Electronic Ticketing FAQ


General Questions

Event Organizer Questions


General Questions

What is e-ticketing?

Electronic ticketing (e-ticketing) is a paperless ticketing method used for a growing number of events at Gen Con. Not all events will be e-ticketed, but those that are will not issue paper tickets.

We're implementing e-ticketing to reduce the hassle and waste of printing, distributing, and collecting hundreds of thousands of paper event tickets each year. When an attendee registers for an e-ticketed event, their ticket is electronically associated with their Gen Con account. Instead of collecting paper tickets, the Event Organizer for an e-ticketed event simply scans the badge of a registered attendee to redeem their ticket!

How does e-ticketing work?

E-tickets are purchased the same way as paper tickets, but they will not be shipped to you or picked up at Will Call. Instead, they are stored in your Gen Con account and associated with your Gen Con badge. Event Hosts will admit you by scanning your badge rather than taking a paper ticket. You must have a badge in order to redeem an e-ticket. Receipts or packing lists are not valid and will not be accepted.

Is e-ticketing optional?

Events will be designated as either electronic- or paper-ticketed. There will be no option to get paper tickets for electronic events.

Do I need to have a smartphone to use e-ticketing?

Nope! As an attendee all you need is your badge. Event organizers will use a smartphone or other device to scan your badge and redeem your e-tickets.

How do I get e-tickets?

E-tickets are purchased the same way as paper tickets, but they will not be shipped to you or picked up at Will Call. Instead, they are stored in your Gen Con account and associated with your Gen Con badge.

How do I know if an event is e-ticketed?

The event detail page of each Gen Con event will list the ticketing method as either "paper ticket" or "electronic ticket."

How can I buy e-tickets?

E-tickets can be purchased as soon as event registration opens, just like paper tickets. They can also be purchased on site during the convention. Unlike paper tickets, an Event Organizer can sell you an e-ticket at their event. In order to purchase an e-ticket from an EO, you will need to include a payment method on your active account. If you do not have a payment method or an active account, only the individual who purchased your badge will be able to purchase a ticket for you via their account.

Can I refund e-tickets?

E-tickets can be refunded just like paper tickets. They can also be refunded after the ship-to-me deadline as they do not need to be printed. Additionally, you can get a refund on site by going to the Customer Service kiosk.

Do e-tickets cost the same as paper tickets?

Events will not be priced differently based on their ticketing method.

How do I see e-tickets that I’ve already purchased?

The homepage of your Gen Con account lists the schedule of all the events for which you have bought tickets, and designates whether they are paper or electronic tickets.

Will e-tickets be included in my packet?

No, your packet will include only your badge and/or any paper tickets you have purchased. Your badge is all you need to get into your e-ticketed events. Your packing list will include a list of events for which you have e-tickets.

Can I still use paper tickets?

Many events will still use paper tickets, which will be delivered to you in the usual way. E-ticketed events will still accept generic paper tickets if space is available, but the only way to guarantee a spot in e-ticketed events will be to purchase an e-ticket.

Can I buy e-tickets for my friends?

Yes. As with paper tickets, you will have the opportunity to buy e-tickets for yourself or any of your friends. If you buy e-tickets for specific friends, the e-tickets will appear under their accounts and be associated with their badges. If you buy multiple e-tickets under your own name, you simply bring your friends with you to the event. The host will first scan your badge, then the badges of each of your friends to redeem the additional tickets.

How can I give e-tickets to friends?

If you have a ticket under your name you can transfer it to a friend or family member. Paper tickets cannot be transferred after the ship-to-me date. Only electronic tickets can be transferred, up until 30 minutes before the start of the event.

To transfer a ticket, go to the event's details page while signed into your account. The event's details page can be accessed from the Event Finder or from your Schedule. Click on your name in the upper right corner of any page and scroll down to see your schedule.

In the Ticket Selection Sidebar on the right side of the Event's details page, if a box is checked indicating that you have a ticket for the event, you will see a "Transfer Ticket" button at the bottom of the sidebar. Selecting that button will take you to a page with a list of your friends and family. Select the person you want to transfer a ticket to and then select the "Submit" button.

Transferring a ticket to someone is similar to buying them a ticket. They must have a valid badge for the time of the event and they must have an opening in their schedule when the event occurs.

You can only transfer tickets to people on your Friends & Family list.

You cannot transfer an e-ticket to someone who has their schedule blocked by another event.

On your “My Transactions” page you will now see that the e-ticket has been transferred to the person you selected.

How and when can I return my e-tickets?

E-tickets can be returned up until 30 minutes prior to the start of the event, either online or via Customer Service.

What if I lose my badge?

All attendees are required to wear a valid badge at all times during the convention. If you lose your badge, please follow Gen Con’s existing policies to get a replacement. If you have purchased e-tickets, they will be switched to your replacement badge.

