Rukkus Concert Ticketing App Gives Users 360-Degree Purchasing Experience

Rukkus Tickets, a new ticket-buying mobile app that relaunches today, aims to stir up the rapidly growing online concert ticketing market.

Based out of NYC, the app's development team includes three University of Miami graduates: Jake Sharpless, Andrew Nasrinpay, and Rob Wyant. They describe their new venture as “a secondary ticket marketplace offering the largest selection of tickets to concerts, sports, and theater events.”

But what sets their project apart from the seemingly countless concert-ticketing apps and websites just like theirs is that users will be able to use the latest in virtual reality (VR) functionality to check out what the view from their prospective seat will be like. With mobile use now fueling nearly half of e-commerce traffic, Rukkus Tickets could prove to be an essential tool for buyers trying to figure out if those Beyoncé nosebleeds are really worth it.

“Virtual reality is undisputedly the biggest technology trend in 2016, and while in most cases companies are developing it for entertainment purposes, Rukkus has created a practical application for it,” says Sharpless, Rukkus' digital marketing manager. “Over the past 15 years, there have been minor changes in the way tickets are bought online, but this is a major leap forward as customers will now have the ability to get a 360-degree view of exactly what their seat views will look like. It not only adds a layer of transparency to the purchase; it also creates a smoother experience when buying tickets to concerts and sporting events.”

Sharpless adds, “Customers can quickly decide to attend a game or concert without needing access to a computer or printer.”

Rukkus is a one-stop shop, additionally encompassing the e-commerce portion of the ticket sale (i.e., checkout and fulfillment), rather than merely redirecting customers to a separate site for purchase finalization. This method makes it a seamless, error-proof process while also allowing for in-app ticket-sharing capability as well as barcode conversion for paperless entry.

But again, it's the VR functionality, dubbed Seat360, that really poises Rukkus to rise as the cream of the ticket-buying crop. “Rukkus uses real, panoramic photography to give the viewer the most accurate view before deciding on what tickets to buy,” Sharpless explains.

As if that weren't enough, users are also guaranteed a full refund if an event is canceled and are automatically recommended the closest matching alternative tickets at the lowest prices.

Although the Rukkus app has been available to download for iOS and Android since February 2014, the Seat360 feature just rolled out today. Learn more about the South Florida innovators behind the project and download the app by visiting Rukkus.com. 

Natalya Jones is a food and music writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in entertainment and fun things to do in South Florida, follow her on Twitter.