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Compare Events: Sales Performance Across Productions

Compare sales performance across multiple events with standardised timelines, percentage views, and pinned week snapshots

Overview

Compare Events helps you understand how your events perform by aligning their ticket sales around each event's first performance date. This standardised view reveals patterns that would be difficult to spot when looking at events individually.

Who uses this: Organisation administrators with the Compare events permission.

Key capabilities:

  • Compare multiple events on the same chart
  • Switch between absolute ticket counts and percentage of total capacity
  • Narrow the time range with a visual slider
  • Pin specific weeks to compare snapshots side by side
  • See rankings across events at any point in the timeline
  • Share comparison views via URL

How It Works

1. Select events to compare

The options screen shows all events in your organisation. Select the events you want to compare by clicking the checkbox next to each one. Use the Select all and Deselect all buttons to quickly manage your selection. A count shows how many events are currently selected.

Events are sorted by tour (if applicable) and then by most recent first.

2. Compare

Click Compare selected events to generate the comparison. The page switches to the chart view showing each event as a coloured line on a shared timeline.

3. Choose your view mode

Use the Absolute and Percentage toggle in the toolbar to switch between:

  • Absolute: Shows cumulative ticket counts. Useful for seeing raw sales volume.
  • Percentage: Shows cumulative tickets sold as a percentage of total event capacity. Useful for comparing events of different sizes fairly.

For example, if Event A sold 1,800 of 2,000 tickets and Event B sold 180 of 200 tickets, the absolute view shows Event A far ahead. The percentage view shows both at 90%, revealing they performed equally well relative to their capacity.

4. Narrow the time range

A slider above the chart lets you focus on a specific period. Drag the left handle to set where the comparison starts (e.g., "From: 20 weeks before") and the right handle to set where it ends (e.g., "To: 2 weeks after"). Leave either handle at the edge for "All" (no limit).

The weeks shown are relative to each event's first performance date:

  • Positive weeks (e.g., 20 weeks before): The period leading up to the show
  • 0 (Show week): The week containing the first performance
  • Negative weeks (e.g., 2 weeks after): Sales that continued after opening

The range filter works instantly without reloading data.

5. Pin weeks for comparison

Click anywhere on the chart to pin that week's data as a snapshot card below the chart. Each pinned card shows every event's value at that specific week, with rankings. You can pin multiple weeks to compare different points in the timeline side by side.

Pinned weeks are ordered chronologically. Click the close button on any card to remove it, or use Clear all to remove all pins.

6. Read the legend panel

The panel to the right of the chart shows values for the current position:

  • Latest (default): Shows the most recent known value for each event, even if the chart is filtered to a narrower range
  • On hover: Updates in real time as you move your mouse across the chart, showing values at the hovered week

Each event displays its ranking (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) based on the values at that point. Rankings update as you hover across different weeks.

In percentage mode, each event shows both the percentage and the fraction (e.g., "78.7%" with "1879/2387" below it).

7. Return to options

Click Options in the toolbar to return to the event selection screen. Your selections are preserved. Adjust which events are included and compare again.

Shareable URLs

Your entire comparison state is saved in the page URL, including:

  • Selected events
  • View mode (absolute or percentage)
  • Time range
  • Pinned weeks

You can bookmark a comparison view or share the URL with colleagues. Opening the link restores the exact same view.

Understanding the Timeline

Events go on sale at different times and run for different lengths. Compare Events solves this by aligning all events around their first performance date:

  • Week 0: The week containing the event's first performance
  • Week 8: Eight weeks before the first performance
  • Week -1: One week after the first performance

This alignment lets you answer questions like "How many tickets had we sold 4 weeks before the show?" across multiple events, regardless of when each event actually took place.

Lines start at different points because events go on sale at different times. An event that launched 40 weeks early will have a longer line than one that launched 10 weeks early.

Analysing the Results

Patterns to look for

Strong early sales: Event line rises quickly in weeks 8-12 before start. Suggests effective early marketing or strong anticipation.

Steady growth: Consistent upward slope throughout. Indicates sustained marketing effort and well-paced ticket releases.

Late surge: Rapid rise in final 1-2 weeks. Last-minute marketing was effective, or the audience tends to buy late.

Flat periods: Horizontal sections in the line. Low or no sales during that period, possibly indicating marketing gaps.

Using percentage mode

Percentage mode is particularly valuable when:

  • Your events have different capacities (e.g., you added more performances recently)
  • You want to see how well each event sold relative to its potential
  • You're comparing events across different venues or formats

Using pinned weeks

Pin a few key milestones to build a comparison table:

  • Early milestone (e.g., 30 weeks before): How did early sales compare?
  • Mid-point (e.g., 10 weeks before): Which events had built momentum?
  • Final stretch (e.g., 2 weeks before): Who was ahead going into the last push?
  • Show week (0 weeks): Final position at opening

The rankings in each pinned card show you at a glance which events led at each stage.

Permissions and Access

Required permission: Compare events

If you cannot access this feature, check with your organisation administrator about your permissions.

Limitations and Considerations

Data

  • Only shows orders placed through Seaty (not door sales or external channels)
  • Historical data only (does not predict future performance)
  • Granularity is weekly, not daily
  • Incomplete current weeks may show lower than final values

Comparison fairness

When comparing events, consider:

  • Event type: Comparing a pantomime to a workshop series may not be meaningful
  • External factors: Local events, weather, economic conditions affect sales
  • Marketing budget: Events with larger marketing spends naturally perform differently
  • Pricing tiers: Higher-priced events may have different buying patterns

Percentage mode helps level the playing field for capacity differences, but these other factors still apply.

Troubleshooting

Chart not displaying:

  • Ensure you have selected at least one event with sales data
  • Click "Compare selected events" to generate the chart

Events missing from the list:

  • Only events in your current organisation appear
  • Events must have at least one event date
  • Check you have the correct organisation selected

Unexpected data patterns:

  • Verify event dates are correct in event settings
  • Review Order Feed for that event to see actual order timing

Common Questions

Can I compare events from different organisations? No. Compare Events only shows events from your current organisation.

What does the chart show - orders or tickets? The chart shows cumulative ticket count. In percentage mode, this is shown as a proportion of total event capacity.

Why do the lines not all start at the same point? Events go on sale at different times. An event that launched 12 weeks early will have data starting at 12w, while one that launched 4 weeks early starts at 4w.

Does this include refunded orders? Yes, refunded orders are counted as they represent sales activity at that point in time.

Can I export this data? The chart itself cannot be exported, but you can use the Reporting section to export detailed order data for your own analysis.

How is total capacity calculated? Total capacity is the sum of all available tickets across all performance dates for an event. This includes both seated tickets (from seating plans) and general admission tickets (from ticket category quantities).

  • Summary - View real-time sales for a single event or organisation
  • Reporting and Data - Export detailed spreadsheets with order-level data
  • Order Feed - Search individual orders and payments
  • Event Management - Adjust marketing and pricing based on comparison insights

Need Help?

If you need assistance interpreting your comparison data or understanding patterns, contact our support team at support@seaty.co.uk.