1. Industry Risk Analysis

(1) Policy Risk

The policy risks currently faced by the ticket wholesale and agency industry are concentrated in the policy adjustment cycle: during the policy – making stage, the market access qualification review standards may be tightened, resulting in a sharp increase in compliance costs for small and medium – sized enterprises (such as the recent pilot reform of the ticket agency filing system in many places); during the implementation stage, stricter supervision brings pressure for daily reviews (such as the mandatory connection of e – ticket systems and the monitoring of refund and change rules); during the evaluation stage, revisions to existing policies may be triggered (such as the dynamic adjustment mechanism for the premium ceiling of secondary tickets), directly affecting the distribution profit margin; during the termination stage, there is a vacuum period in policy connection after the abolition of old policies (such as the channel reconstruction brought about by the withdrawal of paper tickets), forcing enterprises to frequently adjust their business models. Entrepreneurs need to be vigilant about the subversive impact of sudden regulatory changes during the policy window period on business models.

(2) Economic Risk

During the economic downturn, the reduction of consumers’ entertainment spending directly impacts the demand for tickets. The cold reception of large – scale events such as concerts and sports events in investment promotion leads to a decrease in ticket supply, and the inventory turnover rate of wholesalers declines. During the recovery stage, the rising interest rates drive up the financing cost. The platform operation and customer acquisition costs increase with inflation, but the recovery of terminal consumer power lags behind, forcing the clearance of inventory at low prices. The gross profit margin is squeezed from both sides. The cyclical fluctuations of the industry, combined with the risk of price out – of – control in the secondary ticket market, put obvious pressure on the cash flow of small and medium – sized agents, and the window period for entrepreneurship narrows.

(3) Social Risk

There is a significant generational consumption gap between Generation Z and the Millennial group. Young consumers prefer direct purchases on short – video platforms and immersive interactive ticket – buying methods. The traditional multi – level distribution model of ticket agencies faces the risk of losing traffic entry points. The middle – aged consumer group is less sensitive to price but has a stronger sense of rights protection. Disputes over scalper tickets and fake tickets caused by the information opacity of agents can easily trigger group public opinion crises. The elderly users rely on offline channels, but their consumption power is shrinking, posing a hidden danger of the collapse of the business foundation. With the trend of the new – generation users losing trust in the secondary ticket market, the industry can neither establish an effective inter – generational consumption migration channel nor break through the social perception dilemma of being a “channel parasite”.

(4) Legal Risk

Entrepreneurs in the ticket wholesale and agency industry face multiple legal risks: in terms of qualifications, they need to hold special business licenses such as the Regulations on the Administration of Commercial Performances. Illegal business without a license will be subject to administrative penalties. In terms of data compliance, they need to strictly follow the Personal Information Protection Law. If the ticket system leaks or misuses information such as users’ ID numbers when collecting user information, it will trigger high – value fines. In contract performance, refund disputes are likely to occur due to unstable ticket sources. If the refund and change rules are not implemented in accordance with the Consumer Rights and Interests Protection Law, the agent may be sued. In terms of anti – fraud responsibility, a ticket traceability mechanism needs to be established. If scalper tickets or fake tickets circulate on the platform, it may be considered jointly illegal. In addition, the industry is under dynamic supervision by the culture and tourism department. If the system transformation lags behind during policy adjustments (such as the upgrade of the real – name system), the business may face the risk of suspension.

2. Entrepreneurship Guide

(1) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Opportunities

Currently, the ticket wholesale and agency industry can focus on developing the sinking markets in second – and third – tier cities. By integrating fragmented ticket sources of local concerts, sports events, etc., it can establish regional agency advantages. Use AI algorithms to predict the supply – demand gap of popular shows and lock in high – quality ticket sources through pre – sales to obtain premium space. Build a B – end distribution SaaS system to provide inventory sharing and dynamic price adjustment tools for small and medium – sized ticket agents, and make profits by charging commissions on transactions. Develop customized “ticket + team – building” services for corporate customers and package catering and accommodation to form high – margin packages. Layout ticket operation on short – video platforms and quickly reach the Generation Z consumer group through a matrix of influencers.

(2) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Resources

Entrepreneurs in the ticket wholesale and agency industry should focus on integrating core resources: prioritize connecting with upstream event organizers or ticket platforms to obtain stable ticket sources, and establish strategic cooperation with tourist attractions and cultural and entertainment venues to lock in exclusive agency rights. Build a lightweight SaaS system to integrate inventory management and distribution channels, and connect to the WeChat ecosystem and short – video platforms for direct sales. Cooperate with ticket verification technology companies to embed anti – counterfeiting and traceability functions to reduce the risk of disputes. Use the pre – sale model and supply – chain finance to relieve capital pressure, and focus on maintaining B – end resources such as corporate customers and travel agencies to form a stable cash flow. Bind high – frequency users through a membership points system and expand secondary consumption scenarios.

(3) Suggestions on the Entrepreneurship Team

When forming a team in the ticket wholesale and agency industry, it is advisable to give priority to core members with the ability to integrate channel resources (such as senior ticket agents or supplier negotiation experts), and be paired with technical backbones for online distribution system development and executors for local market development. The founder should have strong resource coordination ability to balance the interests of upstream and downstream. At the same time, clear channel profit – sharing mechanisms and customer data management specifications should be set up to avoid internal strife among team members caused by channel conflicts or customer source competition. Regularly organize resource docking meetings between the team, ticket suppliers, and venue parties to strengthen the team – shared nature of the supply – chain relationship.

(4) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Risks

Entrepreneurs in the ticket wholesale and agency industry should focus on controlling the risk of inventory overstock. Through a dynamic inventory management system, they can monitor the validity period of tickets and market demand fluctuations in real – time, and use big data to predict popular shows and stock up reasonably. For policy compliance risks, they need to communicate with the culture and tourism department regularly to obtain the latest requirements for ticket agency qualifications, and establish a process for verifying the legality of ticket sources to avoid being implicated in scalper ticket issues. In terms of cash – flow management, a combination of prepayment and payment terms should be adopted, and step – by – step settlement terms should be negotiated with upstream organizers. To prevent the risk of channel dependence, a dual – channel layout of “OTA platforms + self – media private domains” should be established, and customer stickiness should be enhanced through a membership points system. Clear liability for breach of contract clauses should be signed with partners, and ticket insurance should be purchased in advance for sudden event cancellations to hedge against losses.