The new Tikly interface allows event organizers to create their own event registration within minutes, with control of all aspects of their ticketing process.

Tikly, an online ticketing service in Des Moines, today is rolling out its custom web and ecommerce system, a new version that allows users to create ticketing events on their own.

“The first chapter of Tikly was a ticketing service that we built out using a third party ecommerce system,” Emma Peterson (near left), the 22-year-old founder and CEO of Tikly, said. “We proved the concept worked using the system, so we said, let’s go ahead and build out our own software.”

Peterson, who launched Tikly in May as a result of her experience in the music industry, later connected with Brian Hemesath (above left), who came on board as CTO and built the new system.

“It looks a lot better, it works a lot better, it’s more reliable and it’s automated,” Peterson said. “It’s all us. We’re the first line of defense, and we know the ins and outs of the software.”

Prior to today’s launch, the process for creating an event involved contacting Peterson, who would then manually create it. Now, a Tikly user has the ability to upload all information and have their event, whether it’s a music performance or a conference, go live within minutes. That frees up time for Peterson and Hemesath to fine-tune the system.

All events that are selling tickets or collecting registration fees can use the service, said Hemesath, a serial entrepreneur with experience in building other web-based software products. “We are not just for artists and musicians,” he said.

Tikly’s new version features an updated look for event pages.

There is no cost to sign up or create events on Tikly. A 10-percent flat fee per ticket kicks in when a user sells tickets, with a cap of $7.50 per ticket. There is also a flat $1 fee for transactions under $10. By comparison, established ticketing services like Ticketmaster can charge a fee upwards of $10-15, depending on the cost of tickets. With its lower-cost alternative, Tikly is competing with other emerging ticketing services, such as Eventbrite, TicketLeap and Stage.

Tikly accepts credit cards but is unique amongst its competition as it’s the one ticketing service that’s integrated Dwolla, an online and mobile payments network based in Des Moines. Tikly benefits from the price breaks and value propositions that Dwolla offers (25 cents per transaction of $10 or more), allowing for higher-priced events to have fees that will total no more than $7.75, which is Tikly’s $7.50 fee plus Dwolla’s 25 cent fee.

With more to reveal at Tikly’s launch party tonight and in the future, Peterson and Hemesath are optimistic about the future of their startup. With its low fees, new interface and customer-centered approach to ticketing, Tikly is “placing the tickets back in the hands of the artists and the venues,” Peterson said.

If you’re in Des Moines tonight, learn more about Tikly and its new version at the Tikly Launch Party at 5:30 p.m. at Vaudeville Mews.

Credits: Screenshot of interface courtesy of Tikly. Photo of Hemesath and Peterson by Anna Jones | Art of Photography, courtesy of Tikly. Screenshot of event from tikly.co.