The BrecSoc Committee works hard to come up with an interesting and varied programme of events each year; finding topics, speakers and venues, handling bookings and running the events on the day. We used to manage bookings by email, but this was very time-consuming and error-prone.
So, in 2019 we switched entirely to on-line booking and chose EventBrite to manage our ticketing. It is one of the largest and easiest-to-use booking systems worldwide, and you may already be familiar with it.
How Does Our Online Booking Work?
As soon as we have most details about an event – date, time, venue, topic, speaker etc – we create an Eventbrite listing and add a link to this on our events page. Follow this link to decide whether you would like to attend. However, you will not necessarily be able to book tickets at that stage; if tickets have not yet been released, the event listing shows when they go on sale.
Tickets automatically go ‘live’ about three weeks before the event, and a large “Tickets” button will appear on the page; just click on this and follow the instructions. Some events are only open to members; others are also open to non-members. Please book the correct ticket type 🙂
- Select how many of each type of ticket you want.
- For free events, just enter your name and email address.
- For paid events, you also need your postcode and your credit/debit card number, expiry date and security code. Eventbrite will tell you the total price. There are no additional booking fees – the Society absorbs this cost.
Within a few minutes, you will receive an email from Eventbrite with:
- Venue details (usually including a map), event description, speaker details, date, start and end time, whether refreshments will be available, and any special instructions e.g. parking.
- Details of the tickets you purchased and how much you paid.
- You don’t need to bring printed tickets to the event; we will have a list of names.
We may also promote our open events via local social media e.g. Brandon Forum on Facebook.
To give members best value for their annual membership, many of our events are members-only. However, if not all of the tickets for a paid-for event have sold, we may at our discretion open it to non-members too. This helps us to keep our costs down, keep our membership fee modest, and can help attract new members. Typically, a non-member will pay £3-£4 more for each ticket.
The Eventbrite App
You can also download the Eventbrite app onto your Apple or Android mobile device. Once you have registered, all tickets booked to your email address will automatically appear on your device.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why not make tickets available as soon as you know the date?
We often don’t have full details available until about a month before the event. All details such as where and when to meet, start time, parking arrangements etc are contained in the ticket text which is emailed, so we try to avoid having to send multiple emails for the same event.
How many tickets can I book?
This depends on the event; for Member tickets the limit is normally two, as we have quite a number of ‘joint’ members.
Do members get priority in booking?
Yes. If the event will be open to members and non-members, we typically don’t put the non-member tickets on sale until some days later. If it is likely to be over-subscribed, non-member tickets may simply not be available.
Why do you limit the number of tickets for an event?
A common reason is the seating capacity of an indoor venue, which is an even more issue since Covid-19. However, numbers are often also limited for outdoors events such as guided walks. With any more than 15-20 people on a guided walk, it becomes impossible for everyone to be close enough to the guide to hear what is being said.
Do you run a waiting list for each event?
Typically, yes. If the tickets you want are sold out, in most cases you can add your name to a waiting list. If tickets become available, and you are at the top of the list, you will be emailed; you will have 18 hours to make your booking. If you no longer want the ticket, simply ignore the email and the next person on the list will be invited to book.
Do I get a refund if I cancel?
Obviously, we want to avoid last-minute cancelations for over-subscribed events, as it is difficult to re-allocate tickets at short notice. We may offer refunds on some events; the application deadline will typically be 7 days before the event. Please note that Eventbrite’s processing fee will be deducted from any refund, so typically you will receive around 80% of what you paid.
Note – if you do need to cancel, you must do this online – so keep the booking email until after the event. The committee can’t process a refund on your behalf. And if you can’t attend a free event, please also cancel that online; it frees up a place for someone on the waiting list.
What if I never buy anything online?
We recognise that a few of our oldest members may be in this position. If so, email secretary.brecsoc@gmail.com and we will do our best to help you … but if you can book online, please do so.
Do you hold my payment card details?
No – that would be far too insecure! All that we ever see is your name and how many tickets you have bought. Card and associated information is exclusively held and processed by Eventbrite, and subject solely to their security measures and privacy policy.