‍Handling the heat: How Naturklang sold out Keinemusik with seamless ticketing power

Peak demand. Zero friction. A behind-the-scenes look at the platform performance that made it possible.

Naturklang hosts some of the most anticipated electronic music events in and around Zurich. None are more hyped than Keinemusik and its buzzworthy musical acts.

Keinemusik and Naturklang bring excitement to electronica fans, but there are plenty of behind-the-scenes challenges that happen before the first DJ gets to the stage. Ticketing at scale for such a popular event is a minefield for event managers. If the event ticketing platform crashes, doesn’t serve fans equally, or can’t handle a high volume of sales, it can be disastrous for the reputations of everyone involved.

How did Naturklang pull off a problem-free, seamless ticket sales process for one of Zurich's biggest music events? They relied on Smeetz ticketing solutions to deal with the multitude of sales challenges.

The challenge

What kinds of challenges did Naturklang have to deal with? As with any major concert, Keinemusik fans were going to rush to get tickets. Many were anticipating the drop and planned to buy their tickets within the first few minutes.

In one sense, that hype was great for organisers. They didn't have to worry about slow ticket sales or sluggish revenue, but they did have to worry about ticketing at scale. Hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of people were going to be on the event ticketing platform at the same time, all trying to make purchases. The spike in traffic and transactions could easily create mayhem, lag, and hordes of frustrated fans.

Here are the five most pressing challenges Naturklang and Keinemusik faced.

Handling high traffic due to demand

If the platform lacks the necessary infrastructure, the high number of users can cause the site to lag or even crash. Some platforms fail to handle sudden traffic surges because they lack the server capacity or high-performance architecture. It could take forever for fans to buy tickets, or the site could simply go offline altogether, leaving everyone frustrated.

Reputational damage due to poor user experiences

Slow page loads, errors, or long waits can frustrate users. Duplicate ticket sales and other issues can cause problems even after the event has sold out. When this happens, fans don't blame the artists or their promoters. They blame the concert organisers. A few bad ticket sales experiences mean acts won't want to work with an event manager anymore.

A lack of fair access

A poorly performing system can give some users an unfair edge. This can happen due to their internet speed or location. It could make it easier for some fans to get tickets, while others don't.

Long wait times

Even though they are on a computer or device, ticket buyers will still be frustrated by long queues. This is especially true if they don’t know how long the wait will be or what place they have. Many ticketing platforms simply make them wait without giving real-time updates. This lack of information can further damage the user experience and frustrate fans.

Scalability

One solution is to invest in high-performance architecture and an infrastructure that can handle the traffic. There's a problem with this, though. What happens when the event ends and all the computing power isn't necessary? Organisers can't keep paying for it. They need a system that can scale down to deal with regular ticketing operations after the rush ends.

The solution

To manage the rush for Keinemusik tickets, Naturklang turned to Smeetz. Our unified commerce platform absorbed the surge effortlessly, here’s what made the difference.

High-performance architecture

The Smeetz platform is designed to handle traffic spikes without lagging or crashing. The cloud-based architecture allows for easy scalability and real-time adjustments to handle traffic. In other words, it can support many users simultaneously and scale down when demand is low. This means that, regardless of the number of fans who flood the site when tickets are released, the platform can easily handle the rush and then power down when the traffic spike passes.

Smart load distribution

To further optimise performance during high-traffic periods, Smeetz uses smart load distribution. This feature spreads user traffic across several servers so that no single server gets overwhelmed. The traffic distribution reduces the risk of slowdowns or crashes. As a result, every ticket buyer enjoys a smooth, uninterrupted experience. They can join the queue quickly and make purchases seamlessly, whether there are hundreds of other people on the site or only a few.

UX enhancements

Smeetz offers a customisable queue interface that lets event organisers brand the experience. Despite using a third-party SaaS tool, visitors feel like they are getting a branded experience. The Smeetz queue system keeps users informed. When waiting for tickets, fans can see where they are in line and how long they may need to wait. This might seem simple, but it goes a long way toward reducing frustration and enhancing the user experience.

The results

Was Naturklang happy with the results after relying on Smeetz? Yes, the stakes were high, and Smeetz delivered. Naturklang said of the sale: "The system handled high volumes effortlessly — even during peak sales, everything ran smoothly.”

Key metrics

Why was Naturklang so happy with the results? The proof is in the numbers.

•           The platform sold over 10,000 tickets.

•           It processed sales at a rate of 100+ tickets per minute.

•           The system has served over 15,000 users during the sale.

•           It handled 3,000 users at once without issues.

•           Additionally, 2,000 users joined the queue smoothly and progressed through the process without interruption.

•           Even with heavy traffic, 99% of transactions went through without errors.

These results demonstrate how Smeetz’s robust infrastructure, intelligent design, and customisable queue benefit event managers and promoters while giving fans a fair and seamless ticket-buying experience.

With Smeetz, organisers can relax, knowing their ticket sales system is in good hands.

Ready to scale your next ticket drop just like Naturklang did? Discover how Smeetz keeps the queue moving. Reach out to us today to learn more.