Add-ons
Add-ons let you offer optional extras alongside your main event tickets. Attendees can choose what they need during checkout, from course materials and meals to parking passes and equipment rental. This guide covers everything you need to create, manage, and report on add-ons.
Quick Summary
Create optional extras with independent pricing, stock, and availability. Attendees select add-ons during checkout. Each add-on can have variants (like sizes) and quantity limits.
Related Features
- Tickets - Set up your main event tickets first
- Payments - How add-on payments are processed
- Cancellations & Refunds - What happens to add-ons when bookings are cancelled
What are Add-ons?
Add-ons are optional items that attendees can purchase when booking an event. They operate independently from tickets with their own pricing, stock levels, and availability dates.
Add-ons vs Tickets
| Feature | Tickets | Add-ons |
|---|---|---|
| Required? | Yes - at least one ticket required to book | Optional (unless marked required) |
| Grants event access? | Yes | No - supplementary only |
| Inventory | Per-session capacity | Event-level stock |
| Variants | No | Yes (e.g., sizes, options) |
| Quantity per booking | One per attendee | Configurable (1, 2, 3+) |
Common Use Cases
Training & Education
- Course materials
- Textbooks
- Equipment kits
- Certification fees
Conferences & Events
- Meals & refreshments
- Networking dinner
- Workshop sessions
- Conference merchandise
Practical Logistics
- Parking passes
- Accommodation
- Transport
- Equipment rental
Creating Add-ons
Step-by-Step: Create an Add-on
- Open your event
- Navigate to Tickets & Add-ons
- Click Add New Add-on
- Fill in the required fields (see below)
- Configure optional settings
- Click Save
Add-on Settings
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Course Textbook", "Lunch Package") |
| Description | No | Additional details about what's included |
| Price | Yes | Cost per unit (set to 0 for free add-ons) |
| Stock / Availability | Yes | Total quantity available for purchase |
| Maximum per Booking | No | Limit how many each attendee can purchase (default: no limit) |
| Minimum per Booking | No | Require a minimum quantity if selecting this add-on |
| Available From | No | Date when add-on becomes available for purchase |
| Available Until | No | Date when add-on is no longer available |
| Visible | No | Whether the add-on appears in checkout (default: visible) |
| Required | No | Make the add-on mandatory for all bookings |
Add-on Variants
Variants let you offer different options of the same add-on, each with its own stock level. Common uses include:
- Clothing sizes - T-shirt: S, M, L, XL
- Meal preferences - Lunch: Vegetarian, Vegan, Standard
- Equipment options - Rental kit: Basic, Premium
- Time slots - Workshop: Morning session, Afternoon session
Creating Variants
- When creating or editing an add-on, enable Has Variants
- Add each variant with its own:
- Name (e.g., "Small", "Medium", "Large")
- Stock quantity
- Price adjustment (if different from base price)
- Save the add-on
Attendees select their preferred variant during checkout. Each variant's stock is tracked independently.
The Checkout Experience
Here's what attendees see when booking with add-ons:
- Select ticket - Choose from available ticket types
- Complete form - Fill in any booking form fields
- Choose add-ons - Browse available add-ons, select quantities
- Add-on name, description, and price displayed
- Variant selector shown (if applicable)
- Stock availability indicated
- Quantity selector with min/max limits
- Review order - See ticket + add-ons total
- Complete payment - Pay combined total via Stripe
- Receive confirmation - Email includes add-on details
Required Add-ons
If an add-on is marked as Required, attendees must select at least one before they can proceed to payment.
Managing Add-on Stock
Add-ons have their own inventory, tracked separately from ticket capacity.
Stock Tracking
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Stock | The number you set when creating the add-on |
| Sold | Quantity purchased in completed bookings |
| Remaining | Available for future purchases (Total - Sold) |
What Happens When Stock Runs Out?
- Sold out add-ons are automatically hidden from the checkout form
- Sold out variants show as unavailable while other variants remain selectable
- Attendees who already purchased are unaffected
Adjusting Stock
You can increase or decrease stock at any time:
- Edit the add-on
- Update the stock quantity
- Save changes
Note
You cannot reduce stock below the number already sold. If 15 have been sold, the minimum stock is 15.
Pricing Strategies
Free Add-ons
Set the price to £0 for items included with the ticket but requiring selection (e.g., meal preference, t-shirt size).
Paid Add-ons
Charge a specific amount for premium extras. Consider:
- Cost-covering pricing (materials at cost)
- Value-based pricing (premium experiences)
- Bundle discounts (lower per-item price for multiples)
Variant Pricing
Set different prices per variant:
- Same price - All variants at base price (e.g., t-shirt sizes)
- Price tiers - Premium variants cost more (e.g., Basic kit £20, Premium kit £45)
- Supplements - Base price + variant supplement (e.g., base £10, XL +£5)
Add-ons and Cancellations
When a booking is cancelled:
- Add-on purchases are cancelled automatically with the booking
- Stock is released back to available inventory
- Refunds include the add-on amount (if paid ticket)
Add-ons cannot be cancelled separately from the main booking. If an attendee no longer needs an add-on but wants to keep their booking, they should contact you directly.
Viewing Add-on Purchases
From the Attendees List
- Open your event
- Navigate to the session's Attendees tab
- Click on any booking to see details
- Add-ons purchased are listed in the booking summary
From Reports
Export booking data to see all add-on purchases across your event:
- Go to your event's Attendees
- Click Export
- The export includes:
- Add-on name
- Variant (if applicable)
- Quantity purchased
- Price paid
See Reporting for more export options.
Best Practices
Naming Add-ons Clearly
- Be specific - "ALS Course Textbook (5th Edition)" not "Book"
- Include details - "Vegetarian Lunch (includes drink)" not "Lunch"
- Use consistent naming across similar events
- Add descriptions for anything that needs explanation
Setting Stock Levels
- Match actual supply - Don't oversell what you can't deliver
- Leave buffer - Set stock slightly below your maximum if delivery is uncertain
- Monitor regularly - Check stock levels as bookings come in
- Update promptly - Increase stock if you secure more supply
Using Quantity Limits
- Maximum per booking - Prevent one attendee from buying all stock
- Minimum per booking - Useful for bulk items (e.g., "minimum 5 badges")
- Consider fairness - Limits ensure more attendees can access popular items
Timing Availability
- Early bird extras - Offer special add-ons only for early bookers
- Cut-off dates - Stop selling before you need to order/prepare
- Last-minute options - Some add-ons can stay available until the event
Troubleshooting
Add-on not appearing in checkout?
- Check the add-on is set to Visible
- Verify stock hasn't sold out (remaining > 0)
- Check Available From date has passed
- Check Available Until date hasn't passed
- Ensure the event is published
Attendee can't select quantity they want?
- Check Maximum per Booking setting
- Verify enough stock remains
- If using variants, check the specific variant's stock
Wrong variant selected in booking?
- Contact the attendee to confirm what they need
- You may need to cancel and rebook to change variants
- Track manual changes for your records
Need to refund just the add-on?
- Add-ons cannot be cancelled separately through Medtribe
- Process a partial refund directly through Stripe
- Update your records to reflect the change
Related Guides
- Tickets - Set up your main event tickets
- Payments - How payments are processed
- Cancellations & Refunds - What happens when bookings are cancelled
- Booking Management - View and manage all bookings
- Reporting - Export add-on purchase data
- Sessions - Session capacity (separate from add-on stock)
For questions about add-ons, contact support@medtribe.com.