legend of Americana rock and pop and former U.S. Army officer brings his old hits, new album, stories, personality and charm to Metropolis’ intimate theatre for one night only. It’s the perfect evening for anyone who loves music.
Shawn Mullins comes to Metropolis November 21, 2009 at 8 P.M. Tickets are $35, Stage Tables $45, and can be purchased online at MetropolisArts.com or by calling the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Shawn Mullins is part of the Music series at Metropolis, dedicated to bringing in big name artists to an intimate, acoustically perfect and exclusive venue. More music shows in the 2009/10 season include performances by The Illinois Brass Band, The Lakeside Singers, Corky Siegel & Megon McDonough, Abba Salute, Liz Carroll, George Winston and Siegel-Schwall.
Mullins leads special songwriting class
It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity – learning the unique skill of songwriting from one of its masters. Shawn Mullins will be teaching a master songwriting class at Metropolis on Sunday, November 22. Call the Metropolis School of Performing Arts Education Office at 847.577.5982 x221 to register. Limited to 20 participants and is filling fast.
Metropolis receives generous sponsorship from American Airlines, the Daily Herald, Doubletree Hotel of Arlington Heights, FastSigns of Arlington Heights, and Stella Artois.
Metropolis is located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs in downtown Arlington Heights at the intersection of Campbell and Vail Avenue (111 West Campbell Street). Street parking is available. Free parking is available in the public garage behind the theatre. For more information about Metropolis and a complete 2009/2010 performance schedule, visit MetropolisArts.com or call the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Shawn Mullins has had two number one songs, sold over a million albums and been nominated for a Grammy. Now, this legend of Americana rock and pop and former U.S. Army officer brings his old hits, new album, stories, personality and charm to Metropolis’ intimate theatre for one night only. It’s the perfect evening for anyone who loves music.
Shawn Mullins comes to Metropolis November 21, 2009 at 8 P.M. Tickets are $35, Stage Tables $45, and can be purchased online at MetropolisArts.com or by calling the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Shawn Mullins is part of the Music series at Metropolis, dedicated to bringing in big name artists to an intimate, acoustically perfect and exclusive venue. More music shows in the 2009/10 season include performances by The Illinois Brass Band, The Lakeside Singers, Corky Siegel & Megon McDonough, Abba Salute, Liz Carroll, George Winston and Siegel-Schwall.
Mullins leads special songwriting class
It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity – learning the unique skill of songwriting from one of its masters. Shawn Mullins will be teaching a master songwriting class at Metropolis on Sunday, November 22. Call the Metropolis School of Performing Arts Education Office at 847.577.5982 x221 to register. Limited to 20 participants and is filling fast.
Metropolis receives generous sponsorship from American Airlines, the Daily Herald, Doubletree Hotel of Arlington Heights, FastSigns of Arlington Heights, and Stella Artois.
Metropolis is located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs in downtown Arlington Heights at the intersection of Campbell and Vail Avenue (111 West Campbell Street). Street parking is available. Free parking is available in the public garage behind the theatre. For more information about Metropolis and a complete 2009/2010 performance schedule, visit MetropolisArts.com or call the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tickets.com Partner Usablenet in the News
Mobile Commerce Daily called on Usablenet's Nick Taylor to provide thought leadership on the m-commerce space. Taylor argues, "It's vital for retailers to provide a mobile Web presence for shoppers. Customers are already trying to make purchases through their phones, so why not let them have a successful experience?"
Read more >
Tickets.com offers two industry-leading mobile ticketing solutions:
ProVenueMobile, in partnership with Usablenet, for mobile ticket purchasing and Tickets@Phone, in partnership with Mobiqa, for mobile ticket delivery.
Read more >
Tickets.com offers two industry-leading mobile ticketing solutions:
ProVenueMobile, in partnership with Usablenet, for mobile ticket purchasing and Tickets@Phone, in partnership with Mobiqa, for mobile ticket delivery.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Bon Jovi Ticket Sales Announced
KTUL News Channel 8
Tulsa, OK - Bon Jovi has announced that their 2010-2011 “The Circle World Tour,” will arrive at BOK Center in Tulsa on April 13th, 2010. The GRAMMY Award-winning band will spend much of the next two years on the road, performing 135 shows in 30 countries.
Tickets go on sale Monday, November 16th at 10:00AM and can be purchased at the BOK Center Box Office and all Tickets.com outlets, on Tickets.com, charge by phone at 1-866-7-BOK-CTR or online at www.bokcenter.com. Tickets are subject to applicable service charges and event time and date are subject to change. Log on to www.bonjovi.com for the most up to date concert and ticket on-sale information.
With the grounds of New Meadowlands Stadium as their backdrop, the band’s Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres announced their two-year global trek with an exclusive performance for a group of more than 5,000 lucky contest winners, fan club members, and on-site construction workers currently building the venue. Following in the footsteps of their hugely successful “Lost Highway Tour—Billboard’s #1 top-grossing tour of 2008—Bon Jovi will draw fans around the world into The Circle, with a residency at London’s O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well into 2011.
The November 10th release of the GRAMMY Award winning band’s new album, The Circle, and subsequent world tour, provides a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi’s commitment to the hard-hitting rock & roll that has been the band’s indelible signature since it began more than 26 years ago.
Tulsa, OK - Bon Jovi has announced that their 2010-2011 “The Circle World Tour,” will arrive at BOK Center in Tulsa on April 13th, 2010. The GRAMMY Award-winning band will spend much of the next two years on the road, performing 135 shows in 30 countries.
Tickets go on sale Monday, November 16th at 10:00AM and can be purchased at the BOK Center Box Office and all Tickets.com outlets, on Tickets.com, charge by phone at 1-866-7-BOK-CTR or online at www.bokcenter.com. Tickets are subject to applicable service charges and event time and date are subject to change. Log on to www.bonjovi.com for the most up to date concert and ticket on-sale information.
