Groupon’s theatre involvement is currently limited to discounted tickets, which it will continue to offer, but it said the Ingresso partnership marked a “move away from predominantly discounted inventory to a choice of quality experiences at market-rate pricing”.
Ingresso, a ticketing distribution service, will connect Groupon with the main ticketing systems used across the UK, allowing for previously unavailable features such as interactive seat selection, as well as e-tickets.
It can also enable the sale of packages – for instance, including food and accommodation with ticket sales – however Groupon has said this will be the second phase of the partnership.
Groupon’s head of live for Europe, the Middle East and Africa John Gibson said: “This marks the start of a new and exciting chapter for Groupon and the clients we work with.
Gibson added he is currently in discussion with theatre operators, but was not yet able to confirm which companies and venues will sell tickets through Groupon.
The Groupon and Ingresso integration will launch later this year.
Ingresso previously partnered with Amazon for its theatre ticketing service, which ran for nearly three years before closing in February last year.