Setting up an event before it goes on sale

Most resale problems on show day don't come from anything dramatic — they come from a setting nobody double-checked. A category that shouldn't have been resellable was. A price cap was tighter than the event needed. The closing time was left on a default that didn't match when doors actually open.

None of these are hard to get right. They're just easy to forget when you're launching an event. So before you publish, take a few minutes and go down the list below.

Start by deciding which ticket categories belong in the resale market and which don't.

• Eligible categories are set. Most are enabled, but complimentary tickets, invitations, accreditations, and promos are left out — those shouldn't be resold. See categories and eligibility.
• The naming is clean. No duplicates, no ambiguous names that could confuse a fan or you.

Next, confirm the event is running the rules you actually want — and that nothing is quietly contradicting them.

• The right ruleset is assigned. The event inherited the set it should have, or it has its own custom rules for a good reason. See assignment.
• Availability matches the plan. Listing and purchase are turned on the way this event's strategy calls for.
• Prices and fees are reviewed. Minimum and maximum price, plus fees, all checked. See General Rules.
• Automations don't fight the rules. If you're using Automations, make sure they aren't pulling against the rules you just set.

The goal of your trust & safety setup is to keep bad actors out without getting in the way of honest fans trying to transact.

• Trust & safety practices make sense for the event. Tuned to let real transactions through, not to block everything just in case. See trust & safety practices.
• The block list is current. Confirmed cases are loaded before the on sale, not after.

Last, set when the market closes and confirm everything looks right from the outside.

• The closing time fits the event. Chosen for this event's type and size, not left on a generic default. See when to close the resale market.
• The event shows up in the Control Station. Confirm it appears correctly before the sale opens.
• You tested the rules. Use "Test rules" to confirm the set really applies where you expect it to.