We've worked hard to make the EventGenius marketplace super user-friendly.
But sometimes, not everything is as easy to understand as it could be. Please check through our frequently asked questions to see if we have an answer for you.
For Everyone
How does EventGenius work?
We have a great resource explaining how EventGenius works for both event organizers and event vendors. Visit our "How It Works" page.
Why aren't I receiving email from EventGenius?
If you aren't receiving emails from EventGenius, it usually means your email provider and/or Internet Service Provider (ISP) have flagged our email messages as spam. Please add 'support@eventgenius.com' to your safe list. If that doesn't work, you may need to contact your ISP to explore other solutions.
Why do I need to provide a credit card?
For event organizers, you need to provide a credit card before you can book a vendor for your event. An initial payment to start work is required to book a vendor and in turn, the vendor must pay a booking fee to EventGenius. And, there's no need to worry about security. None of your bank or credit card information is stored on our servers, so you can rest easy knowing your money is safe. For vendors, if you have a premium account, you will need to have a credit card on file in order to process your membership fees.
I'm having trouble with some features on your website.
Sorry about that, we know how extremely frustrating that is. Pitching your services and hiring for an event is a very detailed process and most fields we present on our website are required fields. Please check to make sure all fields are filled in. If you've done that and are still having problems, please make sure you are using the latest web browsers. While many features will still work, we do not support any non-modern web browser. Please check and update your web browser. If you're still having problems, please contact us.
For Event Organizers
What is an EventGenius worksheet?
The EventGenius worksheet is our version of a quote. Because EventGenius is a comprehensive event planning marketplace, you can plan an entire event and hire most every vendor you need through our system. The EventGenius worksheet will help you describe to a vendor exactly what you want in a manner allowing for a fast and easy quote return from each vendor.
Can I change my EventGenius worksheet after I've saved and listed my request?
If you have not yet hired a vendor for your event, then absolutely. If any vendors have submitted quotes to your event request and you have not accepted any bids, all quotes will be reset and all vendors will have to resubmit in order to quote again on your event. If you have hired a vendor already on your event and you need to make a change, you will not be able to make a change to your event worksheet and you will need to work out details separately with each vendor.
Can I negotiate fees with a vendor?
If you find a vendor that you love and want to book, but for some reason the quote may be out of your budget, you may ask the vendor to “tweak” the quote. The vendor may have a creative solution, or change the type of service you will be receiving to help get you closer to your budget. Each quote request you receive has a commenting feature, so you can connect directly with each vendor within each quote. All you have to do is ask.
How much is the initial payment?
The Initial Payment amount to book a vendor and have them start work is 50% of the fee you agree upon.
Is my initial payment refundable?
In most cases no, because they started work. You will need to check directly with the vendor you hired in order to be sure and verify their cancellation policy.
How do I pay the balance?
Upon acceptance to book a vendor for an event, you will need to agree to automatic payments for the full amount you agree upon with your vendor. The final 50% of your fee will be automatically charged on the day the event occurs. Certain vendors may need to be paid in full prior to the event.
Can I get my money back if I cancel an event after I've booked a vendor?
After you hire a vendor, you will have to check their terms to see what their specific cancellation policy is. In most cases, initial payments and any fees paid will not be refundable. Some fees paid to the vendor go towards credit card processing and booking fees, which are non-refundable fees the vendor must pay. Depending on how close to your event date you need to cancel, many vendors require full payment of the agreed upon fee. Please check with your vendor for specific terms.
What happens if a vendor does not show up to my event?
On very rare circumstances, this may happen. If you complete your booking through EventGenius, we will help you recover all fees paid to that vendor. If for some reason, you decided to book the vendor outside of EventGenius, we will be unable to help you recover any fees paid.
For Vendors
How do I list my business on EventGenius?
It's easy to get started on EventGenius. Visit List Your Business and click the get started button to enter your business information. You'll need to at least create a free account in order to list.
How much does it cost to list my business?
We have 3 levels of accounts, starting at free. You can't beat free. If you're looking for additional features and benefits, visit List Your Business and check our different account levels.
How do I cancel my membership?
If there's anything we can do to change your mind, please get in touch with us. If you're sure you want to cancel, log in to your dashboard. In the navigation on the left, click the down arrow on "My Account" and click on "Manage Plan". From there, click on the Free plan and save your changes. Because membership fees are yearly fees, we do not offer refunds on any unused amounts. At this time, you cannot cancel a free listing. But hey, it's free and you still get to enjoy some of the benefits of EventGenius... and that's still awesome!
Why do I need to enter my bank account information?
We need your bank account information so we can pay you. All payments are transferred directly to your bank account. And, there's no need to worry about security. None of your bank or credit card information is stored on our servers, so you can rest easy knowing your money is safe.
What if I book a different event after I've submitted a quote to someone?
Well, that's always unfortunate, but if the event organizer has not yet accepted your bid, it's best to cancel it immediately. When you submit a quote to an event organizer, please keep in mind that by submitting your quote, you are confirming your availability for that day. If you feel you may book up quickly for a particular day, consider using our expiration date feature for your quote, so both you and the event planner know your offer has a shelf life.
How do payments work?
In short, when you submit a quote to an event organizer and an event organizer accepts that quote, they will pay 50% of that agreed upon fee as an initial payment to start work. EventGenius will place that payment into your account minus our booking fee and credit card processing fees. Once that payment clears, we initiate a transfer into your account, usually within a week. On the day of the event (or earlier in certain circumstances), the final 50% is collected from the event organizer and after clearing, we transfer that amount to your account minus credit card processing fees. Please note, that our booking fee is only paid once during the initial payment process.
How does the booking fee work?
Booking fees are charged to each vendor based on the total amount of fees they've agreed upon with an event organizer. If you have a free account, our booking fee is 15% of the total fee, which must be paid upfront from your initial payment. The booking fee is withheld from the initial payment prior to transferring payments to your bank account. Among receiving other benefits, you can buy down the booking fee with our paid premium accounts. Visit List Your Business and check our different account levels for more details.
Why do I need to complete Form W-9?
Because EventGenius is collecting payments from the event organizer and transferring this to a particular vendor, IRS regulations require that we send you Form 1099 once you have been paid at least $600 in fees. Prior to sending you Form 1099, we must receive a completed Form W-9 from you. We will send you a pre-fill Form W-9 to fill in and return to us for your convenience.
Can I submit my own terms and conditions for an event planner to agree to?
Absolutely. Actually, this is the preferred method since each vendor will have their own unique requirements. Before you submit a quote to an event organizer, you can upload your document for the event organizer to agree to.
What if I can't show up for an event?
Obviously, this would be very unfortunate, especially once you've made an agreement with a paying customer. If you can't show up, please try and give the event organizer as much advanced notice as possible, even providing assistance for alternate arrangements. In all cases, our booking fee and credit card processing charges are non-refundable. If you do not show up for an event, you will be responsible for refunding 100% of the fees paid by the event organizer, in addition to a 10% penalty charge.
If you don't see what you're looking for, please contact us, we really want to help you out!
