JUNE | FEATURE
With open arms
When refunding all tickets means going out of business, trust is
the difference between sinking and swimming
How do you refund your event, if
returning the money means going
out of business?
Not an easy question, but one that
I suspect many organisers and event
promoters – both large and small – have
had to ask themselves. The outdoor events
industry is a seasonal one, and a lot of the
people who work in it make their money
in the summer. Those without money in
the bank, who cannot afford to sit on their
hands for a year, are in need of more creative
answers.
Most of the major ticketing companies
have opted for some form of roll-over
scheme, letting ticket holders keep their
tickets for 2021 if they want to. For smaller
events, it’s a lifeline. “We’re working hard to
try to look after the events themselves, as
well as the consumers. It’s a fine balance,”
says Mo Jones, Director at TicketSellers.
Jones says that some of her company’s
clients run smaller festivals, which are
mostly funded by sales from the previous
event. If they automatically refunded all
ticket sales, they would have nothing left.
“We’ve tried to make it as easy as possible
for people to quickly log in, say “I want a
refund”, and receive it.” But, says Jones,
wherever possible they want to encourage
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