With the grounds of New Meadowlands Stadium as their backdrop, the band’s Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres announced their two-year global trek with an exclusive performance for a group of more than 5,000 lucky contest winners, fan club members, and on-site construction workers currently building the venue. Following in the footsteps of their hugely successful “Lost Highway Tour—Billboard’s #1 top-grossing tour of 2008—Bon Jovi will draw fans around the world into The Circle, with a residency at London’s O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well into 2011.
The November 10th release of the GRAMMY Award winning band’s new album, The Circle, and subsequent world tour, provides a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi’s commitment to the hard-hitting rock & roll that has been the band’s indelible signature since it began more than 26 years ago.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders to Perform at Caltech
Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders will perform on Saturday, December 5, at 8 p.m. in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium.
The repertoire of this classic jazz orchestra from New Orleans includes Creole jazz from the early years, as well as music from Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong. Duke Ellington. McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Jabbo Smith, The New Orleans Owls, The Astoria Hot Eight, and many others.
The Creole Jazz Serenaders had the honor of performing the world premier of Jelly Roll Morton’s lost manuscripts and received acclaim for a classic jazz program of Jelly Roll Morton, Creole, and other classics performed with the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra. Their CD In Search of King Oliver was the subject of a PRI radio program of the same name. The CD Creole Blues is one of Offbeat Magazine’s essential 100 CDs of the 20th century from Louisiana and has been featured on Delta Airlines in-flight music program, as well as Nick Spitzer’s American Routes radio program on NPR.
Tickets to this performance are priced at $26.00, $21.00, and $16.00; youth (high school age and younger): $10.00. Senior rush tickets will go on sale for $10.00, beginning one-half hour before the performance (subject to availability). Tickets can be purchased at the Caltech Ticket Office, 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Pasadena.
Parking for Beckman Auditorium is located at 332 South Michigan Avenue, Pasadena (south of Del Mar Boulevard). For information, call (626) 395-4652.
The repertoire of this classic jazz orchestra from New Orleans includes Creole jazz from the early years, as well as music from Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong. Duke Ellington. McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Jabbo Smith, The New Orleans Owls, The Astoria Hot Eight, and many others.
The Creole Jazz Serenaders had the honor of performing the world premier of Jelly Roll Morton’s lost manuscripts and received acclaim for a classic jazz program of Jelly Roll Morton, Creole, and other classics performed with the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra. Their CD In Search of King Oliver was the subject of a PRI radio program of the same name. The CD Creole Blues is one of Offbeat Magazine’s essential 100 CDs of the 20th century from Louisiana and has been featured on Delta Airlines in-flight music program, as well as Nick Spitzer’s American Routes radio program on NPR.
Tickets to this performance are priced at $26.00, $21.00, and $16.00; youth (high school age and younger): $10.00. Senior rush tickets will go on sale for $10.00, beginning one-half hour before the performance (subject to availability). Tickets can be purchased at the Caltech Ticket Office, 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Pasadena.
Parking for Beckman Auditorium is located at 332 South Michigan Avenue, Pasadena (south of Del Mar Boulevard). For information, call (626) 395-4652.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tickets.com® Signs Long Term Agreement to Provide Ticketing System for International Speedway Corporation Racetracks
Thirteen racing venues will move ticketing operations to Tickets.com's ProVenue® platform
Tickets.com, Inc., a leading provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed a long term agreement with ISC.com, LLC a subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation (ISC), to provide a ticketing platform and related services to all ISC properties. ISC owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida, home of the Daytona 500®. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Following an extensive research effort in which all major ticketing providers participated, ISC selected Tickets.com’s ProVenue® platform to replace their current in-house ticketing system used at 11of the 13 facilities. The other 2 facilities, Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 RacewaySM, were operating on Ticketmaster’s Archtics software. Chicagoland Speedway®, Route 66 RacewaySM, and The Kansas Speedway®, were the first tracks converted to the ProVenue System under the new agreement.
ISC and its subsidiaries promote more than 100 racing events and sells millions of tickets annually. Consequently, the company required a ticketing platform capable of handling high volume transactions for major events. “Our goal was to find a solution that will provide a positive ticket-purchasing experience for our fans, with the technology to handle our significant sales volume,” said ISC Vice President, Multi-Channel Marketing and Chief Information Officer Craig Neeb. “The ProVenue ticketing system has the capabilities we were looking for. It also offers interactive seat maps, browser-style interfaces and complete system scalability.”
“ISC's position as a world leader in motorsports entertainment with demanding ticketing requirements makes this partnership extremely rewarding for us,” said Larry Witherspoon, Chief Executive Officer, Tickets.com. The company’s selection of ProVenue, after an intense assessment of all other product offerings in the market, confirms that ProVenue is the most technologically advanced ticketing system currently available.”
By selecting Tickets.com, ISC will be able to retain centralized ticketing operations for its properties.
Tickets.com, Inc., a leading provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed a long term agreement with ISC.com, LLC a subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation (ISC), to provide a ticketing platform and related services to all ISC properties. ISC owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida, home of the Daytona 500®. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Following an extensive research effort in which all major ticketing providers participated, ISC selected Tickets.com’s ProVenue® platform to replace their current in-house ticketing system used at 11of the 13 facilities. The other 2 facilities, Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 RacewaySM, were operating on Ticketmaster’s Archtics software. Chicagoland Speedway®, Route 66 RacewaySM, and The Kansas Speedway®, were the first tracks converted to the ProVenue System under the new agreement.
