How to Build an Interactive Event Ticket Marketplace with Seat Selection

Simple Summary

Build a modern, user-friendly Event Ticket Marketplace with interactive seat selection, empowering users to easily browse events, choose their perfect seats, and securely purchase tickets.

Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Goals:

• Develop a user-friendly event ticket marketplace
• Implement interactive seat selection functionality
• Ensure secure and efficient ticket purchasing process
• Create a scalable platform for various types of events

Target Audience:

• Event-goers of all ages
• Event organizers and venue managers

Key Features:

1. User registration and authentication
2. Event browsing and search functionality
3. Interactive seat map for visual seat selection
4. Real-time seat availability updates
5. Shopping cart and checkout process
6. Secure payment integration (Stripe API)
7. Order tracking and e-ticket delivery
8. User reviews and ratings for events
9. Admin panel for event and inventory management

User Requirements:

• Intuitive navigation and search for events
• Clear visualization of available seats and pricing
• Smooth seat selection process
• Secure and quick checkout
• Easy access to purchased tickets
• Ability to view order history and leave reviews

User Flows

1. Event Search and Ticket Purchase:

   • User searches for an event
   • Selects desired event and date
   • Interacts with seat map to choose seats
   • Adds tickets to cart
   • Proceeds to checkout
   • Completes payment
   • Receives confirmation and e-tickets

2. User Registration and Profile Management:

   • User signs up for an account
   • Verifies email
   • Logs in
   • Updates profile information
   • Views order history

3. Review Submission:

   • User attends event
   • Logs into account
   • Navigates to past orders
   • Selects event to review
   • Submits rating and written review

Technical Specifications

• Frontend: Next.js for server-side rendering and improved SEO
• Backend: Node.js for API development
• Database: PostgreSQL for relational data storage
• Authentication: JWT for secure user authentication
• Payment Processing: Stripe API for secure transactions
• Image Storage: AWS S3 for scalable image hosting
• Seat Selection: Custom interactive SVG maps with React
• State Management: Redux for global state management
• Styling: Tailwind CSS for rapid UI development
• Testing: Jest for unit and integration testing
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions for automated deployment

API Endpoints

• POST /api/auth/register
• POST /api/auth/login
• GET /api/events
• GET /api/events/:id
• GET /api/events/:id/seats
• POST /api/cart
• GET /api/cart
• PUT /api/cart
• DELETE /api/cart
• POST /api/orders
• GET /api/orders
• GET /api/orders/:id
• POST /api/reviews
• GET /api/reviews/:eventId

Database Schema

1. Users

   • id (PK)
   • email
   • password_hash
   • name
   • created_at
   • updated_at

2. Events

   • id (PK)
   • name
   • description
   • date
   • venue
   • image_url

3. Seats

   • id (PK)
   • event_id (FK)
   • section
   • row
   • number
   • price
   • status

4. Orders

   • id (PK)
   • user_id (FK)
   • total_amount
   • status
   • created_at

5. OrderItems

   • id (PK)
   • order_id (FK)
   • seat_id (FK)
   • price

6. Reviews

   • id (PK)
   • user_id (FK)
   • event_id (FK)
   • rating
   • comment
   • created_at

File Structure

Implementation Plan

1. Project Setup (1-2 days)

   • Initialize Next.js project
   • Set up version control (Git)
   • Configure ESLint and Prettier

2. Authentication and User Management (3-4 days)

   • Implement user registration and login
   • Set up JWT authentication
   • Create user profile management

3. Event Listing and Details (4-5 days)

   • Develop event browsing and search functionality
   • Create event detail pages
   • Implement interactive seat map component

4. Shopping Cart and Checkout (5-6 days)

   • Build shopping cart functionality
   • Integrate Stripe API for payments
   • Implement checkout process

5. Order Management and Ticketing (3-4 days)

   • Develop order tracking system
   • Create e-ticket generation and delivery

6. Review and Rating System (2-3 days)

   • Implement review submission for past events
   • Display ratings and reviews on event pages

7. Admin Panel (4-5 days)

   • Create admin interface for event management
   • Implement inventory and seat management tools

8. Testing and Refinement (5-6 days)

   • Conduct thorough testing of all features
   • Refine UI/UX based on feedback
   • Perform security audits

9. Deployment and Launch Preparation (2-3 days)

   • Set up production environment
   • Configure CI/CD pipeline
   • Prepare documentation and support materials

Deployment Strategy

1. Choose a cloud provider (e.g., Vercel for Next.js frontend, Heroku for Node.js backend)
2. Set up a managed PostgreSQL database (e.g., Heroku Postgres)
3. Configure environment variables for sensitive information
4. Implement SSL certificates for secure connections
5. Set up CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions
   • Automated testing on pull requests
   • Automated deployment to staging on merge to develop branch
   • Manual approval for production deployment from main branch
6. Implement monitoring and logging (e.g., Sentry, Datadog)
7. Set up regular database backups
8. Configure auto-scaling for backend services to handle traffic spikes
9. Implement a content delivery network (CDN) for static assets
10. Conduct load testing before public launch

Design Rationale

The chosen tech stack (Next.js, Node.js, PostgreSQL) provides a balance of performance, scalability, and developer productivity. Next.js enables server-side rendering for improved SEO and faster initial page loads, crucial for an ecommerce platform. PostgreSQL offers robust relational data management needed for complex ticket and order relationships.

The interactive seat selection feature, implemented using custom SVG maps and React, enhances user experience by providing visual feedback and real-time updates. This approach improves engagement and reduces user errors during the ticket selection process.

Stripe API integration ensures secure and reliable payment processing, while AWS S3 provides scalable image storage for event photos and venue maps. The use of Redux for state management helps maintain a consistent application state across components, particularly important for the shopping cart and checkout process.

The modular file structure and component-based architecture promote code reusability and easier maintenance. The implementation plan prioritizes core functionalities first, allowing for iterative development and early testing of critical features like seat selection and checkout.

The deployment strategy focuses on scalability, security, and reliability, utilizing modern cloud services and DevOps practices to ensure a smooth user experience even during high-traffic periods.