Selling Event Tickets From Your Own Website
By CodexierPublished 5 min read
Concert venues, theatres, sports clubs, restaurants with events and course organisers all face the same choice: sell tickets through a ticket platform or on their own website. Platforms are fast and handle the hard parts, but take a fee on every ticket and often sit between you and your audience. Your own site gives control and customer data, but you carry the setup. This guide compares the two on fees, VAT, capacity handling and check-in, so you can choose based on your volume and needs.
Ticket platforms and their fees
Platforms such as Tickster, Billetto and Eventbrite typically charge a fee per ticket, sometimes split between organiser and buyer, plus payment fees. Compare the total cost per ticket at your usual price, including whether the buyer sees an added fee at checkout, which affects conversion. Also check payout timing: some platforms pay out after the event, which ties up cash.
Selling on your own site
| Aspect | Ticket platform | Own website |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | Hours | Days to weeks |
| Cost per ticket | Platform fee plus payment fee | Payment fee only |
| Customer data and consent | Often shared or owned by platform | Yours |
| Branding and design | Limited | Full control |
| Discovery | Some platforms list your event | You drive all traffic |
| High-demand releases | Built for queues | Needs planning and testing |
On your own site, a webshop platform such as WooCommerce or Shopify with an event or ticketing extension covers most small organisers. Payments run through Swish, card and Klarna as in any webshop; see Klarna, Stripe and Swish for webshops. Custom work makes sense when you have special rules, such as member prices, season passes, group bookings or integration with a booking system.
VAT on event tickets
| Event type | Typical VAT treatment in Sweden |
|---|---|
| Concerts, theatre, opera, dance performances, circus | Reduced rate, 6 percent |
| Cinema | Reduced rate, 6 percent |
| Sports events as spectator | Reduced rate, 6 percent, some organisers exempt |
| Conferences, seminars and many courses | Standard rate, 25 percent, unless an exemption applies |
| Packages with dinner or accommodation | May need splitting between rates |
VAT rules have exceptions, for example for some non-profit and public organisers. Check your specific case with Skatteverket or your accountant.
Also note that the right of withdrawal under Swedish distance-selling rules generally does not apply to leisure services booked for a specific date, such as event tickets. Write your refund policy clearly anyway, and show it before payment. Our guide to distance-selling rules in Sweden explains the details.
Capacity, seats and waitlists
- Set capacity per event and per ticket type, and make sure stock is reserved during checkout so you do not oversell.
- Numbered seating needs a seat map; that is where platforms have a clear advantage over simple webshop plugins.
- Offer a waitlist when sold out, and release returned tickets to it automatically or by email.
- Handle early bird prices, discount codes and member prices with clear rules and end dates.
- Plan for cancellation: how refunds are paid, and how you contact all buyers quickly.
Check-in and scanning
Each ticket should carry a unique QR code, sent by email and ideally addable to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. At the door, staff scan codes with a phone app that marks the ticket as used and warns about duplicates. Test the scanning in real conditions: poor mobile coverage in a basement venue is a common problem, so choose a solution that works offline and syncs afterwards. Keep a printed guest list as backup.
Our custom e-commerce features cover ticketing on your own site, from capacity and member prices to QR check-in; prices are on the pricing page. When not to buy from us: if you run a handful of events a year, a ticket platform is cheaper and faster than any custom build. To compare the numbers for your volume, book a free call.
Frequently asked questions
Can we sell tickets with Swish?
Yes. Swish for business, integrated in your checkout, works well for tickets. Make sure the ticket is issued automatically when payment is confirmed, not after manual checking.
Do customers have a right to cancel event tickets?
The statutory right of withdrawal for distance sales generally does not apply to leisure services for a specific date. You can still offer your own refund policy, and must refund if you cancel the event.
Can we combine a platform and our own site?
Yes. Many organisers sell most tickets on their own site and use a platform for extra reach or for large events with seat maps. Keep capacity in sync to avoid overselling.
What about GDPR for ticket buyers?
Collect only what you need, state how the data is used and ask for separate consent for marketing. If a platform holds the data, check what you are allowed to use it for.
Paying too much in ticket fees?
Tell us how many events you run, your typical ticket price and your current platform. In fifteen minutes we can compare the cost of selling on your own site and what the setup would involve.
Book a free 15-minute call