Edwin Mauluka Today

TICSTO Malawi's first online ticket selling, buying platform

World over the Internet has changed the precedence in the way people buy and sell goods and services. Since 1980s, when e-shopping began in most developed nations shopping and selling of goods has not only become exciting but less costly and convenient to both customer and service provider.

Nowadays, for instance, people are buying cars after hours of Web research and subsequently pay using various online payment platforms. Similarly, using payment systems and shopping platforms like EBay, Paypal and Amazon customers can buy various items and make payment online and there several other platforms that give opportunity for a customer to place an order to purchase airline ticket, Coach ticket even booking for accommodation.

It is of late, where Malawi online payment industry has seen growth though at slow pace. There are now platforms like Xtra Pay which uses scratch card vouchers and email technology to transfer credit online, Sky Services, Dibs Africa and other facebook pages.

Ever since, Malawians have had no opportunity to taste online ticket booking. But wait a second! Ticket booking will never be the same of travel long distances just to get a ticket, there is TICSTO.com the innovation that will see Malawians brief a sigh of relief.

At comfort of home or office, anyone can buy a ticket even for family and friends using TICSTO.com platform.

TICSTO, found on http://www.ticsto.com by TICSTO events management firm is the first online ticket re-tail store in Malawi. It aims at bringing event management and booking solutions to clients for both social and corporate events as well as recur-ring events.

Using TICSTO’s ad-vanced online payment system which makes use of Mobile Money systems like Airtel Money, TNM Mpamba and National Bank’s MO626 the site provides an opportunity for events managers to sell tickets to consumers online.

Emmanuel Kamwenje

“This first ever payment platform in Malawi is a simplified system for any user wishing to buy or make an order.” Said Mr. Emmanuel Kamwenje one of the managers for TICSTO “Once one searches and finds their desired event then from the tickets list for that event, the buyer chooses the number of tickets wants and adds this to their shopping cart by the click of a button.”

“Once satisfied with the choices in the cart, the buyer proceeds to checkout then transfers money to TICSTO accounts using their mobile money accounts and enters the transaction id on TICSTO checkout page.” He explained, and proceeded that the buyer receives their ticket in an email or by text which is a transaction id (a ticket) that one can use at the gate or to verify that one paid for the service.

“There is no better way to drive up sales in the events business now than to offer clients ability to acquire tickets remotely from the comfort of their homes."

Kamwenje indicated that this online ticket retailing system is ideal for all major events whether Cinema, Concerts or football games and football tournaments where tickets can be sold in advance and people can use their transaction id at the gate.

He said the system can help event’s organizers want to “tremendously save costs” incurred for organizing events, as well it can completely prevent ticket fraud while offering a better customer experience.

He added that any service provider like Coach Services can take advantage of this platform as well “even hotels and lodges can utilize the site to enable customer book for accommodation. This is also important on improving the clients’ customer experience and drive up sales.”

Kamwenje assured that TICSTO is an intuitive system, user friendly and reliable.

Now, people would like to check bus, concerts or football game tickets and accommodation availability at a click of button. Preference for services that are more convenient but less costly among customer is on the increase, and taking advantage of the booming advanced mobile devices that support internet, online banking and mobile money services, what remain is companies and any other business to adopt these kinds of technologies for a customer to have a better shopping experience like online ticket booking on TICSTO.

Surely, long gone are the days where one would be required to walk for a distance or drive for miles just to buy a ticket or book for accommodation.

Listing services at online services like TICSTO.com will not only help consumer but also grow business and even reach out to other Business 2 Business (B2B) and Business 2 Consumer (B2C) clients and get rich dividends in the form of increased sales and large turnovers.