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Monetize Exhibitor tools through your Marketplace

Unlock new revenue while boosting exhibitor performance

Updated over a week ago

The Exhibitor Marketplace allows organizers to sell digital services to exhibitors. These purchases happen directly in the Exhibitor Center, while you manage setup and tracking in Studio.

Key Benefits

  • New revenue stream: You earn a payout for every extra purchased.

  • Custom flexibility: Sell any digital or physical offer.

  • Self-serve experience for exhibitors: Less back-and-forth, more convenience.

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What can I sell in the Marketplace?

You can sell:

  • Swapcard extras (e.g. Lead Capture, Lead Qualification)

  • Custom extras (e.g. AI Lead Recommendations, merchandise, sponsorship add-ons)

Automatic activation

  • Lead Capture and Lead Qualification are linked to permissions and will be auto-enabled after purchase.

  • Custom extras are not linked to permissions and need to be manually activated by our team once purchased.

⚠️ When enabling the permission “Lead Capture” on an extra, you need to make sure either to:

  • Use In-App or Launchpad Registration,

  • Sync the badge code of your third-party registration tool.


How to set up your marketplace in Studio

To launch your Marketplace:

  1. In Studio, go to your event.

  2. Open the Content menu.

  3. Click Exhibitor Marketplace.

  4. Select Create marketplace (if setting up for the first time).

  5. Choose your currency → ⚠️ this cannot be changed later.

Once your marketplace is created, you can begin adding extras.


How to create and manage extras

To add extras to your marketplace:

  1. Click Create an Extra

  2. Add a name and description for the extra

  3. Choose whether to link it to a permission

    • For example, select Lead Capture to enable that feature post-purchase

    • You can bundle permissions (e.g., Lead Capture + Qualification

🔐 How Permissions Work

  • When purchased, the associated permission is automatically enabled in the exhibitor’s profile

  • No manual activation is needed

  • You can bundle multiple permissions (e.g. Lead Capture + Qualification)

  • The extra will appear in the order table once purchased

  • Our team manually activate the related feature or service in Studio

4. Define which exhibitor groups can see this extra (e.g., VIP only). Group are useful to hide or show product to the right exhibitors. For example, you can have different pricing based on the booth size.

5. Set a price

  • If permission-linked, a minimum price is required

  • You’ll see a preview of your payout after fees

6. Click Create an extra to make it live for exhibitors

7. You'll see toggle to enable immediately or later.

💸 How payout works

When an exhibitor purchases an extra:

  1. Stripe processes the payment

    • Exhibitor enters billing details

    • Payment is completed securely via Stripe

  2. Fees are automatically split

    • Swapcard takes a fee

    • Stripe takes a processing fee

    • The organizer receives the remaining payout

    • See below 2 clear examples of revenue share

  3. Payout is visible in Studio

    • The amount you earn per extra is previewed during \the setup

  4. Revenue is sent to your Stripe account

    • This is the same account used for registration fees

Clear examples of revenue share

1. Extra with a permission (e.g. Lead Capture)

  • Total price paid by the exhibitor: $300

  • Stripe fee (2.9% + $0.30): $8.70 + $0.30 = $9.00

  • Fixed Swapcard fee: $100 (example)

  • Remaining amount: $300 - $9.00 - $100 = $191.00

  • Variable Swapcard commission (20% > example): 20% of $191.00 = $38.20

  • Final amount for the organizer: $152.80

Split:

  • Stripe: $9.00

  • Swapcard: $100 (fixed) + $38.20 (variable) = $138.20

  • Organizer: $152.80


2. Extra without a permission

  • Total price paid by the exhibitor: $300

  • Stripe fee (2.9% + $0.30): $9.00

  • Remaining amount: $300 - $9.00 = $291.00

  • Variable Swapcard commission (20% > example): 20% of $291.00 = $58.20

  • Final amount for the organizer: $232.80

Split:

  • Stripe: $9.00

  • Swapcard: $58.20

  • Organizer: $232.80


How Exhibitors purchase extras

  1. Exhibitors log into the Exhibitor Center.

  2. They go to the “Boost your ROI” page (or equivalent marketplace page).

  3. Available extras are listed with name, price, and description; a promotional banner may highlight upgrades.

  4. They select an item and enter billing information.

  5. Payment is processed via Stripe, then Swapcard/Stripe fees are deducted and the organizer’s payout is retained.

  6. For Lead Capture and Lead Qualification, relevant features are automatically enabled in the exhibitor’s account.


Tracking Sales, Commissions & Permissions

From Studio you can:

  • View total revenue, commission splits, and net payout

  • See a table of purchased extras, including exhibitor names and product types

  • Manage settings, visibility, and permissions for each item

  • Enable or disable extras, or adjust pricing as needed

This centralized dashboard keeps you in control of your marketplace, helping you optimize revenue and monitor exhibitor uptake.


Best Practices & Tips for Success

To make the most of the Exhibitor Marketplace, organizers should move beyond simple setup and focus on strategic pricing, targeted communication, and data-driven adjustments.

Start Simple

Don't overwhelm your exhibitors (or your operations team) on day one.

  • The "Core First" Strategy: Begin by enabling high-demand, automated Swapcard extras like Lead Capture and Lead Qualification. Since these are automatically activated upon purchase, they provide an immediate "win" for the exhibitor with zero manual work for you.

  • Gradual Rollout: Once you are comfortable with the flow of transactions, introduce Custom Extras (like AI Recommendations or physical merchandise) which require manual fulfillment.

Strategic Pricing

Pricing is the biggest lever for conversion.

  • Tiered Pricing via Groups: Use the "Exhibitor Groups" feature to offer different price points. For example, give a discount to "Gold Sponsors" while charging a standard rate for "Standard Booths."

  • Early-Bird Incentives: Consider lowering the price in the weeks leading up to the event to drive early adoption, then raising it to a "Last Minute" price during the event days.

  • Account for Fees: Always use the "Payout Preview" in Studio to ensure your final take-home revenue covers your internal costs, especially for physical items.

Power Up with bundles

  • Instead of just selling Lead Capture, create a bundle that includes Lead Capture + Lead Qualification. This encourages exhibitors to upgrade to a more comprehensive ROI toolset rather than just the basic scanner.

Target the "Unconverted" via Email Campaigns

The Marketplace is only effective if exhibitors know it exists.

  • Smart Targeting: Use Studio data to identify exhibitors who do not yet have Lead Capture permissions. Send them a targeted email campaign highlighting the ROI benefits (e.g., "Don't miss a single lead—activate Lead Capture in 2 minutes via your Exhibitor Center").

  • Direct Linking: In your communications, provide a direct link or clear instructions on how to find the "Boost your ROI" page in the Exhibitor Center.

5. Monitor & Pivot Mid-Event

The Marketplace is dynamic. Use the tracking dashboard in Studio to stay agile.

  • Real-Time Adjustments: If a specific extra isn't selling, try adjusting the description to be more benefit-driven or lowering the price slightly.

  • Inventory Control: If a custom physical extra (like a specific sponsorship signage) is sold out, use the toggle in Studio to disable the extra immediately so you don't oversell.

Gather Feedback for future Iterations

Treat your Marketplace as a growing part of your event business.

  • Survey Your Exhibitors: Ask them what else they would have liked to purchase. This data is gold for your next event.

  • Request Future Features: As you grow, look for opportunities to request or implement more advanced features like quantity limits, bulk checkout for large teams, or adding high-quality product images to increase the "shopability" of your marketplace.

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