ShowNow questions, answered
Practical answers for organizers, exhibitors and attendees.
Which kinds of shows can I manage?
ShowNow supports boat, RV, outdoor, home and garden shows. Each show has a public website, exhibitor directory, floor plan and schedule, plus separate access for vendors, workers and event administrators.
What are the three plans?
Pay as you go costs $0.99 per paid online ticket plus $1.25 per approved vendor per show. Pro costs $125 per month with a 12-month minimum ($1,500), and verified paid coverage waives per-ticket and vendor platform fees. Free has no platform fees and displays ShowNow-controlled AdEngine ads. Payment-processing fees are separate.
Can I run a show without API keys?
Yes. Publish your event, maps and schedule, receive vendor applications, issue free admission and enable pay-at-venue reservations without API keys. Staff can record cash, checks and payments received outside ShowNow. Online card payments and automated subscriptions need Stripe configuration.
Is a pay-at-venue reservation my ticket?
An unpaid reservation holds the selected capacity but is not admission. Pay the organizer by the displayed deadline. Staff record the received payment, and your private confirmation page then provides admission tickets and QR codes. Save that page when you reserve.
What fees apply to manual payments?
Manual ticket payments do not incur the $0.99 paid-online-ticket fee. On the pay-as-you-go plan, the $1.25 approved-vendor fee still accrues per vendor per show. Recording an outside payment does not transfer funds through ShowNow.
How do venue maps work?
Organizers create floor plans over optional uploaded backgrounds. Public maps show spaces and approved public exhibitor names, with a searchable text list, zoom controls and printable exports. A venue address provides directions links; an optional OpenStreetMap view uses organizer-supplied coordinates and requires no API key.
Can vendors publish without approval?
Vendors submit an application to the event organizer. An approved application is required before a vendor can publish a public listing or reserve a booth. Applications and payments are scoped to the show and organization.
Who handles refunds and event cancellations?
The event organizer sets the show’s policies and handles attendance questions and refund decisions. Online refunds use the original payment processor. A manual refund records money the organizer has already returned outside ShowNow.
Does scanning need an internet connection?
Connected scanning is recommended. It verifies current ticket status and duplicate use across gates. The deliberate offline mode has limits: disconnected devices cannot immediately share scans, transfers, voids or refunds. Reconnect and follow the show-day supervisor’s procedure.
Where do I get help?
Use the contact and policies on your show’s website for event questions. The ShowNow support page provides ticket recovery and platform support. Never post private ticket or confirmation links publicly.