Zomato unveils ‘Book Now, Sell Anytime’ feature after acquisition of Paytm’s ticketing biz

Online food aggregator Zomato, that recently acquired Paytm's entertainment and ticket-booking feature, has introduced a new feature which allows customers to "book now, sell anytime.". The new feature will go live on the Zomato app on September 30, coinciding with the Zomato Feeding India Concert headlined by Dua Lipa.

The "book now, sell anytime" feature of Zomato will enable users to purchase event tickets through the Zomato app and sell them if their plans change. Customers can list their tickets at a price lower or higher than the original purchase price, with a cap at twice the booking price. In order to prevent unfair pricing, Zomato has also set a limit where customers can purchase up to 10 tickets per category.

Zeenah Vilcassim, Zomato Live Entertainment CEO, said that once a ticket is sold, the seller will receive the full value of the listed price, subject to applicable taxes, transferred to their preferred payment method. The buyer will then receive a new, authenticated ticket issued by Zomato.

This feature launch comes on the heels of Zomato’s completion of its acquisition of Paytm’s entertainment and ticketing arms, WEPL and OTPL, in a deal valued at ₹2,048 crores. The acquisition, which was announced on August 21, is part of Zomato’s strategy to expand its presence in the ‘going-out’ segment.

The acquisition includes TicketNew and Insider, platforms that have been instrumental in Paytm's entertainment ticketing business. Approximately 280 employees from Paytm’s entertainment ticketing business will transition to Zomato as part of the deal. During the transition period of up to 12 months, movie and event tickets will continue to be available on both the Paytm app and the TicketNew and Insider platforms.