Event and registration payments: a practical guide

Conferences, workshops, short courses, sports events, school outings and church camps all share a payment problem: many people paying similar amounts, within a short window, with a hard deadline. Collecting by EFT and proof of payment works for a dozen attendees. For a few hundred, it becomes a spreadsheet nightmare of unmatched references and "I paid, am I registered?" emails.

This guide covers how to collect event and registration fees online so that every payment is matched to an attendee automatically.

Decide what you are selling

Start by listing every price point:

• Ticket types: standard, student, member, group, VIP or exhibitor.
• Time-based pricing: early-bird and late registration.
• Add-ons: workshops, dinners, accommodation, kit or merchandise.
• Instalments for expensive events such as tours or camps.

Keep the list short. Every extra option adds confusion at checkout and work in your reconciliation.

Choose how attendees pay

Payment links

A payment link per ticket type is the fastest way to start. You can share it by email, chat or social media, or put it behind a "Register" button on your website. Each payment carries its own reference, so you know who paid for what.

A hosted checkout page

For larger events, a branded checkout page with your logo and event details builds trust and reduces abandoned registrations. See branded checkout page design and hosted vs embedded checkout.

Invoices for organisations

Companies sending staff to a conference or training course often need a quote and a tax invoice before they can pay. Issue a quote that converts into an invoice, with a pay-online link on the invoice for when their payment is approved.

Offer the payment methods attendees use

Event attendees are often paying personally and on their phones. Card and instant EFT give immediate confirmation, which matters when seats are limited. Apple Pay and Google Pay, where your gateway supports them, speed up mobile checkout further. See Apple Pay and Google Pay in South Africa. For events with attendees from other African countries, consider gateways that support mobile money. See e-commerce payments in Africa.

If you still accept manual EFT, confirm a registration only once the money shows in your account, never on a proof of payment alone. See EFT proof of payment verification.

Run early-bird and group pricing with discount codes

Discount codes are a simple way to run time-limited or targeted pricing without creating extra ticket types:

• An early-bird code that expires on a set date.
• A member code for association or club members.
• A sponsor or speaker code for complimentary or reduced tickets.

Limit how many times a code can be used and when it expires, and track which codes are used so that you can see which channels bring registrations. See coupon strategy for how to keep discounts under control.

Plan for cancellations and refunds

Decide your cancellation policy before you open registrations, and publish it on the registration page:

• Until when attendees can cancel for a full or partial refund.
• Whether tickets can be transferred to another person instead.
• What happens if you postpone or cancel the event.

If you sell to consumers, the Consumer Protection Act generally limits what you may keep when a consumer cancels an advance booking to a reasonable cancellation charge, so have your policy checked. When you refund, refund against the original payment and send a refund note. See how to process a refund.

Reconcile as you go

Don't wait until after the event to reconcile. Each week before the event:

• Compare paid registrations with your attendee list.
• Follow up on started-but-unpaid registrations, which are often abandoned checkouts.
• Reconcile gateway settlements to your bank account, net of fees. See payment gateway settlement reconciliation.

How CentraPoint helps

CentraPoint gives event organisers several ways to collect: payment links you can share anywhere, branded hosted checkout pages for your products, and invoices with a pay-by-link for organisations that need one. Links are signed, so the amount and reference can't be tampered with, and payment status updates automatically from verified gateway notifications.

Coupons let attendees enter early-bird or member codes at hosted checkout, with validity dates and redemption limits so codes stop working when they should. You can connect the gateways your attendees prefer, including card, instant EFT and mobile money providers, and refunds are recorded with refund notes. Reports export to CSV or Excel for your attendee list and finance team. See pricing for the plan that fits your event.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take registrations without a website?

Yes. A payment link can be shared by email, chat or social media, and works on its own without a website.

How do I stop early-bird pricing after the deadline?

Use a discount code with an expiry date rather than a separate early-bird price, so it stops working automatically.

Should I charge attendees the payment fees?

Many organisers build fees into the ticket price instead of adding a surcharge, which keeps checkout simple. Check your gateway's terms before adding any surcharge. See payment gateway fees in South Africa.