Blog
Nov 25, 2021
Now that things are beginning to open back up, it’s time to get going on selling tickets for that event you’ve been planning for a while. You want to figure out the best way to sell event tickets online, but are having trouble deciding which event management platform is right for you. To help you out, we’ve put together a brief guide on how to sell tickets on Eventbrite, a ticketing management platform for local events. In this article, you’ll learn how to create, manage, and sell tickets online using Eventbrite’s system, as well as why you should consider a more affordable alternative, TicketsCandy.
How to Sell Tickets on Eventbrite: 5 Steps for Success
Step 1: Create an Event on Eventbrite
Before you can successfully sell event tickets online on Eventbrite, you’ll need to create a professional listing on its website. First, you’ll need to set up an account, which will only take a couple of minutes. Once you’ve created your account, you’re ready to create your first event and start selling tickets.
To create an event, select “Create Event” on the Eventbrite homepage. You’ll then be asked to input your event’s basic details, such as:
- Event title
- Event type and category
- Event location
Once you’ve finished that, you’ll need to add the dates of your event. This is also the time when you’ll add the main event image people will see when searching for it in Eventbrite’s system. You’ll also be given the opportunity to add a brief description of the event. After you’ve finished all that, click “Save” and continue.
Step 2: Sell Tickets on Eventbrite
There are two basic paid ticket types on Eventbrite: general admission and reserved seating. In this article, we’ll cover how to sell tickets online for general admission. For more information on selling tickets online with reserved seating, please visit the Eventbrite help center.
Selling tickets online for general admission events is fairly straightforward. In your Eventbrite account, you’ll select “Tickets” and then “Add Ticket”. Eventbrite offers an interesting feature that allows you to copy ticket types from another event if you’d like. If not, now is the time to create your own.
We’ll cover this in more detail later in the article, but remember that the “Essentials Package” only gets you one ticket type. In other words, you’ll only be able to sell one type of ticket for the entire event, so make sure to name it appropriately. If you need more ticket types, you’ll have to upgrade to one of the platform’s more expensive plans.
If creating your own ticket types, now’s the time to decide what type of tickets you’ll be making available for your event. You can really make these whatever you’d like. For example, the usual basic ticket types are “General Admission”, “General Admission – Early Bird”, and “VIP”. But if this is your first time creating an event, “General Admission” will probably satisfy all your needs.
Next, enter your tickets’ information. This will include the tickets’ name, quantity, price, and the dates your tickets will be available. In the advanced options section, you can add descriptions for your tickets, edit their visibility, limit their number per order, and a whole host of other features. Finally, you’ll need to select whether you’ll have any promos, holds, or add-ons for your tickets.
Step 3: Set Up Your Event’s Order Form
Before your tickets are ready to go on sale, you’ll need to decide what information you’d like to collect from your attendees in your event’s order form. You have the option of only gathering information from the buyer, or, if you’d like, from each event attendee.
If you want, you can also create custom questions for your event attendees. Order confirmations will be sent to the purchasers, so you don’t need to worry about setting any of that up. This will partially inform what information is available in your analytics as well, so make sure to capture the information that’s valuable to you and your business, such as emails, location, and even how the attendees learned about your event.
Step 4: Choose Your Eventbrite Package
Eventbrite offers three packages, each with its own benefits and additional costs. You can always change these later, but if using the “Essentials Package” your options will be more limited at the outset. As a side note, each package offers you the ability to sell free tickets.
The cheapest and most beginner-friendly plan is the “Essentials Package”. This is the bare-bones package that first time sellers will probably be using, as it offers the lowest fees and the least features. You’ll only get one ticket type with this plan and also only have access to the “essentials” for event planning.
The Eventbrite service fee paid per ticket is 2% + $0.79. If for example, you were selling 200 tickets for $25 each, that breaks down to approximately $258 in fees — out of a total possible payout of $5,000 — just for the essentials.
Bear in mind there will also be payment processing fees, so your total payout will be reduced even more depending on the payment processor’s fees. If you wanted to, you could pass these fees on to the purchaser, which raises the ticket price to approximately $26.29, again not including the payment processing fees.
The next package option is the “Professional Package”, which comes with the full suite of tools Eventbrite has to offer, for an increase in fees. For this package, the Eventbrite fees are increased to 3.5% + $1.59. To take our example above of 200 tickets sold for $25 each: the total deduction comes to about $493, not including payment processing fees.
Costing almost double the fees from the “Essentials Package,” this package is more geared toward seasoned event-planners and larger scale events. In addition, the more variety in ticket types adds flexibility to your pricing, so you’re more likely to recuperate some of the fees back in your net payout.
The last option available to you is the “Premium Package”. As advertised on Eventbrite’s website, this plan is more for tailored partnerships with large and or complex events. The pricing is custom, so it’s impossible to predict what you’d be expected to pay. As the most personalized for your event, this is the package to choose if you need hands-on attention from Eventbrite’s team.
Step 5: Select Your Payment Processing Option
In order to process ticket payments, you’ll need to use one of Eventbrite’s built-in payment processing options. The options available to you are the Eventbrite Payment Process, Paypal, and Authorize.net.
