The wave system (or sales by waves) is a pricing strategy that involves selling your tickets in several phases at progressive prices. The first wave is the cheapest, and each subsequent wave is more expensive. This mechanism rewards early buyers, creates a sense of urgency, and helps you generate revenue earlier.
PassPass does not offer a "create a wave" button, but the ticketing system is flexible enough to set up a complete and effective wave system. Here's how.
The principle: one ticket per wave
Each wave corresponds to a distinct ticket with its own name, price, and quantity. For example, for a festival:
Wave 1 → Early Bird : 15 €, limited to 100 tickets
Wave 2 → Regular : 25 €, limited to 400 tickets
Wave 3 → Last Minute : 35 €, limited to 100 tickets
The idea: when Wave 1 is sold out, the buyer sees they "missed" the best price and hurries to buy in Wave 2 before it also sells out.
Set up your waves step by step
Go to Ticket Management > Tickets from your event menu.
1. Create a ticket for each wave
Click on Create a ticket and create one ticket per wave. For each ticket:
Give a clear name indicating the wave: "Wave 1 — Early Bird", "Wave 2 — Regular", "Wave 3 — Last Minute". Your buyers will immediately see the progression.
Set an increasing price for each wave. The price gap should be significant enough to create urgency (for example, +10 € between each wave).
Limit the available quantity of each wave. This is what makes the wave "end" and the buyer move to the next one. Without a limit, the wave never sells out and the effect is lost.
2. Set visibility (the key ingredient)
This is where it all happens. In the advanced options of each ticket, set ticket display to Visible (not "Visible if on sale").
Why "Visible" and not "Visible if on sale"? Because a sold-out ticket remains displayed on your sales page with the mention "Sold Out". The buyer sees that Wave 1 at 15 € is already sold out, which reinforces the sense of urgency (FOMO) and encourages them to buy the next wave without delay.
If you use "Visible if on sale", the ticket disappears once sold out. The buyer doesn't know a lower price existed and loses all comparison effect.
3. Display the number of tickets remaining
To amplify urgency, enable the display of remaining stock. In the advanced options of each ticket, go to Labels and select Show the number of tickets remaining.
A badge appears on the sales page, for example "12 tickets remaining". When the number decreases, the buyer thinks "there aren't many spots left" and proceeds to purchase.
The "tickets remaining" label is particularly effective on the last tickets of each wave. It turns scarcity into a conversion lever.
4. (Optional) Use sales periods
For even more precise control, you can configure custom dates for each wave instead of relying solely on stock. For example:
Wave 1: from March 1st to 15th (or until sold out)
Wave 2: from March 16th to April 15th
Wave 3: from April 16th until the event day
Both approaches combine: if Wave 1 sells out before March 15th, the buyer sees "Sold Out" but Wave 2 is not yet on sale. This creates a double effect: "I missed Wave 1" and "Wave 2 opens soon".
5. (Optional) Organize with a group
If your event has other types of tickets (VIP, Child, etc.), create a ticket group named "General Admission" to group your waves and keep the sales page readable. The waves will appear together in a dedicated section.
Complete example: festival with 3 waves
Here is a concrete example of configuration for a festival with 400 seats:
Wave 1 → Early Bird : 15 €, 100 tickets, visibility Visible, tickets remaining label activated
Wave 2 → Regular : 25 €, 400 tickets, visibility Visible, tickets remaining label activated
Wave 3 → Last Minute : 35 €, 100 tickets, visibility Visible, tickets remaining label activated
Result on the buyer's side: the sales page displays the 3 tickets simultaneously. The buyer sees "Wave 1 — Early Bird: 15 €" with "Sold Out", "Wave 2 — Regular: 25 €" with "47 tickets remaining", and "Wave 3 — Last Minute: 35 €" pending. The comparison is immediate: the price increases with each wave, better to buy now.
Best practices
Always keep sold-out waves visible
This is the number one rule. A sold-out ticket displayed on the sales page is your best marketing argument. The buyer thinks "Wave 1 is already gone, I won't miss Wave 2". If you hide completed waves, you lose all the progression effect.
Properly dose quantities per wave
If Wave 1 has too many spots, it won't sell out quickly enough and the urgency won't be created. As a general rule, plan for 20 to 30% of your total capacity for the first wave, so it sells out quickly and triggers the domino effect on the following waves.
Communicate on wave changes
Announce the opening of each wave on your social networks and by email. "Only 20 tickets left in Wave 2!" is a powerful message to trigger purchases. The "tickets remaining" label visible on the sales page amplifies this message.
Don't multiply waves too much
Two to four waves are sufficient for most events. Too many waves (5+) dilute the effect and complicate your sales page. Three waves is the sweet spot: early bird, regular, last minute.
Advanced variations
Waves by category
For a large event, you can apply the wave system to each ticket category separately. For example, a "VIP" ticket with its own waves (VIP Early Bird, VIP Regular) and a "Standard" ticket with its own. Use ticket groups to visually organize everything.
Secret wave with promo code
Create a special "Friends & Family" wave with visibility Visible with promo code. Only people with the code will be able to purchase at this exclusive rate. Combine it with a discount code for a double advantage (reduced wave price + additional discount).
Waves with shared limit
If you want the total capacity of your event to be respected regardless of the distribution between waves, create a shared limit encompassing all wave tickets. For example, a shared limit of 400 seats across the 3 waves ensures the total never exceeds your venue's capacity.
Technically, each wave is a distinct ticket in PassPass. But you can assign them the same ticket visual (PDF and Wallet), the same access, and the same add-ons. For the participant, the experience on the day is identical — only the price paid differs.
Yes, you can modify the available quantity of a ticket at any time. If a wave sells faster than expected, you can reduce the stock of the next wave to balance. Tickets already sold are not affected.
That's precisely the desired effect. The buyer sees Wave 1 at 15 € and Wave 3 at 35 €, the comparison is immediate. They understand that the price increases over time and that Wave 1's stock is limited. If they don't want to pay more, they buy now.
Activate the option in Advanced Options > Labels for each ticket. A red badge appears on the sales page with the exact number of remaining spots (for example, "23 tickets remaining"). The counter updates in real-time with each purchase.
Both approaches work. If you want automatic control, use sales periods (custom dates) so each wave opens and closes on specific dates. If you prefer a more organic system based on demand, use only quantities: when Wave 1 is sold out, buyers naturally move to Wave 2. You can also combine both.