Refund Policy

Refund requests must be submitted at least 48 hours before the scheduled event start time. Requests made within the 48-hour window are not eligible for automated self-service refunds and will be routed to the event organizer for manual review.

To request a refund, log in to your TicketCraft account, navigate to "My Tickets," select the ticket you wish to refund, and click "Request Refund." The system will automatically verify your eligibility based on the event date and ticket usage status.

The platform processing fee of R17.00 per ticket is non-refundable under all circumstances. This fee covers payment gateway transaction costs, ticket generation, QR code infrastructure, and platform maintenance.

Only the base ticket price is eligible for refund. For example, if you paid R150.00 (R133.00 ticket + R17.00 fee), you will receive R133.00 back.

If an organizer cancels an event, all ticket holders will automatically receive a full refund of the base ticket price within 5-7 business days. You do not need to submit a refund request — the system processes this automatically when the event status is set to "cancelled."

If an event is postponed, ticket holders have two options: (a) retain the ticket for the rescheduled date, or (b) request a full refund of the base ticket price within 14 days of the postponement announcement. After 14 days, the standard 48-hour refund window applies to the new event date.

Tickets for events that you did not attend due to personal reasons (including scheduling conflicts, transportation issues, illness, or change of plans) are not eligible for any refund.

Ticket usage is verified through our QR code scanning system at the event gate. If your ticket was scanned and marked as "used," no refund will be issued under any circumstances.

TicketCraft uses a three-tier dispute resolution system to prevent unnecessary chargebacks and resolve issues fairly:

Tier 1 — Self-Service Portal: If your request meets the automated policy criteria (48+ hours before event, ticket not used), you can request and receive approval for a refund directly through your account dashboard without organizer involvement.

Tier 2 — Organizer Review: If your request does not meet automated criteria, it is routed to the event organizer for manual review. The organizer has 5 business days to approve or deny the request. The organizer holds the event funds and is the primary decision-maker.

Tier 3 — Platform Arbitration: If the organizer denies your request and you believe the denial was unjust, you may escalate the dispute to TicketCraft platform administrators. Our team will review the case and make a binding final decision. This is the final avenue of resolution before a chargeback.

We actively prevent friendly fraud and unwarranted chargebacks through the following technical measures:

Clear Bank Statement Descriptors: Transactions will appear on your bank statement with "TicketCraft" and the event name, making it easy to recognize legitimate purchases.

Secure Ticket Delivery: All digital tickets contain dynamic QR codes tied to the specific ticket number. We track when confirmation and ticket emails are sent and opened, providing proof of delivery.

Scan Logs: Every ticket scan at the event gate is logged with a timestamp. If a buyer attempts a chargeback claiming non-attendance, we can provide scan logs proving the ticket was used at the event.

To protect all parties and ensure the platform can honor legitimate refunds, the following financial safeguards are in place:

Escrow Hold: A percentage of each event's ticket revenue (default 10%) is held in escrow by TicketCraft until the event successfully concludes. This ensures funds are available for legitimate refund requests even if the organizer's account balance is insufficient.

Automated Reversals: If a forced refund is issued through platform arbitration, the system can automatically claw back the refunded amount from the organizer's connected payout account. If the organizer's account lacks sufficient funds, the escrow hold covers the shortfall.

Payout Delay: Organizer payouts are released only after the event has concluded and no outstanding refund disputes remain. Events with active disputes will have payouts held until all disputes are resolved.

By purchasing a ticket through TicketCraft, you agree to attempt resolution through our tiered dispute workflow before initiating a chargeback with your bank or credit card provider.

If you initiate a chargeback without first attempting resolution through our platform, we may provide evidence of your ticket purchase, delivery, and (if applicable) gate scan logs to your bank to dispute the chargeback.

Accounts that repeatedly initiate chargebacks without attempting platform resolution may be suspended from future purchases on TicketCraft.

For questions about this Refund Policy, to escalate a dispute, or to request help with a refund, please contact us or email support@ticketcraft.co.za.