How does Ticketgateway handle chargebacks?

Chargebacks happen when a cardholder disputes a charge with their bank. The cardholder’s bank investigates if the cardholder should be charged or if they deserve a refund. Ticketgateway manages chargebacks for organizers to help save you money. You may be responsible for covering the loss in some cases. Reduce the risk of chargebacks by choosing a refund policy. Please also respond quickly to refund requests, regardless of your refund policy. Even with a "No Refund" policy, some orders may be refunded, as chargebacks are started directly by the bank.

TIP: To make sure attendees with cancelled tickets don’t get in to your event, we recommend downloading the Ticketgateway TGlivescan app to scan or check-in tickets. Ticketgateway won’t compensate you for invalid tickets that are allowed entry.

NOTE: If you did not take payment for your event with Ticketgateway Payment Processing, you’ll have to get in touch with your specific payment processor to learn more about their chargeback policy.

1.1 What is a chargeback?

Chargebacks allow cardholders to request a refund directly from their bank. Cardholders may file chargebacks because they didn’t authorize a purchase they see on their billing statement or because they didn’t get the goods or services they expected in return.

To start a chargeback, cardholders must formally dispute the purchase with their card issuing bank. There’s no other way to start a chargeback. The card issuing bank then contacts the bank that processed the payment, which, in return, reaches out to the merchant (i.e., Ticketgateway) to request evidence that proves the charge was legitimate.

If the merchant loses the chargeback, the cardholder gets their money back, but – win or lose – the merchant is charged a fee for every chargeback they receive.

NOTE: Ticketgateway would never start to manage chargebacks without being notified by the cardholder’s bank.

2.1 How Ticketgateway handles chargebacks

While Ticketgateway has a dedicated team that works to minimize chargebacks, organizers can still actively protect themselves from chargebacks:

Choose a refund policy.
  • Even with a "No Refund" policy, some orders may be refunded, as chargebacks are started directly by the bank. (See Section 4.3(g) of our Merchant Agreement, “Chargebacks; Reversals.”) Refunds may also still be expected in certain situations.
  • Respond to refund requests as soon as possible — the longer you wait to respond, the higher the chance a chargeback will occur.
  • When operating a box office or will-call for tickets, always check ID and the last 4-digits of the credit card used to make the purchase. Also, collect a signature and save your will-call lists.

EXAMPLE: Joe organizes marathons throughout the year. She sets and displays a refund policy on her event listings. She also states in the Event Details and order confirmation email that if a race is cancelled, attendees can request a refund within the policy or transfer their registration to another date. After one of Joe’s marathons was cancelled for bad weather, almost all attendees chose to transfer their registration to another date instead of filing a chargeback with their bank.

NOTE: We understand that refund policies vary depending on the type of event. If you receive a refund request that's inaccurate or falls outside of your posted refund policy, you can decline the refund in a timely fashion and send the attendee a note.

3.1How to help prevent chargebacks

While Ticketgateway has a dedicated team that works to minimize chargebacks, organizers can still actively protect themselves from chargebacks:

  • Choose a refund policy.

    Even with a "No Refund" policy, some orders may be refunded, as chargebacks are started directly by the bank. (See Section 4.3(g) of our Merchant Agreement, “Chargebacks; Reversals.”) Refunds may also still be expected in certain situations.

  • Respond to refund requests as soon as possible — the longer you wait to respond, the higher the chance a chargeback will occur.
  • When operating a box office or will-call for tickets, always check ID and the last 4-digits of the credit card used to make the purchase. Also, collect a signature and save your will-call lists.

EXAMPLE: Joe organizes marathons throughout the year. She sets and displays a refund policy on her event listings. She also states in the Event Details and order confirmation email that if a race is cancelled, attendees can request a refund within the policy or transfer their registration to another date. After one of Joe’s marathons was cancelled for bad weather, almost all attendees chose to transfer their registration to another date instead of filing a chargeback with their bank.

NOTE: We understand that refund policies vary depending on the type of event. If you receive a refund request that's inaccurate or falls outside of your posted refund policy, you can decline the refund in a timely fashion and send the attendee a note.

4.1 FAQ: Pre-event Chargeback

(1) WILL I BE NOTIFIED WHEN YOU REFUND A PRE-EVENT CHARGEBACK?

Yes, you will receive an email that includes the relevant order details.

(2) HAVE I RECEIVED CHARGEBACKS BEFORE? IF SO, WHY ARE YOU REFUNDING THEM?

It’s possible that you have previously received chargebacks. While our policy has been to refund orders where a chargeback will result in losses to Ticketgateway, we are now enforcing it more rigorously.

(5) IS THERE A PLACE IN MY Ticketgateway ACCOUNT THAT I CAN VIEW CHARGEBACKS AS THEY COME IN?

Although we do not make this information available to you in your Ticketgateway account at this time, you will receive an email that includes the relevant order details.

(6) WHAT SECTION OF YOUR TERMS OF SERVICE (TOS) PERMITS YOU TO DO THIS?

Please see section 4.3(C) of our Merchant Agreement: Chargebacks; Reversals.

(7) WHO PAYS THE CHARGEBACK FEE?

As a courtesy to you, Ticketgateway absorbs 100% of chargeback fees on your behalf.

(8) WHAT HAPPENS IF AN ATTENDEE FILED A CHARGEBACK ACCIDENTALLY AND STILL WANTS THEIR TICKET?

If tickets are still available for the event, the attendee should re-purchase. Unfortunately, we’re not able to reverse the refund once it’s been initiated.

4.1 FAQ: Post-event Chargeback

(1) WILL I BE NOTIFIED WHEN YOU PUT A CHARGE ON MY ACCOUNT?

Yes, you will receive an email that includes the charge amount and relevant order details.

(2) HOW MUCH DO I GET CHARGED?

The charge will be in amount of the order, minus the Ticketgateway Service Fee and Ticketgateway Payment Processing fee. As a courtesy to you, Ticketgateway absorbs 100% of the associated chargeback fees on your behalf from our banking partner.

(3) HOW DOES THE CHARGE GET APPLIED?

Charges will be placed on the account level. The charge will either be taken out of your next payout or will generate an invoice at the beginning of next month. If an invoice is generated, you will be notified via email and payment is due within 30 days.

(4) DID YOU FIGHT THE CHARGEBACK?

Yes. Ticketgateway represents chargebacks on your behalf and works hard to protect you against loss. Although our win rates exceed industry standards, our banking partner, unfortunately, ruled against us in this case.

(6) IS THERE A PLACE IN MY Ticketgateway ACCOUNT THAT I CAN VIEW CHARGEBACKS AS THEY COME IN?

Although we do not make this information available to you in your Ticketgateway account at this time, it is on our roadmap for the future.