Events Feature on PC & Mobile

[Luciano Costa]

Dear Ning,

I think what you guys are accomplishing is great but it's not enough. I find the event's RSVP feature pointless if I can't utilize it to monetize on the events. I must be able to request payment for admission in addition to just asking if someone "intends" on showing up. I think this is a major oversight and needs to be addressed ASAP. I'm sure many NC's are facing the same problem. You should also look into creating a check-in system to allow NC's too check-in guests as they arrive at these events. I currently use Evenbrite, which is a spectacular tool, but it gets complicated and redundant to use that AND the event function on my network. I would prefer it were all in one place... one point of sale.

Thank you.

Luciano

[Eric Suesz]

Hey, Luciano. To be honest, we don't have any plans to create a way for you to do real-world event ticketing — either for the mobile or desktop versions. We have a Paid Access add-on, but charging for events isn't something that we built into that. I know it may feel like a it needs to be created ASAP, but it's just not a core focus of our product. You could also try Brown Paper Tickets. 

[Luciano Costa]

Hi Eric,

Thank you for your reply. I understand it's not a core focus of your product but it should be something to be looked at. At the very least, survey your NC's. I can't be the only network that hosts paid events. It would be much easier (possibly even profitable to NING) to offer such a feature that's all-inclusive instead of having to utilize a 3rd party such as Brown Paper Tickets or Eventbrite. At the moment I have to host 2 event pages, one on the site just to inform members and one on Eventbrite so members can actually rsvp and pay for tickets. 

[Eric Suesz]

We do regularly run surveys, although we don't use voting to determine what we build. We get a lot of the best feedback here on Creators.

To be honest not a lot of people using Ning seem to be charging for real-world events. You're not the only one who charges for events, and I know that the small number of those who do (or who would consider it if it were an option) would love this kind of feature, but it's kind of outside the scope of what we offer as a platform. Eventbrite is wonderful, and they've built a stellar system. But, it's also a company that has spent tens of millions of dollars building that system. Some of these types of features and functionality can be pretty complicated. 

But, I acknowledge that this is something that would be great and useful. I will encourage our product team to consider something in the Paid Access add-on that can deal with events.