ISC and its subsidiaries promote more than 100 racing events and sells millions of tickets annually. Consequently, the company required a ticketing platform capable of handling high volume transactions for major events. “Our goal was to find a solution that will provide a positive ticket-purchasing experience for our fans, with the technology to handle our significant sales volume,” said ISC Vice President, Multi-Channel Marketing and Chief Information Officer Craig Neeb. “The ProVenue ticketing system has the capabilities we were looking for. It also offers interactive seat maps, browser-style interfaces and complete system scalability.”
“ISC's position as a world leader in motorsports entertainment with demanding ticketing requirements makes this partnership extremely rewarding for us,” said Larry Witherspoon, Chief Executive Officer, Tickets.com. The company’s selection of ProVenue, after an intense assessment of all other product offerings in the market, confirms that ProVenue is the most technologically advanced ticketing system currently available.”
By selecting Tickets.com, ISC will be able to retain centralized ticketing operations for its properties.
Metropolis Spreads Holiday Cheer with a New (and Still Traditional) Christmas Carol and Dysfunctional Revue
There is no better way to celebrate the holidays than with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre’s family classic A Christmas Carol, running November 27 – December 24, 2009. Metropolis is proud to present its annual holiday tale, one of the only professional adult productions in the region. This year’s production features 19 new actors and two returning standouts, redesigned special effects, new costumes and big, new musical dance numbers. It’s perfect for the whole family.
Metropolis freshens up its holiday production, of the traditional family tale written by Charles Dickens, with adaptation by Krista Scott and musical arrangements by George Maurer. Don’t miss Tiny Tim, the Cratchit family and everyone’s favorite old miser Scrooge in this fun, bright, musical retelling of the beloved holiday tale. It’s perfect for the whole family. Appropriate for all ages.
Director Brad Dunn works with an amazing cast, many of whom call the northwest suburbs home. Steve Lehtman of Buffalo Grove moves to the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge, having spent the past four years playing The Ghost of Bob Marley. The production also includes rising stars Michael DeMarco (Peter Cratchit) of Arlington Heights and Amy Rapp (Martha Cratchit/Past) of Schaumburg, and Alexander Denniston of Arlington Heights, Victoria Tchalakov of Kildeer and Emily Turner of Sleepy Hollow, all sharing the role of Tiny Tim. The cast also includes a children’s chorus comprised of over 45 young actors from the northwest suburbs.
"Christmas Carol at Metropolis has truly become a part of the holiday tradition for families in the Northwest suburbs," said Jarvis. "We're really excited about this year's production. We still have the wonderful music, the colorful period costumes, great special effects for the ghosts and it still snows on the audience at the end of the show, but we also have an almost all new cast and new (yet seasoned) director who bring a fresh perspective to the show. It's a great combination that will result in yet another fun, memorable outing for kids young and not so young."
Preview performances of A Christmas Carol are November 27 – November 28, 2009. Opening day is Sunday, November 29 at 4 P.M. The show runs through December 24, 2009. Specific dates and times listed below. Tickets are $28.50, 12 & under $15.50. Half price tickets are available at the Box Office the day of the performance to students presenting a valid student ID. A Christmas Carol is proudly sponsored by The Peoples’ Bank of Arlington Heights.
A Christmas Carol is directed by Brad Dunn, Music Director is Ken McMullen, and choreography is by Kristen Gurbach Jacobson. Designers are Bill Franz (Resident Sound Designer), Vicky Strei (Resident Costume Designer), Micky York (Resident Properties Designer), Joe Mohammed (Resident Lighting Designer) with Mike Wagner as assistant lighting designer. . Robin M. Hughes is the Artistic Director/Director of Production, Resident Technical Director is Mike Gehmlich, The Executive Director of Metropolis is Jim Jarvis.
Second City delivers big holiday laughs
The Second City returns to Metropolis with their famed, hilarious, Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue. A few pieces of classic, favorite material, lots of new scenes, all funny, and NOT seen downtown at Second City. Metropolis’ presentation of the The Second City’s Dysfunctional Holiday Revue has been a favorite holiday stop for adults looking to find the humor amidst the stress of the holidays. Irreverent, insightful and legendary, seeing The Second City at Metropolis means a great show at a great price, in a cool urban setting with free parking and great restaurants all around.
Let’s face it, no holiday is perfect. Now, The Second City takes the awkwardness of family get-togethers, kookiness of office parties and general madness of the holiday season and turns it all into laughs with their Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue. We can all relate to shopping woes, annoying carolers and burnt turkey dinners; and now we can enjoy The Second City’s hilarious take on the holidays. Contains adult language and content. Not recommended for children or young teens.
A preview performances of The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is November 27, 2009 at 10 P.M. Opening night is November 28 at 7 P.M. The show runs through December 30, 2009. Specific dates and times listed below. Tickets are $29.50, Stage Tables $34.50. The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is proudly sponsored by Fuego Mexican Grill and Margarita Bar.
There will also be New Year’s Eve performances of The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue at 6 & 10 P.M., including a champagne toast, party favors and, at the late show, a balloon drop. Tickets for the New Year’s Eve shows are $50, Stage Tables $60.
A Christmas Carol and The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue are part of Metropolis’ Holiday series. Holiday performances begin the week of Thanksgiving and continue through the end of the year, making the holidays some of the most exciting times at Metropolis. More Holiday performers include The Illinois Brass Band, The Lakeside Singers, Metropolis Youth Symphony’s Holiday Show and Corky Siegel & Megon McDonough.
The title sponsor for A Christmas Carol is The Peoples’ Bank of Arlington Heights. The title sponsor for The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is Fuego Mexican Grill & Margaritas. In addition, Metropolis receives generous sponsorship from the Daily Herald, American Airlines, FastSigns of Arlington Heights, and Doubletree Hotel of Arlington Heights and Stella Artois.