What if my badge cannot be scanned?

When attending an e-ticketed event, if your badge cannot be scanned by the EO, the EO can allow you to attend the event as long as they can confirm purchase of a ticket for that event and take a picture of your badge. If you have other e-ticketed events on your schedule, please attend your next e-ticketed event. If the badge is unable to be scanned again, bring your badge to the Customer Service kiosk to be replaced.

If you see that the barcode on your badge is damaged or altered, please take your badge to Customer Service to be replaced. If you have purchased e-tickets, they will still be associated with your account and connected with your replacement badge.

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Event Organizer Questions

How do I make my event(s) e-ticketed?

Event Organizers are able to request that their events be e-ticketed during the event submission process by selecting "Electronic" as the ticketing method for each event you want e-ticketed. Additionally, you’ll need to fill out an E-Ticketing Certification Request Form and add any individuals you want to scan badges for your events as GMs in the Gamemaster Field. For complete requirements for participation in e-ticketing visit Electronic Ticketing for EOs.

Do I need to have a smartphone to host an e-ticketed event?

In order to host an e-ticketed event, you and/or your GMs will need either a compatible smartphone with the Gen Con mobile app installed and/or an internet-connected computer with a USB barcode scanner. For complete specifications visit Electronic Ticketing for EOs.

Should I use a smartphone or a computer to scan badges?

If you’re not already planning to set up computers, the smartphone option is probably easier. You can also use computers and smartphones simultaneously. Each device will update to reflect tickets redeemed by other devices.

If I want to use a computer what kind of scanner do I need?

You will need a USB scanner that’s capable of reading “Code39” style barcodes. To make sure your scanner will work, please use the Barcode Test page.

Will e-ticketing work without a cell or Wi-Fi connection?

The Gen Con mobile app can redeem e-tickets when internet access is slow or temporarily disrupted, but will need to be connected in order to sell tickets.

Can I see a list of e-ticketed attendees for my events?

Yes, the Gen Con app will show a list of events you are hosting and the list of attendees with tickets for each.

How long will it take to scan a badge?

It’s really fast. It also makes a pleasant dinging sound and prompts a notification when a badge has been successfully scanned.

Can an attendee buy a e-ticket from me as the Event Host?

Yes, if they have a valid payment method on-file in their Gen Con account, the smartphone app will prompt you to sell them an e-ticket.

If an attendee doesn’t show up for an event can their spot be filled?

If a ticketed attendee has not arrived when your event starts, you are free to sell additional tickets to other attendees. In order to sell a ticket, the attendee needs to have a payment method on file. If there is no payment method on file, the individual who purchased that attendees badge will need to confirm the ticket purchase.

Even if the event is sold out?

You have the option to “over sell” your event, even above the max attendees, if you feel you can accommodate them. The app will show how many tickets have been sold for each event, who they have been sold to, how many tickets have been redeemed (badges scanned for), and who the tickets have been redeemed for.

If an attendee’s guests don’t show up, can they get a refund?

No. E-tickets can only be returned up until 30 minutes prior to the start of the event, either online or via Customer Service.

If an attendee has bought e-tickets for a group of friends, do we have to wait for all of them to arrive before scanning them in?

No, you can scan in the ticket holder and any guests who are present, then resume scanning late arriving guests later. The app will tell you how many remaining unredeemed tickets the ticket holder has. However, you will need to rescan the ticket holder’s badge to resume scanning their guests.

What if the attendee’s badge can’t be scanned?

Couple of possibilities here:

  • If the app is able to read the badge’s barcode but can’t find a corresponding ticket for your event, they may actually be the guest of someone who bought multiple tickets. They will need to wait until the ticket holder arrives.
  • They might be confused about what event they have a ticket for. You can ask to see their event schedule (on their packing list or their schedule on the Gen Con mobile app) to confirm.
  • If they bought their ticket recently but your smartphone is offline, your app may not have an up-to-date list of tickets. You can only scan and redeem tickets that are reflected in your list of tickets and will need to reconnect again in order to update the list. Additionally, you cannot sell tickets to attendees unless you have a network connection.
  • You may have sold an attendee a ticket, but they did not confirm the purchase. In order to sell a ticket, the attendee needs to have a payment method on file and then confirm the purchase. If there is no payment method on file, the individual who purchased that attendee’s badge will receive the notification and be the one to confirm the ticket purchase. You will not receive credit for a ticket that has not been confirmed, and it is your responsibility to ensure the attendee has completed the process before scanning their badge and allowing them to attend your event.
  • If the badge’s barcode is totally unreadable by the app, and you can see the attendee’s name on the ticket list for the event, take a photo of the badge and send it to [email protected]. These will be processed manually after the show during ticket reconciliation if we can confirm that the attendee has purchased a ticket for your event. Additionally, please encourage the attendee to go to Customer Service to get a replacement badge.

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