Please have a look at our recently launched site Classical Music of Vienna - Order tickets for classical concerts online.
The site is a ticket portal for selling concert tickets to classical events in Vienna. The site in general is doing fine, bounce rates are about 30%, ranking is ok. However, conversion rates are abysmal. What I wonder is whether the conversion rates are really an issue with the type of product we offer - as in whether clients take longer to decide for example - or if the site itself is too convoluted and not clear enough in the ordering process.

http://www.musicofvienna.com



Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Ladana,

Always keep in mind that someone coming to a site like this probably already knows that they want to attend a concert. That being said, they're coming there to find out when, where and how much. (I'm sure you already know that so forgive me for repeating what you already know. Just doing it for the others.)

There's a couple of things that make the process a little unwieldy and could be causing a low conversion rate:

1. It's difficult to quickly see the dates for concert is coming up. Maybe have a section on the home page that lists out up coming dates. Maybe include an area to promote one or two in particular that, when clicked, tackes the user to the ordreing page?
2. On the concert listing pages, it's difficult to navigate between each listing. If you want/need to keep it the long page style, maybe include a section below the date picker with a list of the events. That way when they click on the even name (and possibly date?) it will take them directly to the event. Be sure to include a back to the top button. Also it might be work better separating out or indicating which concerts offer dinner or not. My decision to by on a particular date could hinge on that alone.
3. Lastly, is was unclear to me what the difference was between ticket prices. Obviously the higher priced tickets means better seats (hopefully) but it would be nice to know what section visually. That could even be included in the ordering process (and probably should).

I hope this helps! Great looking site by the way!

-Tim
Desert Trails Design and Technology

One important thing is missing. The seating layout and what is the relationship to prices. When I order ticket I like to see where I would like to seat.
I agree with Justavan on the rest. Most people will visit to find what is going and buy ticket when at the theatre. Don't forget Europeans are perhaps more conservative in using the internet.
The site looks great though. It does justices to the Vienna music world. I have been there many times and know the pomp the Viennese like to put on.
Paul

Thanks to you both Justavan and alphaomega. I think you raised valid points. Also:
Thanks to that, my goal was to exactly achieve that 'biedermeier' look for the site.

I will add the graphics for the seating order to the order form and possibly the listings. They are on the site already, but I guess at the wrong places (at separate sites with prices and seating overviews).

So I have been thinking about it some time now, and wondering what changes I can make to the layout to improve it. For me, a bit of an issue is that I run out of space. I was considering to ditch the right side bar and expand the middle column, so I have more space for the listings, but I wouldn't know where to put the calendar in the end (unless I compress it further and add it to the top navigation layer). This would also give me more room to add big headings that point out certain things that arent obvious (ie. it's very important here in Vienna to buy in advance, Vienna philharmonic for example are sold out months ahead). Maybe that is the way to go, the right side column has mostly superfluous information anyway?

Hi, the right site bar is good. The way you use it is excellent. Listing special concerts and others. Just create new page where you have interactive seating layout (little java script when you hover over each segment of seats) to tell the price and possibility to reserve particular seat still free. To keep reservation it must be paid within a specified time. This way you will get more people to book on line, because they can reserve seating. Try that and see how the site performs.
Hope I helped a bit.
Paul
P.S. In the time I lived in Europe, I did go to Vienna a lot. Lot of culture there and nice cakes.

It is very special and therefor small market. And there are several competitors which do better in the SERPS. I checked de and at, because I think it is your main market. Maybe many customers only check prices and buy from the first seen (because better ranking) pages or from traditional ticket shops.
What you can do: Get more inboundlinks to get No. 1 in the SERPS.

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Nice site. I'd prefer to be able to browse by week, or month rather than being forced to choose a specific date to see what's on, that way i could plan a trip round the event rather if i wanted to.

In terms of conversion rate, I clicked on one particular date/time, looked at the details of the show, and then clicked on order tickets on the left - and I had to choose the date again, which I found annoying.

The other thing that would stop me buying is that I don't know who you are (as in the company), what happens if my tickets don't arrive, what the company's relationship with the venue is - there's nothing I could easily see that makes me feel confident I'll get the tickets, and you're a legit ticket agency. I know this would stop me buying from your website, however nice or functional it is. I found this: Member of the "Kammer der Gewerblichen Wirtschaft Wien". - no idea what this is or means, and I presume you're after tourists, some of which may also not know, and: CrossOVER – Thomas Zettelmayr only acts as agency between concert organiser and client, as well as the operator of this website. - which sounds really confusing and made no sense to me - and if I'm looking for reassurance my money/ticket exchange is going to go smoothly, I feel the opposite after reading this!

There looks to me nothing major wrong with the site to stop conversions apart from this issue. In the UK at least dodgy online ticket agencies are quite a big problem, so some users at least will be too wary to buy from you without some real reassurances.

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