Validate tickets at your event
Enhance your event security to protect against ticket duplication and costly fraud with real-time barcode scanning. Barcode ticket scanning provides event venues with an efficient method of moving crowds through the entrances. Quickly scan tickets and get instant feedback with each ticket scanned. Use barcode ticket scanners at one or more points of entry. Verify barcodes instantly as our scanners communicate to your ThunderTix account in the cloud, validating each barcode at that event.
How our barcode ticket Scanner works
ThunderTix issues a confirmation email after each paid order, which automatically includes an electronic PDF ticket for each ticket purchased. Each ticket contains its own unique barcode -- valid only for the specific event purchased. Just like a boarding pass for a flight, your customers can print paper tickets at home from their printer, or, for customers that prefer to go green, they can retrieve their email receipt from their smartphone at the event displaying the barcodes on the screen. Scan both paper and digital barcodes at one entrance, or multiple entrances, in real-time with multiple staff members scanning tickets.
Scanning Tickets
When the ticket is presented for admission, a staff member or event volunteer will scan the bar code. ThunderTix offers our free iOS barcode scanning app or our free Android barcode scanner app. The barcode scanning app is also a ticket sales app. You can scan or sell tickets from the same app. (You can also purchase or rent handheld barcode ticket scanners directly through your ThunderTix account.) A valid barcoded ticket returns a positive (green) response displaying the buyer's name, the ticket purchased, and bar code ID.
Our barcode ticket scanner prevents holders of fraudulently duplicated tickets from gaining admission. Additional attempts to enter the event with the same ticket display a warning that the ticket was "ALREADY SCANNED". In addition, we'll display the time of the original scan and the staff member's name who first scanned the barcode. If a customer presents a ticket that is not valid for the event, we display an "Invalid" message on the screen. This might happen from an old ticket or a ticket that was for the same event but occurring on a different night.
What if my customers lose their tickets?
To err is human. Customers do forget to print their tickets prior to leaving the house, they do lose their tickets on the way to your event or they might even spill their cocktail on the barcode pre-gaming causing it to be "unreadable". We've got those situations covered, too! Use the "Order Lookup" tool to quickly retrieve a customer order on site. Simply type in the customer's last name or their Order ID (if it's still visible on the ticket) and look the order up to see if the tickets have been scanned yet. If so, you can virtually scan them in by tapping or clicking, each barcode ID to mark them as scanned and validated. Prevent additional uses of the same barcodes later that day or stop another person claiming they lost the same ticket by virtually scanning customers that arrive without tickets.
Mobile Barcode Ticket Scanner
We offer several barcode scanner options. Our free mobile apps are the most popular choices and are available as both an iOS App (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) and an Android App (i.e. Samsung Galaxy or Note). Use the apps and/or handheld ticket scanners with any number of devices simultaneously and at multiple gates and entrances.
Both barcode ticket scanning apps are designed for speed and efficiency and scan from both paper tickets and the screens of mobile devices. Simply face your camera at the barcode and the moment it's in focus, the app will automatically scan and submit the barcode for validation before quickly preparing for the next scan. No zooming, focusing, or "snapping a picture" is required.
 
Handheld Barcode Ticket Scanner
With a ThunderTix account, you'll have access to traditional USB-powered handheld scanners for purchase and rental. Connect these traditional handheld barcode scanners to any device connected to the Internet with a USB port -- like a laptop, netbook or tablet. Handheld USB scanners come in two styles:
- 2D (two-dimensional) scanners - scan both paper tickets
and digital tickets - 1D (one-dimensional) scanners - scan paper only
Handheld scanners are also easy to use! Just plug them in and scan them after logging into your account. These scanners are a great option for check-in stations at a table for a conference or gala.
When a barcode is scanned for a Reserved Seating event, the seat is automatically marked with a checkmark to clearly differentiate between who has arrived and who has not. This allows you the ability to seat walk-ups at the last minute of sold-out (or nearly sold-out) shows in the empty seats of people that didn’t arrive on time for the show.
Videos for Barcode Ticket Scanners
Check out our video tutorials below to determine which option is right for your organization.
Scan Tickets At Your Next Event!
In order to utilize any of the apps or scanners mentioned above, you'll need to first have a ThunderTix account. Once you've sold processed tickets and generated barcodes for your events, you'll be able to take advantage of any of our barcode scanning options.
Related:
Types of Barcode Scanners
Mobile Barcode Scanning App