How to price your first event
A practical framework for setting ticket and stall prices that cover your costs, feel fair to attendees and sellers, and leave room to grow.
The most common mistake we see new organisers make is pricing too low. Cheap tickets and cheap stalls feel safe, but they cap what you can spend on marketing, staffing, and the venue — and make it painful to raise prices later. Here's how to get it roughly right the first time.
1. Start with your costs, not the competition
Before looking at what anyone else charges, write down everything your event will actually cost: venue hire, insurance, marketing, printing, staff or volunteers, equipment hire, cleanup. Add a buffer of 15–20% for the things you'll forget. That number is your floor — anything below it loses money.
2. Decide what success looks like
A small community event that breaks even on its first run is a win — you've proven the format and built a mailing list. A commercial event aiming for 1,000+ attendees needs a real margin to fund the next one. Be honest about which you're running before you set prices.
3. Anchor against local comparables
Look at three or four similar events within an hour's drive. Note their entry price, stall fees, and (if you can) how busy they get. You want to be roughly in the middle of the pack. Far cheaper signals "new and unproven"; far more expensive needs a clear reason (better venue, bigger draw, more stallholders) or attendees will skip it.
4. Tiered stall pricing works better than one flat fee
Offer two or three stall sizes — for example a standard 3m pitch, a premium corner / double pitch, and an indoor option if you have one. Price the premium tier 40–80% above standard. This captures sellers who'll pay more for a better spot without alienating smaller traders.
5. Don't add buyer-side booking fees
We don't charge attendees a booking fee on top of the ticket — and you shouldn't either. Build any platform or processing costs into your ticket price up front. Hidden fees at checkout are the single biggest driver of abandoned carts.
6. Plan your price rises before you launch
Decide now what your second event will cost, and your tenth. Small, regular increases (£1 on the door, £2 on stalls) are easier to communicate than a sudden 30% jump later. Tell returning sellers the new price as soon as you know it — they plan their year around your fees.
What about platform fees?
On OM Events, paid events pay a commission on sales (5% on most plans, 3% on Pro) plus Stripe's card-processing fee. Free events pay nothing. See the full pricing breakdown — there are no setup fees, no contracts, and no buyer-side booking fees.