Configure cancellation policies, enable self-cancellation for attendees, automate tiered refunds via Stripe, and bulk-cancel events when plans change.
Configuring Your Cancellation Policy
Before your event goes live, define your cancellation policy in the "Cancellation & Refunds" section of the event settings. You can allow attendees to self-cancel up until a specified cutoff date, or disable self-cancellation entirely and require them to contact you directly. For paid events, set refund tiers: for example, 100% refund if cancelled more than 14 days before the event, 50% within 7–14 days, and no refund within 7 days. Cotonity displays your policy prominently on the registration page and in confirmation emails so attendees know the terms before signing up.
Attendee Self-Cancellation Flow
When self-cancellation is enabled, attendees can click a "Cancel My Registration" link in any of their event emails. They're taken to a confirmation page that reminds them of the refund policy and asks them to confirm. Upon confirmation, their status changes to "Cancelled" in Cotonity, a cancellation confirmation email is sent to them, and — if a waitlist exists — the next person on the waitlist is automatically notified that a spot is available. This fully automated flow handles the most common cancellation scenario without requiring any staff involvement.
Processing Refunds
For events with paid tickets processed through Cotonity's Stripe integration, refunds can be issued automatically based on your tiered policy, or manually by an organizer. In the attendee record, click "Issue Refund" and choose the refund amount. The refund is sent to the original payment method and typically processes within 5–10 business days depending on the card issuer. Cotonity generates a refund receipt and emails it to the attendee automatically. All refund transactions are logged in the event's financial summary, making reconciliation straightforward.
Bulk Cancellation for Event Changes
If you need to cancel an entire event — due to unforeseen circumstances, venue issues, or low registration — Cotonity provides a bulk cancellation tool. Navigate to the event settings, click "Cancel Event," and compose a cancellation message to all registrants. Cotonity sends the notification to everyone who registered and processes full refunds automatically if Stripe is connected. The event is marked as "Cancelled" on your dashboard and removed from any public event listings. Cancelled events and their attendee records are retained for your records and reporting purposes.