Metropolis is located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs in downtown Arlington Heights at the intersection of Campbell and Vail Avenue (111 West Campbell Street). Street parking is available. Free parking is available in the public garage behind the theatre. For more information about Metropolis and a complete 2008/2009 performance schedule, go to MetropolisArts.com or call the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Metropolis freshens up its holiday production, of the traditional family tale written by Charles Dickens, with adaptation by Krista Scott and musical arrangements by George Maurer. Don’t miss Tiny Tim, the Cratchit family and everyone’s favorite old miser Scrooge in this fun, bright, musical retelling of the beloved holiday tale. It’s perfect for the whole family. Appropriate for all ages.
Director Brad Dunn works with an amazing cast, many of whom call the northwest suburbs home. Steve Lehtman of Buffalo Grove moves to the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge, having spent the past four years playing The Ghost of Bob Marley. The production also includes rising stars Michael DeMarco (Peter Cratchit) of Arlington Heights and Amy Rapp (Martha Cratchit/Past) of Schaumburg, and Alexander Denniston of Arlington Heights, Victoria Tchalakov of Kildeer and Emily Turner of Sleepy Hollow, all sharing the role of Tiny Tim. The cast also includes a children’s chorus comprised of over 45 young actors from the northwest suburbs.
"Christmas Carol at Metropolis has truly become a part of the holiday tradition for families in the Northwest suburbs," said Jarvis. "We're really excited about this year's production. We still have the wonderful music, the colorful period costumes, great special effects for the ghosts and it still snows on the audience at the end of the show, but we also have an almost all new cast and new (yet seasoned) director who bring a fresh perspective to the show. It's a great combination that will result in yet another fun, memorable outing for kids young and not so young."
Preview performances of A Christmas Carol are November 27 – November 28, 2009. Opening day is Sunday, November 29 at 4 P.M. The show runs through December 24, 2009. Specific dates and times listed below. Tickets are $28.50, 12 & under $15.50. Half price tickets are available at the Box Office the day of the performance to students presenting a valid student ID. A Christmas Carol is proudly sponsored by The Peoples’ Bank of Arlington Heights.
A Christmas Carol is directed by Brad Dunn, Music Director is Ken McMullen, and choreography is by Kristen Gurbach Jacobson. Designers are Bill Franz (Resident Sound Designer), Vicky Strei (Resident Costume Designer), Micky York (Resident Properties Designer), Joe Mohammed (Resident Lighting Designer) with Mike Wagner as assistant lighting designer. . Robin M. Hughes is the Artistic Director/Director of Production, Resident Technical Director is Mike Gehmlich, The Executive Director of Metropolis is Jim Jarvis.
Second City delivers big holiday laughs
The Second City returns to Metropolis with their famed, hilarious, Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue. A few pieces of classic, favorite material, lots of new scenes, all funny, and NOT seen downtown at Second City. Metropolis’ presentation of the The Second City’s Dysfunctional Holiday Revue has been a favorite holiday stop for adults looking to find the humor amidst the stress of the holidays. Irreverent, insightful and legendary, seeing The Second City at Metropolis means a great show at a great price, in a cool urban setting with free parking and great restaurants all around.
Let’s face it, no holiday is perfect. Now, The Second City takes the awkwardness of family get-togethers, kookiness of office parties and general madness of the holiday season and turns it all into laughs with their Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue. We can all relate to shopping woes, annoying carolers and burnt turkey dinners; and now we can enjoy The Second City’s hilarious take on the holidays. Contains adult language and content. Not recommended for children or young teens.
A preview performances of The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is November 27, 2009 at 10 P.M. Opening night is November 28 at 7 P.M. The show runs through December 30, 2009. Specific dates and times listed below. Tickets are $29.50, Stage Tables $34.50. The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is proudly sponsored by Fuego Mexican Grill and Margarita Bar.
There will also be New Year’s Eve performances of The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue at 6 & 10 P.M., including a champagne toast, party favors and, at the late show, a balloon drop. Tickets for the New Year’s Eve shows are $50, Stage Tables $60.
A Christmas Carol and The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue are part of Metropolis’ Holiday series. Holiday performances begin the week of Thanksgiving and continue through the end of the year, making the holidays some of the most exciting times at Metropolis. More Holiday performers include The Illinois Brass Band, The Lakeside Singers, Metropolis Youth Symphony’s Holiday Show and Corky Siegel & Megon McDonough.
The title sponsor for A Christmas Carol is The Peoples’ Bank of Arlington Heights. The title sponsor for The Second City’s Exceedingly Dysfunctional Holiday Revue is Fuego Mexican Grill & Margaritas. In addition, Metropolis receives generous sponsorship from the Daily Herald, American Airlines, FastSigns of Arlington Heights, and Doubletree Hotel of Arlington Heights and Stella Artois.
Metropolis is located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs in downtown Arlington Heights at the intersection of Campbell and Vail Avenue (111 West Campbell Street). Street parking is available. Free parking is available in the public garage behind the theatre. For more information about Metropolis and a complete 2008/2009 performance schedule, go to MetropolisArts.com or call the Box Office at 847.577.2121.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Mobile Devices and Shopping: Shop.org Research Results
Shop.org
Fiona Swerdlow
According to research conducted by Shop.org that interviewed nearly 7,000 people, approximately half of the 18 to 34 year-old participants enjoy product and price comparisons, store information, in-store events and specials, product availability, and coupons via their mobile phones. Scoring only slightly lower, female respondents also view similar shopping functionality as very useful.
Read more >
Fiona Swerdlow
According to research conducted by Shop.org that interviewed nearly 7,000 people, approximately half of the 18 to 34 year-old participants enjoy product and price comparisons, store information, in-store events and specials, product availability, and coupons via their mobile phones. Scoring only slightly lower, female respondents also view similar shopping functionality as very useful.
