7 Jan 2009 (Atlanta, GA) – Givex, a global provider of closed loop card technologies including gift, loyalty, and other stored value programs, and Tickets.com, a leading ticketing solutions provider for live events, today announced the launch of Uptix™, a jointly developed program for storing additional value on event tickets. Integrating Givex technology with Tickets.com’s ticketing solutions; the Uptix™ program allows individual tickets to have the ability to store data such as cash value and select merchandise. These tickets can then be used for redemption at various points of purchase such as concessions and retail stands. The program augments the role of a ticket beyond that of event access, and even allows single ticket buyers and season ticket holders to manage the program themselves on the Internet.
“This will be the must have feature in the ticketing industry,” says Dan DeMato, President of FutureTix Inc., a ticketing solutions and development consulting firm enlisted by Givex to help with the launch of Uptix™. “Organizations will now be able to offer a complete entertainment experience utilizing a single event ticket.”
Enabled tickets may also serve as a catalyst for in-game promotions, eventually including a point-based loyalty program where customers can accumulate and redeem points for rewards.
Russ Stanley, Managing Vice President, Ticket Services and Client Relations, San Francisco Giants, states “Uptix™ helps us enhance our overall fan experience. Its built-in flexibility allows us to exercise tremendous creativity in conducting a wide variety of special offers and in-game promotions for our fans, even down to the section and seat levels.”
The Giants will begin testing the Uptix™ program for their upcoming 16th annual FanFest in early February of this year. Uptix™ will also be available for viewing at this year’s National Sports Forum being held in Phoenix, AZ, January 26-28.
The innovative Uptix™ stored value program aligns with Tickets.com’s philosophy on partnerships and its commitment to providing the latest in ticketing technology to its clients. “Givex has years of proven technology in the gift card industry and an exceptional track record in customer service,” says Steve DeMots, Senior Vice President of Business Development, Tickets.com. “We are pleased to be able to work with Givex to create such a user-friendly product that will help our clients generate incremental sales and marketing opportunities.”
Karen Budahazy, Executive Vice President, Givex, concurs “Uptix™ represents an intense collaborative effort between us and Tickets.com. The company’s focus on technology fits well with our vision to expand into the sports and entertainment industries. In seeing the product’s potential and extensive benefits to both clients and their fans, we cannot be more thrilled about the launch of Uptix™.”
About Givex
Givex is known for innovative stored-value technology that has driven customer acquisition and retention programs for clients in 35 countries since 1999. Givex provides a broad range of profit enhancing processes that seamlessly integrate gift cards, loyalty engines, e-couponing and targeted email campaigns. This innovation is also backed up by years of experience and the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines our technology and client support. Find out more at www.givex.com.
About Tickets.com
Tickets.com is a leading provider of fully integrated event ticketing solutions for thousands of top arts, entertainment, and sports organizations worldwide. Delivering the latest in ticketing technology, Tickets.com offers the advanced ProVenue® ticketing platform, which serves as the core of a comprehensive suite of integrated features, products, and services that help clients enhance ticket sales, marketing efforts, and overall customer experience. A privately held subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media, LP, since 2005, Tickets.com is headquartered in Costa Mesa, CA, and has regional offices across the U.S. and around the world. The company also sells tickets directly to consumers at www.tickets.com.
