What is a Statement Descriptor and why it matters for your event

When ticket buyers purchase tickets or register for your event, they see a charge on their credit card or bank statement. The "statement descriptor" is the text that appears next to that charge. It's a crucial piece of information that helps your attendees recognize the transaction and avoid confusion or even chargebacks.

Think of it as your event's brief identifier on their financial statement.

Why is a clear statement descriptor important?

• Reduces Chargebacks: If a ticket buyer does not recognize a charge, they might dispute it with their bank, leading to a chargeback. A clear statement descriptor prevents this by immediately identifying the purchase.
• Improves Customer Trust: A professional and recognizable descriptor instills confidence in your ticket buyers.
• Streamlines Support: Fewer confused ticket buyers mean fewer inquiries to your helpdesk, saving you time and resources.

What should you put in your statement descriptor?

Stripe, our payment processor, has specific requirements for statement descriptors. To ensure your charges are clear and compliant, please keep the following in mind:

Essential Requirements:

• Latin Characters Only: Your descriptor can only contain standard English letters (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9), and spaces. No special characters like accents, emojis, or symbols.
• Length: It must be between 5 and 22 characters long. This includes spaces.
• At Least One Letter: Your descriptor must contain at least one letter.
• No Special Characters: Avoid using the following characters: < , > , \ , ' , " , * .
• Reflects Your DBA Name: The descriptor should ideally reflect the "Doing Business As" (DBA) name of your organization. This helps customers connect the charge to a familiar entity.
• Specific and Clear: Avoid generic terms like "Event" or common website URLs that don't clearly describe the transaction. For example, instead of just "tickets.com," consider "YourEventName Tix" or "YourOrg Tickets." A website URL is only acceptable if it provides a clear and accurate description of the transaction on a customer’s statement.

Best Practices for Event Organizers:

• Include Your Event Name: This is the most important element. For example, if your event is "Summer Music Festival," include "SUMMERFEST TIX" or "MUSICFEST RSVP."
• Identify What Was Purchased: Adding "TIX," "REG," or "RSVP" can further clarify the transaction.
• Be Concise: You only have 22 characters, so be smart with your space!

Good Examples:

• ACME CONF TIX
• GLOBAL SUMMIT REG
• JAZZ FEST TICKETS
• ART EXHIBIT RSVP
• YOURORG EVENT

Bad Examples (and why):

• EVENT (Too generic)
• www.yourevent.com (Only if it doesn't clearly describe the transaction)
• YourEventName! (Contains a prohibited special character)
• Tickets for the Amazing Fundraising Gala Extravaganza (Too long)
• 12345 (No letters)

By crafting a clear and concise statement descriptor, you'll help your ticket buyers easily identify their purchases, reduce confusion, and ensure a smoother experience for everyone.