Read more >
Friday, November 6, 2009
Retailers Are Learning to Love Smartphones
As apps have improved, m-commerce—buying all kinds of things via iPhone and BlackBerry—is rising
Business Week
By Reena Jana
People are using their smartphones for more than just making calls, sending e-mails, or watching YouTube (GOOG) videos. The fastest-growing cell-phone activity is shopping directly from a handset, reports market researcher Gartner (IT). Retailers from Amazon (AMZN) to CVS (CVS) to Sears (SHLD) have recently launched "m-commerce" sites or software applications that allow shoppers to browse and buy books, medicine, or even lawn mowers from their iPhones and BlackBerrys. "It's in-and-out, surgical-style shopping behavior" influenced by the recessionary need to focus on necessities, says Thomas Emmons, head of the mobile innovation group at Sears.
Some of the iPhone apps enable mobile shoppers to do even more. While strolling among the bookcases at a brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble (BKS) store, people can use the Apple (AAPL) smartphone to snap a photo of the latest Jim Collins management title, for example. Image-recognition software triggers an algorithm to recognize the product in a database. The software then pulls up user reviews from Barnesandnoble.com on the handset's screen almost instantly to help shoppers decide whether to buy or pass. "We've seen a huge uplift in reservations of books for purchase in physical stores, as well as buying, from the iPhone app since we launched it," says Douglas Gottlieb, the retail chain's vice-president for digital devices.
In the travel industry, companies are using m-commerce to target businesspeople who need to purchase plane tickets and book hotel rooms while in transit. In the first four months after Marriott International (MAR) launched an m-commerce application for all smartphones, in August 2008, customers used it to spend $2 million even as overall travel expenditures slumped.
Why is m-commerce suddenly capturing the attention of retailers and consumers? "Shoppers now have the ability to buy on their phones easily as retailers are starting to get the design of iPhone and other applications right," says Gartner analyst Hung LeHong. Shop-by-phone consumers can pick up purchases in stores or have them shipped home or to a hotel without logging on to computers or interacting with salespeople.
M-commerce software specialists say business is surging. Jason Taylor, senior vice-president for mobile products at New York's Usablenet, which created m-commerce sites for Sears, Limited Brands (LTD), American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), and CVS, says it has signed three times more contracts in the past quarter than in previous periods. With more people buying smartphones—Gartner's latest worldwide sales data show a 12.7% increase in units sold in the first quarter of 2009 from a year earlier—the m-commerce market is likely to keep growing.
Business Week
By Reena Jana
People are using their smartphones for more than just making calls, sending e-mails, or watching YouTube (GOOG) videos. The fastest-growing cell-phone activity is shopping directly from a handset, reports market researcher Gartner (IT). Retailers from Amazon (AMZN) to CVS (CVS) to Sears (SHLD) have recently launched "m-commerce" sites or software applications that allow shoppers to browse and buy books, medicine, or even lawn mowers from their iPhones and BlackBerrys. "It's in-and-out, surgical-style shopping behavior" influenced by the recessionary need to focus on necessities, says Thomas Emmons, head of the mobile innovation group at Sears.
Some of the iPhone apps enable mobile shoppers to do even more. While strolling among the bookcases at a brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble (BKS) store, people can use the Apple (AAPL) smartphone to snap a photo of the latest Jim Collins management title, for example. Image-recognition software triggers an algorithm to recognize the product in a database. The software then pulls up user reviews from Barnesandnoble.com on the handset's screen almost instantly to help shoppers decide whether to buy or pass. "We've seen a huge uplift in reservations of books for purchase in physical stores, as well as buying, from the iPhone app since we launched it," says Douglas Gottlieb, the retail chain's vice-president for digital devices.
In the travel industry, companies are using m-commerce to target businesspeople who need to purchase plane tickets and book hotel rooms while in transit. In the first four months after Marriott International (MAR) launched an m-commerce application for all smartphones, in August 2008, customers used it to spend $2 million even as overall travel expenditures slumped.
Why is m-commerce suddenly capturing the attention of retailers and consumers? "Shoppers now have the ability to buy on their phones easily as retailers are starting to get the design of iPhone and other applications right," says Gartner analyst Hung LeHong. Shop-by-phone consumers can pick up purchases in stores or have them shipped home or to a hotel without logging on to computers or interacting with salespeople.
M-commerce software specialists say business is surging. Jason Taylor, senior vice-president for mobile products at New York's Usablenet, which created m-commerce sites for Sears, Limited Brands (LTD), American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), and CVS, says it has signed three times more contracts in the past quarter than in previous periods. With more people buying smartphones—Gartner's latest worldwide sales data show a 12.7% increase in units sold in the first quarter of 2009 from a year earlier—the m-commerce market is likely to keep growing.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Austin Technology Incubator's Qcue Receives $1 Million Investment From State of Texas
The State of Texas has awarded $1,000,000 to Qcue, a member company of the Austin Technology Incubator, through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF). The investment was announced today at the Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization.
Qcue develops dynamic pricing software that helps sports and entertainment organizations adjust ticket prices to evolving market conditions. In early 2009, Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants became the first professional sports franchise to implement Qcue’s dynamic pricing solution. The success of the Giants’ dynamic pricing initiative has led to deals with other major league organizations, including a recent announcement with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.
“This investment from the State of Texas makes a big statement about the positive impact innovative pricing strategies can have on consumers and local economies,” said Barry Kahn, CEO of Qcue. “We look forward to helping more organizations implement creative, cost-effective pricing strategies to get more fans out to ballparks and stadiums across the country.”
Qcue joined the Austin Technology Incubator in May 2008. “Qcue is what the Emerging Technology Fund is all about: taking innovation from the university environment and getting it into companies where it can have a breakthrough impact,” said Isaac Barchas, Director of The Austin Technology Incubator.
