Selling merchandise and add-ons at checkout secures revenue before your event opens and removes the on-the-day guesswork from stock planning. On TicketSource, sundry items attach directly to the ticket checkout so buyers can add programmes, branded merchandise, drinks packages, or parking in the same transaction as their ticket.
The treasurer of a drama society once described ordering programmes as "the annual guessing game." Too few and the people who wanted one don't get one. Too many and you're recycling a box of them a week later. The whole problem disappears the moment you sell them at checkout.
Merchandise and add-ons have always been a source of event revenue, but trusting them to sell on the day is unpredictable. 64% of UK consumers abandon purchases because of long queues, and on-the-day buyers may be running late, watching their budget, or simply not in the mindset to browse a merchandise stand after a long journey to the venue.
Offering sundry items during the ticket checkout changes the timing. The buyer has their card out, they're planning ahead, and they're in the mindset of investing in the event experience. Adding a programme or a branded cup at that moment feels like a natural extension of the booking, not a separate decision they have to make later.
According to TicketSource's 2025 User Survey, 46.3% of event organisers run on an annual budget of £1,000 or less. For those organisers, every additional pound of confirmed revenue matters. Checkout add-ons are one of the most reliable ways to increase income per booking without increasing the cost of running the event.
The core advantage is forecasting. When a theatre sells programmes on the night, they are guessing. When they pre-sell them at checkout, they know. The stock order reflects real demand, the income is confirmed before doors open, and there's no leftover inventory to account for.
Smaller purchases add up quickly when they happen at scale. A run of 200 tickets with 60% of buyers adding a £5 programme produces £600 in pre-secured revenue that the organiser could not have predicted from on-the-day sales alone. Bundle the programme with an interval drinks voucher and that number goes higher.
For events running across multiple nights, that predictability matters even more. By the second or third night you have real data on take-up rates rather than estimates, and you can adjust your stock and staffing accordingly.
"The checkout stage is one of the only moments in your event cycle where a buyer is completely committed and completely focused. They're buying the ticket, they're excited about coming, and they're open to adding something that improves the experience. That window doesn't really exist at any other point: not on social media, not in a promotional email, not at the venue door."
There is a branding dimension to merchandise that goes beyond the immediate sale. A well-designed tote bag, reusable cup, or lanyard becomes something people carry in other contexts. If someone values it enough to buy it and use it, your event's branding travels with them.
"Promotional merchandise comes in many different shapes and forms, from high-tech gadgets to practical mugs and umbrellas, so there will always be something to suit your audience and budget. Consider a theme that reflects your business, reminding them in a subtle way of your business and its core values."
- Tom Worland, PA Productions
Pre-selling merchandise also means buyers arrive already more invested in the event. They've ordered something, they're collecting it on the night, and they have a tangible reason beyond the show itself to be there. That level of engagement tends to translate into better audience energy, which is worth something even if it's hard to put a number on it.
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The best add-ons are the ones that feel like a natural part of the event, not a bolt-on. A theatre programme is expected. A branded tote at a folk festival makes sense. A parking pass at a conference solves a problem buyers were already thinking about. If it makes attending easier or more enjoyable, it's worth offering.
Theatres and performing arts venues tend to do well with printed programmes, VIP interval drinks, souvenir brochures, and meet-and-greet lanyards for special performances. Offering these in advance lets front-of-house prepare everything before doors open rather than scrambling during the interval rush.
Festivals and live music events suit the full range of branded merchandise: T-shirts, tote bags, posters, physical releases, and practical items like reusable cups or torches for camping. According to PwC research, consumers will pay a premium of 5% or more for sustainable alternatives, so eco-friendly options can be positioned as premium add-ons rather than standard ones.
Conferences and corporate events benefit from practical upgrades: pre-paid lunches, parking passes, networking drinks, workshop materials, or branded notebooks. These still count as checkout add-ons but provide particular operational value. A pre-sold lunch package tells catering exactly how much to prepare.
Keep your sundry items to a short, relevant list. Three or four well-chosen options convert better than a long menu that makes the buyer stop and deliberate. A theatre that offers a programme, an interval drink, and a souvenir brochure gives buyers a clear choice without slowing down the checkout.
Inside your TicketSource dashboard, you can add sundry items directly to any active event. Each item has its own name, price, description, and optional stock limit. When buyers reach the checkout after selecting their tickets, the available sundry items appear as add-ons before they complete payment.
Everything is purchased in a single transaction. The buyer receives a booking confirmation that includes both their tickets and a voucher for any sundry items they have ordered, which is redeemed at the event. You receive payment for sundry items at the same time as ticket settlement.
"The stock limit on sundry items is the feature that makes this genuinely useful for organisers rather than just a nice-to-have. If you have 50 programmes printed, you set the limit at 50 and the platform stops selling them when they're gone. No overselling, no awkward conversations on the night, no running out mid-way through the queue."
From an operational standpoint, the reporting is where sundry items earn their keep. You can see exactly how many of each item have been sold before the event, which means merchandise bags can be prepared in advance, collection points can be set up appropriately, and front-of-house know what to expect before the first buyer arrives.
Download your sundry item sales report a few days before the event. Use it to prepare merchandise bags, brief your front-of-house team on what's been ordered, and set up a dedicated collection point that doesn't bottleneck the main entrance. The report is available in your dashboard under Reports.
Start Selling Tickets Today
Start your free account with TicketSource today to add sundry items to your next event, or get in touch with our team to talk through what add-ons make sense for your event type.
Can I sell merchandise alongside my tickets on TicketSource?
Yes. TicketSource's sundry items feature lets you attach add-ons to any event, including programmes, branded merchandise, VIP upgrades, drinks packages, parking, or anything else relevant to your event. Buyers add them at checkout in the same transaction as their tickets and receive a voucher for collection on the night.
Can I set a stock limit on the merchandise I sell at checkout?
Yes. Each sundry item has an optional stock limit. When that limit is reached the item stops being offered at checkout automatically, so you can't oversell a fixed print run or a limited merchandise batch. Stock levels are tracked in your dashboard in real time as orders come in.
When do I get paid for sundry items sold at checkout?
Sundry item payments are processed at the same time as ticket settlement, so you receive the income for add-ons at the same point you receive ticket income. You don't need to manage a separate payment process for merchandise.
What types of sundry items work best for community and charity events?
Printed programmes and raffle tickets tend to convert well at community and charity events because they feel like a natural part of attending. For fundraising events, a pre-sold donation option at checkout can also work. Buyers who are already in the payment flow are more likely to add a small contribution than they are to respond to a bucket collection at the end of the night.
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Allie is a freelance writer and editor based in South Wales. Working within the arts industries for the past couple of years, she has written and edited content on attractions and events across the UK. She enjoys staying up to date with the latest performances in her hometown and spreading the word about exciting events taking place nationwide.
