Registration Options for Free and/or Non-Auction Events

Online Ticket Sales features can be used for any event type, but if your event does not include paper or paddle bidding and/or you are not charging admission, there may be easier ways to register guests/participants than by asking everyone to "buy" $0 tickets:

1.  Online Auction Bidders, Voting and Virtual Event Guests do not need a ticket - they only need a user record.  

2.   Virtual Events (Livestreams) also have a public option which does not require advance registration.  

3.   If you want to charge admission but do not need bidder numbers or carts during your event, offering tickets (as items) on a fundraising campaign page is easier to setup and a a simpler registration process for your guests.

4.  Carnivals and Fairs:  for events with free admission, but where you want to allow or require participants to pre-vault a credit card and/or charge some or all purchases to their "cart" for payment at the end of the event:

• If you have access to a spreadsheet with most of your supporter's names/email addresses, you can import the spreadsheet as $0 ticketed guests.
• Then Send Invitations to Advance Check-in to each ticketed guest/family to collect RSVP from those planning to attend, as well as allowing or requiring attendees to pre-vault a credit card.
• Direct new/unknown supporters to the Ticket Sales page to pre-register by buying a $0 ticket
• Free tickets can also be "sold" to walk-up guests from the Gala > Check-in screen.

Tips for setting up Carnival/Fair Ticket Sales:

• The simplest way to create a "Family" ticket (one cart) is to create a Ticket Type called Family, admits 1, with the description "this ticket will admit your entire family and all purchases at the event will be charged to a single account."   You can add instructions to enter the buyer's name as  "Smith Family" if desired.
• If you want to collect more details on expected attendance, add a Custom field for Ticket Buyers:  Field Group = How many family members will attend?  Create List Fields for Adults and Children, with dropdown choices of 0-6.
• If you pre-sell items and merchandise as add-ons during registration you will need to plan how to distribute purchases prior to the event or as people arrive.   The check-in confirmation screen does display the items purchased during registration and/or check-in - but distributing during check-in can result in long lines.   It is often easiest and fastest to skip pre-sales and sell game/raffle tickets, refreshments etc at multiple tables throughout the venue and/or via roving salesfolk (think vendors hawking trinkets/games at parades/sporting events).   "Vendors" need only note the buyers bidder numbers and qty purchased on a tracking sheet, which runners periodically collect for the data entry team.
• Purchases can be charged to a bidder number and/or recorded as a pre-paid in cash.