The “Eventbrite Payment Process” is essentially Eventbrite’s in-built payment processing option. This payment service is hosted on Eventbrite or your website if you’re utilizing the Eventbrite widget tool. The Eventbrite’s payment processing fees start at 2.5% per order.
The in-built service processes most credit and debit cards, although you’ll need to check with your country’s specific requirements. Also, you’ll need to consider that your payout will be released four to five days after the event, so plan accordingly.
Eventbrite Summary
Eventbrite is an event tickets platform that offers a few different tiered packages. Its system is fairly intuitive, which makes selling tickets straightforward. However, the high fees and paywalls make it difficult to successfully put on events, particularly for beginners.
Data-Driven Decisions
One way in which Eventbrite’s system does shine is through the analytics available to you. Through their customizable data reports, you’ll be able to track your ticket sales, gain real time insights into your promotional campaigns, and much more. These analytics allow you to make more informed decisions about your pricing, campaigns, and future events.
Eventbrite also allows you to monitor ticket sales in real time through your phone with their Eventbrite Organizer app. While these features are great, they don’t necessarily bring anything to the table that other ticketing platforms couldn’t offer.
Eventbrite Cost and Tiered Hurdles
The way Eventbrite’s system is set up; unless you’re planning on only running a single short term event, you’re going to have to go for the more expensive options. The “Essentials Package” simply won’t provide you with the tools you need to run a higher-profile event effectively. What’s more, the ticketing fees will eat significantly into your net payout, reducing your overall profit and potentially affecting your ability to put on future events, particularly if you’re newer to event planning.
Are There Any Eventbrite Alternatives?
In fact, there is. It’s called TicketsCandy and it offers all the same features that Eventbrite does, but for a lower price. Unlike Eventbrite, where you have to pay to unlock their more sophisticated features, TicketsCandy doesn’t have any of the tiered options. Everything is available for you immediately, without having to pay additional fees. In addition, TicketsCandy’s world class support team is available to assist you whenever you need it, at no additional cost.
Getting started on TicketsCandy takes just a few minutes and once you’re done, that’s it: no more hassle trying to switch plans or unlock new features. Everything is right there for you to take advantage of: always. And as you’ll see below, TicketsCandy offers you the resources you need to create your own, personalized event website through their partnership with Atavion. With a beautiful handmade website, your event will stand out from the crowd, increasing your ticket sales and attendance.
Step 1: How to Create an Event on TicketsCandy
Creating an event on TicketsCandy is quick and easy. Enter your name and email address and your account is instantly made without having to enter any payment details. Setting up your first event is completely free and easy to do. If you need assistance, specialists are available 24/7 to help you navigate your dashboard and ensure everything is running smoothly. Plus, they have detailed articles and videos on how to use every aspect of their dashboard to make the process as easy as possible for you.
Step 2: How to Create Tickets on TicketsCandy
Unlock your event’s potential with the unlimited types and number of tickets that TicketsCandy has to offer. Unlike Eventbrite, where you have to pay for more ticket options, everything is immediately available to you on TicketsCandy. You get to decide how your tickets are displayed, offering you more control over your event’s attendance. In addition to selecting how your tickets are structured, each ticket on TicketsCandy comes with a unique QR code. You can use the TicketsCandy mobile app to scan these codes at the entrance, adding an extra layer of security to your event’s attendance.
For full use of everything TicketsCandy has to offer, you don’t have to pay a dime. The platform is set up to be free for event organizers. By default, the fee per ticket of just 0.9% is passed onto customers in their ticket price. However, if you don’t want to pass the fees on you, you can absorb the low 0.9% fee without worrying about it taking away too much from your profits.
No contracts or hidden tiers, just a quality ticketing platform at your disposal. Let’s use our ticket price example from earlier and calculate your net payout with TicketsCandy. If you sold 200 tickets at $25 each, the total cost of fees would be $45. Remember, the cheapest package on Eventbrite, which only offered limited functionality and one ticket type, was $258 in fees.
Step 3: Create Your Website (or Add the TicketsCandy Widget)
Through its partnership with Atavion, you will receive 25% off a completely custom website for your event. The website will be tailored specifically to your event and directly connected to your box office. You’ll be able to use this website to advertise for this and future events, keep your attendees updated on any changes, direct traffic to your business and other accounts, and so much more.
Already have a website dedicated to your event? No problem. You can easily add the TicketsCandy ticketing widget onto your existing website. The widget is compatible with any website builder including Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, Shopify, and more.
TicketsCandy Summary
No Additional Costs
Unlike Eventbrite, where you have to pay more to unlock additional features, TicketsCandy provides you with all their features, without any additional fees, to help you sell tickets.
Lower Fees
The fees offered on TicketsCandy are the lowest around. It doesn’t get any more affordable than free. Charging just 0.9% per ticket transaction that your customer pays, you’ll save significantly on their platform, without missing out on any of the features provided by Eventbrite. In addition, you’ll get 25% off a custom-built website when you use Atavion. That’s significant savings for no additional hassle on your part. Plus, TicketsCandy’s incredible customer support team is there to guide you through the event planning process from start to finish.
Ticketing System Tailored To You
Unlike most other ticketing platforms, TicketsCandy is made to be tailored to your specific event. They ensure that your event gets the attention and assistance it deserves to make it a success.
