Are you organizing an event but haven't figured out how you're going to collect registration payments? Don’t worry several of us have been in the same boat.
Whether you're hosting a vendor market, farmers market, community festival, or craft fair, you need a way to collect payments and keep track of who's paid.
In this guide, we'll cover two ways to collect event registration payments. One is free but requires more manual work, while the other uses event management software to handle registrations and payments in one place.
Common Event Registration Payment Problems
Before choosing a payment method, here are some common problems event organizers run into:
- Slow payouts: Waiting for payments to reach your bank account.
- Payment tracking: Keeping track of who's paid and who still owes money.
- Expensive fees: Transaction fees that reduce your event revenue.
- Refunds: Managing refunds when vendors cancel or registrations change.
- Revenue tracking: Understanding how much money your event has collected.
The more registrations you receive, the harder these problems become to manage manually.
How to Collect Event Registration Payments for Free
One of the easiest ways to collect event registration payments is through payment services like Zelle or PayPal.
You don't necessarily need event management software to get started.
Here's a basic setup:
- Create an event registration form using Google Forms.
- Connect the form to Google Sheets to collect responses.
- Send payment instructions to participants or vendors.
- Collect payments through Zelle or PayPal.
- Manually update your spreadsheet when someone pays.
This works well if you're organizing a small event with only a handful of participants.
However, there are some drawbacks.
The Problem With Manual Event Payments
The biggest problem is keeping track of everything.
For example, if you're hosting a vendor market with 50 vendors, you'll need to check whether each vendor submitted an application, sent their payment, and paid the correct amount.
You'll also need to match payments to registrations, which can be difficult when someone pays using a different name or email address.
As your event grows, this process becomes time-consuming.
While tools like Google Forms and Zelle can be free to use, other payment services may charge transaction fees.
Collect Event Registration Payments Through Event Management Software
Another option is to use event management software that allows you to collect registrations and payments from one platform.
This is especially useful if you organize recurring farmers markets, vendor markets, or community events.
Instead of managing multiple spreadsheets, payment accounts, and registration forms, you can manage everything in one place.
There are several event management platforms available, and each offers different features depending on the type of event you're hosting.
One option is Marketlly, an event and vendor management platform designed primarily for farmers markets, vendor markets, and community events.
How to Collect Event Registration Payments With Marketlly
Marketlly allows organizers to create custom registration forms and collect payments through Stripe.
Here's how to get started.
Step 1: Create Your Event Registration Form
Start by creating your event and setting up a registration form.
You can customize the form to collect information such as:
- Business or participant name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Type of products or services
- Additional event requirements
Step 2: Connect Your Stripe Account
Next, connect your Stripe account to accept online payments.
This allows you to collect vendor booth fees or application payments through your registration process.
Step 3: Start Collecting Registrations and Payments
Once your registration form and payment settings are ready, you can start accepting applications.
Instead of manually matching payment confirmations to spreadsheets, you can manage vendor applications and payments through Marketlly.
Step 4: Manage Your Event From One Dashboard
After registrations start coming in, you can manage your vendors and event information from one dashboard.
Marketlly also includes additional tools for event organizers, including:
- Vendor application management
- SMS messaging
- Automated follow-ups
- Interactive booth mapping
- Multiple administrator accounts
- AI assistance for managing markets
These tools are particularly useful for organizers who host recurring events.
Which Event Registration Payment Method Should You Choose?
It depends on how frequently you organize events and how many registrations you expect.
For small, one-time events:
Using Google Forms, Google Sheets, and a payment service like Zelle may be enough.
You'll spend more time managing registrations manually, but you won't necessarily need to pay for event management software.
For recurring events or larger vendor markets:
Using event management software makes more sense.
You can collect registrations, manage payments, communicate with vendors, and keep your event information organized.
Start Collecting Event Registration Payments
Collecting payments shouldn't take more time than organizing your actual event.
If you're hosting a small event, you can start with free tools and manage everything manually.
But if you're organizing farmers markets, vendor markets, or community events regularly, consider using event management software.