Event door sales and ticket scanning
Run the ticket desk at local events: door sales, card payments and entry scanning.
- A$1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
You provide the box office at events. You sell tickets at the door, take card payments, scan pre-sold tickets and keep a count of entries for the organiser.
Your first three steps
- Choose a ticketing platform with a scanning app and buy or hire tablets, a card reader and a mobile hotspot
- Offer to run the door for a local event at a low introductory rate, and ask for a testimonial
- Prepare a simple event-day checklist covering float, refunds, queue flow and end-of-night reconciliation
Who pays
Festivals, markets, sports clubs, school fundraisers, gig promoters and small venues that lack their own ticketing set-up.
How it makes money
A flat fee per event or a small commission on tickets sold, with extras for wristbands, extra staff or reports.
Skills that help
- Handling cash and card payments accurately
- Calm with queues and crowds
- Organised and reliable on the day
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance, and check whether the organiser's cover includes you
- Patchy mobile coverage at venues, so have an offline option
- Handling cash safely, with a clear process for floats and banking
- Workers compensation insurance and pay rules if you hire casual staff, which vary by state
- A written agreement on who is responsible for crowd control and entry decisions
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: event door sales and ticket scanning
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an event door sales business?
Estimates suggest startup typically costs around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your payment and scanning equipment and how you set up. Also allow for public liability insurance and a safe system for handling cash.
How much revenue can event door sales bring in?
Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $600 to $4,000, depending on how many events you work and the terms you agree with organisers. Hours are often tied to event days, so check how they fit your week.
What should I check before running a ticket desk at events?
Check public liability insurance and whether the organiser's cover includes you. Also check workers compensation and pay rules if you hire casual staff, which vary by state, and get a written agreement on who handles crowd control and entry decisions.
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Photo: 1139623 on Pixabay