The ETF is a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005. Qcue was awarded the funds after an in-depth analysis of the company’s market and financial opportunity, technology potential, management team and economic impact to Texas.
About Qcue
Qcue is reinventing the primary ticket marketplace with the world’s only dynamic pricing engine for live entertainment events. Sports teams, concert promoters and venues use Qcue ‘s patent-pending technology to set the right price at the right time and provide the best value for fans, from the date of on-sale to the date of the event. Customers and partners include the San Francisco Giants, Dallas Stars, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, and Tickets.com. Founded in 2007, Qcue is based in Austin, Texas. For more information on Qcue, visit www.qcue.net.
About The Austin Technology Incubator
The Austin Technology Incubator is a nonprofit unit of The University of Texas at Austin that harnesses business, government and academic resources to provide strategic counsel, operational guidance and infrastructure support to its member companies to help them transition from early stage ventures to successful technology businesses.
Since its founding in 1989, ATI has worked with over 200 companies, helping them raise close to $750 million in investor capital. ATI is a key program of the IC² Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information, visit www.ati.utexas.edu.
About The Gulf Coast RCIC
HTC serves as the Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (Gulf Coast RCIC) for Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Emerging Technology Fund, assisting small to mid-size technology firms expediting the commercialization of new life-changing inventions and improving research at Texas universities. To date, the Gulf Coast RCIC helped 16 Gulf Coast region companies raise nearly $15 million in grants from the Fund.
Qcue develops dynamic pricing software that helps sports and entertainment organizations adjust ticket prices to evolving market conditions. In early 2009, Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants became the first professional sports franchise to implement Qcue’s dynamic pricing solution. The success of the Giants’ dynamic pricing initiative has led to deals with other major league organizations, including a recent announcement with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.
“This investment from the State of Texas makes a big statement about the positive impact innovative pricing strategies can have on consumers and local economies,” said Barry Kahn, CEO of Qcue. “We look forward to helping more organizations implement creative, cost-effective pricing strategies to get more fans out to ballparks and stadiums across the country.”
Qcue joined the Austin Technology Incubator in May 2008. “Qcue is what the Emerging Technology Fund is all about: taking innovation from the university environment and getting it into companies where it can have a breakthrough impact,” said Isaac Barchas, Director of The Austin Technology Incubator.
The ETF is a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005. Qcue was awarded the funds after an in-depth analysis of the company’s market and financial opportunity, technology potential, management team and economic impact to Texas.
About Qcue
Qcue is reinventing the primary ticket marketplace with the world’s only dynamic pricing engine for live entertainment events. Sports teams, concert promoters and venues use Qcue ‘s patent-pending technology to set the right price at the right time and provide the best value for fans, from the date of on-sale to the date of the event. Customers and partners include the San Francisco Giants, Dallas Stars, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, and Tickets.com. Founded in 2007, Qcue is based in Austin, Texas. For more information on Qcue, visit www.qcue.net.
About The Austin Technology Incubator
The Austin Technology Incubator is a nonprofit unit of The University of Texas at Austin that harnesses business, government and academic resources to provide strategic counsel, operational guidance and infrastructure support to its member companies to help them transition from early stage ventures to successful technology businesses.
Since its founding in 1989, ATI has worked with over 200 companies, helping them raise close to $750 million in investor capital. ATI is a key program of the IC² Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information, visit www.ati.utexas.edu.
About The Gulf Coast RCIC
HTC serves as the Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (Gulf Coast RCIC) for Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Emerging Technology Fund, assisting small to mid-size technology firms expediting the commercialization of new life-changing inventions and improving research at Texas universities. To date, the Gulf Coast RCIC helped 16 Gulf Coast region companies raise nearly $15 million in grants from the Fund.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Jewel Concert Tickets Now on Sale for Show at Bottleneck Blues Bar
Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg announces the appearance of renowned recording artist Jewel performing at the Bottleneck Blues Bar on Saturday, November 7.
Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg announces the appearance of renowned recording artist Jewel performing at the Bottleneck Blues Bar on Saturday, November 7. Concert tickets are on sale now for Jewel, a folksy story teller and entertainer. Don’t miss Jewel’s performance at Vicksburg’s own Bottleneck Blues Bar. This is a one-night only performance.
Hailed as a “New Woman of Rock” by Time magazine, singer Jewel combines rock and country music to create her own unique niche as a songwriter. Jewel’s big hits include “Who Will Save Your Soul,” “You Were Meant For Me,” and “Foolish Games.” Jewel concert tickets are available at tickets.com, Jeweljk.com, or the Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg's Bottleneck Blues Bar.
• Singer Jewel solo and acoustic
• Saturday, November 7 ,Bottleneck Blues Bar-Vicksburg, MS
• Doors open 6:30 show begins 7:30
• Ticket Prices $45.50-$50.50
• Purchase Jewel concert tickets at tickets.com
• Special VIP backstage package available at Jeweljk.com
Vicksburg Bottleneck Blues Bar Welcomes Singer-Songwriter Jewel
Jewel concert tickets are on sale now for her performance at Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg’s Bottleneck Blues Bar. A perfect weekend getaway, Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg is a full-service hotel. Guests can enjoy Vegas-style shows, live music entertainment at the Bottleneck Blues Bar and delicious Southern-style cuisine. The newly renovated Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg offers guests many amenities including LCD flat screen televisions, wireless high speed Internet access, and a 70,000 square-foot riverboat casino keeps the action going.
Don’t delay, purchase your Jewel concert tickets for her live and acoustic performance on Saturday, November 7, at the Bottleneck Blues Bar. Plan your weekend excursion of fun and excitement at Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg today! For more information about upcoming shows at Bottleneck Blues Bar and Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg, Miss., visit: http://www.ameristar.com/Vicksburg.aspx
Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg announces the appearance of renowned recording artist Jewel performing at the Bottleneck Blues Bar on Saturday, November 7. Concert tickets are on sale now for Jewel, a folksy story teller and entertainer. Don’t miss Jewel’s performance at Vicksburg’s own Bottleneck Blues Bar. This is a one-night only performance.
Hailed as a “New Woman of Rock” by Time magazine, singer Jewel combines rock and country music to create her own unique niche as a songwriter. Jewel’s big hits include “Who Will Save Your Soul,” “You Were Meant For Me,” and “Foolish Games.” Jewel concert tickets are available at tickets.com, Jeweljk.com, or the Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg's Bottleneck Blues Bar.
• Singer Jewel solo and acoustic
• Saturday, November 7 ,Bottleneck Blues Bar-Vicksburg, MS
• Doors open 6:30 show begins 7:30
• Ticket Prices $45.50-$50.50
• Purchase Jewel concert tickets at tickets.com
• Special VIP backstage package available at Jeweljk.com
Vicksburg Bottleneck Blues Bar Welcomes Singer-Songwriter Jewel
Jewel concert tickets are on sale now for her performance at Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg’s Bottleneck Blues Bar. A perfect weekend getaway, Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg is a full-service hotel. Guests can enjoy Vegas-style shows, live music entertainment at the Bottleneck Blues Bar and delicious Southern-style cuisine. The newly renovated Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg offers guests many amenities including LCD flat screen televisions, wireless high speed Internet access, and a 70,000 square-foot riverboat casino keeps the action going.
Don’t delay, purchase your Jewel concert tickets for her live and acoustic performance on Saturday, November 7, at the Bottleneck Blues Bar. Plan your weekend excursion of fun and excitement at Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg today! For more information about upcoming shows at Bottleneck Blues Bar and Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg, Miss., visit: http://www.ameristar.com/Vicksburg.aspx
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tickets.com partner Usablenet makes inroads into the mobile ticketing arena
TicketNews
Kelly McWilliams
Usablenet's mobile platform, a tool long familiar to travelers and commuters, is beginning to make its mark in the mobile ticketing world.
Launched in 2000, Usablenet sought to translate web material into a mobile-friendly product for consumers. The company, with offices in both New York City and Udine, Italy, worked first with Amtrak to offer passengers cutting edge web-to-mobile service. Initially, it remained in the service of the traveling population, soon starting accounts with air travel providers such as Jet Blue and hotel chains such as Hilton Hotels. Next was a foray into the world of commuters, translating the Web sites of transit companies into mobile for their daily riders.
Most recently the company has been working with retailers such as CVS, Staples, Victoria’s Secret and American Eagle, and in the past year, it has added two major ticketers, Telecharge and Tickets.com, to its list of clients.
As Jason Taylor, Usablenet’s VP of Mobile Products, explained: “What Usablenet mobile allows our clients to do is to…identify anything on their Web site that they want to offer to their mobile users. Usablenet then goes about extending that and becoming the client’s mobile partner.” Much of the company’s technology has come from its earlier efforts to provide web-to-mobile service for the disabled, which the company now markets as a separate package entitled Usablenet Assistive.
Taylor highlighted four qualities of Usablenet’s platform that defines it as unique in today’s mobile and ticketing markets. “First, it requires no IT development or backend coding, so all [the client has] to have is a website. Second, it supports all mobile phones worldwide, as long as a phone is web-enabled. Third, we have a very fast delivery mechanism of 6-8 weeks. And fourth, there is no functionality (of a website) that we can’t make mobile.”
Discussing the relatively new relationship that Usablenet enjoys with Tickets.com and Telecharge, Taylor said, “The general idea is that, especially with Tickets.com, [we are] a vehicle for two specific things. One is last minute tickets, to take advantage of deals when you are not near a computer. Also, if you are on the road or visiting a town, you can buy tickets for that town. Moments when you’re not near your computer make mobile a powerful solution.”
When asked about the transferability of tickets from Tickets.com and Telecharge through Usablenet mobile services, Taylor noted that Usablenet provides the technology only and has no control over the nature of services offered by the web client: “The way that our platform works is it extends the business features of our clients. Whatever those sites offer in terms of benefits or transfer options, then those are available to the mobile customer.”
Derek Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer for Tickets.com, notes that Usablenet has been providing web-to-mobile services for the company since November of 2008, and that Tickets.com has been pleased with the relationship.
“What they offer is not just a generic flow but also a customized look and feel, the same look and feel as the website. It’s a real advantage from a branding perspective. [It leaves the] consumer feeling comfortable that they are dealing with the organization’s site,” Palmer said.
As for transferability of tickets, that is still a work in progress. “Nobody’s doing that currently,” Palmer added, “though there’s nothing from a technology standpoint that would prevent someone from doing that, as long as there was an integration with a reseller and the primary ticketing provider. We have an integration with StubHub [in their relationship with] Major League Baseball, but we have not gone down the path of doing mobile with them.”
After starting discussions with Usablenet a year and a half ago, Telecharge came on board this past summer. Jennifer Tattenbaum, Interactive Services Director for Telecharge, has also seen the benefits of going mobile.
“I had been focused on [use of] the mobile site for customer service, to check the address of your venue, to get info about an event. I thought that people would be hesitant to input their credit card number into a mobile device, so I didn’t picture it as something that would generate ticket sales. A lot has changed in a year and a half, and it’s turned into a sales channel.” As for transferability, mobile tickets from Telecharge are bound by the same restrictions as those purchased on the Telecharge Web site, and so are non-transferable. Tattenbaum declined to comment on the reasons why Telecharge does not offer a transferable product at this time.
Kelly McWilliams
Usablenet's mobile platform, a tool long familiar to travelers and commuters, is beginning to make its mark in the mobile ticketing world.
Launched in 2000, Usablenet sought to translate web material into a mobile-friendly product for consumers. The company, with offices in both New York City and Udine, Italy, worked first with Amtrak to offer passengers cutting edge web-to-mobile service. Initially, it remained in the service of the traveling population, soon starting accounts with air travel providers such as Jet Blue and hotel chains such as Hilton Hotels. Next was a foray into the world of commuters, translating the Web sites of transit companies into mobile for their daily riders.
Most recently the company has been working with retailers such as CVS, Staples, Victoria’s Secret and American Eagle, and in the past year, it has added two major ticketers, Telecharge and Tickets.com, to its list of clients.
As Jason Taylor, Usablenet’s VP of Mobile Products, explained: “What Usablenet mobile allows our clients to do is to…identify anything on their Web site that they want to offer to their mobile users. Usablenet then goes about extending that and becoming the client’s mobile partner.” Much of the company’s technology has come from its earlier efforts to provide web-to-mobile service for the disabled, which the company now markets as a separate package entitled Usablenet Assistive.
Taylor highlighted four qualities of Usablenet’s platform that defines it as unique in today’s mobile and ticketing markets. “First, it requires no IT development or backend coding, so all [the client has] to have is a website. Second, it supports all mobile phones worldwide, as long as a phone is web-enabled. Third, we have a very fast delivery mechanism of 6-8 weeks. And fourth, there is no functionality (of a website) that we can’t make mobile.”
Discussing the relatively new relationship that Usablenet enjoys with Tickets.com and Telecharge, Taylor said, “The general idea is that, especially with Tickets.com, [we are] a vehicle for two specific things. One is last minute tickets, to take advantage of deals when you are not near a computer. Also, if you are on the road or visiting a town, you can buy tickets for that town. Moments when you’re not near your computer make mobile a powerful solution.”
When asked about the transferability of tickets from Tickets.com and Telecharge through Usablenet mobile services, Taylor noted that Usablenet provides the technology only and has no control over the nature of services offered by the web client: “The way that our platform works is it extends the business features of our clients. Whatever those sites offer in terms of benefits or transfer options, then those are available to the mobile customer.”
Derek Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer for Tickets.com, notes that Usablenet has been providing web-to-mobile services for the company since November of 2008, and that Tickets.com has been pleased with the relationship.
“What they offer is not just a generic flow but also a customized look and feel, the same look and feel as the website. It’s a real advantage from a branding perspective. [It leaves the] consumer feeling comfortable that they are dealing with the organization’s site,” Palmer said.
As for transferability of tickets, that is still a work in progress. “Nobody’s doing that currently,” Palmer added, “though there’s nothing from a technology standpoint that would prevent someone from doing that, as long as there was an integration with a reseller and the primary ticketing provider. We have an integration with StubHub [in their relationship with] Major League Baseball, but we have not gone down the path of doing mobile with them.”
After starting discussions with Usablenet a year and a half ago, Telecharge came on board this past summer. Jennifer Tattenbaum, Interactive Services Director for Telecharge, has also seen the benefits of going mobile.
“I had been focused on [use of] the mobile site for customer service, to check the address of your venue, to get info about an event. I thought that people would be hesitant to input their credit card number into a mobile device, so I didn’t picture it as something that would generate ticket sales. A lot has changed in a year and a half, and it’s turned into a sales channel.” As for transferability, mobile tickets from Telecharge are bound by the same restrictions as those purchased on the Telecharge Web site, and so are non-transferable. Tattenbaum declined to comment on the reasons why Telecharge does not offer a transferable product at this time.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Chicago Cubs Convention tix go on sale Nov. 4
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Need a baseball fix this winter? Weekend passes for the 25th annual Cubs Convention to be held in January go on sale Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. CT.
Passes will be available for purchase through two methods: Visiting cubs.com or by calling tickets.com at 1-800-THE-CUBS.
The Cubs Convention will be held from Jan. 15-17 at the Hilton Chicago, on 720 South Michigan Ave. Each fan can purchase up to four weekend passes. The convention pass, valid for entry during the entire weekend, costs $60 plus convenience fees.
The convention runs from 3-9 p.m. on Jan. 15; 9 a.m. to midnight on Jan. 16; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 17. Included with each pass is access to all autograph/photo sessions, question and answer sessions, the memorabilia and vendor booths as well as new interactive areas for fans of all ages.
Rooms at the Hilton are still available for the weekend and fans can call (312) 922-4400 for reservations. Fans with room reservations under the Cubs Convention rate can purchase weekend passes for $20 each. There is a limit of four per room.
Proceeds from the Convention benefit Cubs Care, a fund of the McCormick Foundation. The 2009 Cubs Convention raised more than $250,000. To date, the Cubs Convention has raised nearly $4 million for Cubs Care.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Need a baseball fix this winter? Weekend passes for the 25th annual Cubs Convention to be held in January go on sale Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. CT.
Passes will be available for purchase through two methods: Visiting cubs.com or by calling tickets.com at 1-800-THE-CUBS.
The Cubs Convention will be held from Jan. 15-17 at the Hilton Chicago, on 720 South Michigan Ave. Each fan can purchase up to four weekend passes. The convention pass, valid for entry during the entire weekend, costs $60 plus convenience fees.
The convention runs from 3-9 p.m. on Jan. 15; 9 a.m. to midnight on Jan. 16; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 17. Included with each pass is access to all autograph/photo sessions, question and answer sessions, the memorabilia and vendor booths as well as new interactive areas for fans of all ages.
Rooms at the Hilton are still available for the weekend and fans can call (312) 922-4400 for reservations. Fans with room reservations under the Cubs Convention rate can purchase weekend passes for $20 each. There is a limit of four per room.
Proceeds from the Convention benefit Cubs Care, a fund of the McCormick Foundation. The 2009 Cubs Convention raised more than $250,000. To date, the Cubs Convention has raised nearly $4 million for Cubs Care.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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