South African event marketplace Gigster has relaunched as a tech-driven marketplace for the local event sector. The new platform connects event organisers with professionally vetted suppliers across the country, providing much-needed support for the gig economy.
Originally launched as a live entertainment booking site, Gigster now spans a far broader supplier base – including entertainment, audiovisual production, video and photography, livestreaming, décor and styling, hospitality staffing, speakers, facilitators, technical crews, content creators, event planners and promotional talent.
“The events industry has evolved enormously in recent years, but much of the booking process still happens through disconnected e-mails, PDFs and WhatsApp messages. We wanted to build technology that doesn’t just help clients find suppliers but gives suppliers the proper business infrastructure they’ve been missing – quotes, contracts, protected payments, the lot,” says Carina Bruwer, Founder of Gigster.
What’s New on Gigster
The new Gigster has been engineered around three pillars: trust, workflow efficiency, and supplier visibility. Key features include:
- Built-in quote builder and digital contract: Suppliers can issue itemised, professional quotes that automatically generate a signed booking agreement on acceptance.
- Deposit protection: All client deposits are now held by Gigster and only released to the supplier after the event, to ensure both parties are protected.
- Verified reviews: Gigster allows only clients who booked and paid through the platform to leave reviews.
- Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted profiles: Suppliers can leverage AI to improve their bios and taglines, with rewrites tailored to their service category.
- Supplier dashboards: The centralised dashboard enables suppliers to track enquiries, manage bookings, view earnings and access profile analytics.
- SEO-optimised supplier and category pages: All supplier and category pages have been optimised to drive organic discovery for every listed supplier.
- Pro booker referral programme: A referral programme is available for accredited event coordinators who source clients on behalf of the platform.
“We’re intentionally building a curated marketplace rather than an open directory. Clients need confidence that the suppliers they discover are professional and event-ready, and suppliers need to know they’re listed alongside peers of the same standard,” explains Bruwer.
How Gigster Works
This is how the platform works for both vendors and users.
For Users
Step 1: Browse Talent
You can find verified vendors on the platform easily by filtering by category, province and budget. Additionally, you can view full profiles, photo galleries and video reels of the vendors previous work.
Step 2: Request a Quote
Once you have selected a vendor, you can send them an enquiry with your event details. The vendor will respond with a full itemised quote and contract.
Step 3: Payment
Once you agree on a deposit and pay it, it will be held by Gigster until your event is done. If your vendor fails to deliver, Gigster will mediate.
For Vendors
For vendors looking to join the platform, follow these steps.
Step 1: Free Application
Sign-up on the profile is free, and you can complete your profile by uploading photos, videos, descriptions, your service category and base pricing. Gigster will review and approve every listing to ensure high quality.
Step 2: Get Discovered
Clients browse for vendors by service type and location. You need to ensure your profile has all these elements so that it is visible. Once a client chooses you, Gigster will send you an instant notification.
Step 3: Send a Quote
Use the Gigster quote builder to create a professional proposal which must include your service fee, optional add-ons, technical requirements, travel, hospitality exclusions, and cancellation policy.
Step 4: Client Pays Deposit
On acceptance of the deal, the client will pay the deposit via secure EFT or PayFast. The funds are held by Gigister until the event is done to protect both parties.
Step 5: Deliver and Get Paid
The balance payment is paid out to you after the event, and you will receive your full quoted fee. Gigster’s commission is added onto your quoted price, not deducted from it.
Gigster Platform Fees
The platform’s service fees are all-inclusive, and the amount depends on the plan you choose as a vendor.
- Free plan: 15% is added as a service fee.
- Pro plan: R299 per month, 12,5% is added as a service fee
- Pro plus plan: R499 per month, 10% is added as a service fee
What the Service Fee Covers
The service fee (percentage) covers the following:
- All payment processing fees
- Admin, hosting and platform maintenance
- Gigster quote builder and signed digital contract
- Secure deposit and balance payment management
- Dispute mediation if something goes wrong
South Africa’s Gig Economy
The gig economy in South Africa is rapidly growing. The sector is being driven by South African who are seeking to get ahead of an ever-changing market, a growing unemployment rate and the need for more flexible income.
The gig economy is a labour market made up of freelance, short-term, on-demand work or side hustles. It is dominated by the youth who have leveraged the country’s diverse culture, entertainment and growing tech sectors to get jobs and generate an income.
Additionally, the landscape relies heavily on digital platform labour, with ride-hailing and remote freelancing serving as primary or secondary income sources for hundreds of thousands of workers.
Importance of Digital Platforms for the Gig Economy
Digital platforms are the fundamental infrastructure of the gig economy. They eliminate traditional middlemen, acting as dynamic, real-time marketplaces that seamlessly connect millions of independent workers with clients globally. These apps and websites provide the vital trust, payment security, and workflow tools that make short-term contracting feasible at scale.
The importance of platforms such as Gigster spans several key areas:
- Instant market access: Digital platforms aggregate supply and demand, allowing workers to bypass traditional recruitment agencies and find clients or tasks instantly.
- Trust and reputation systems: By using ratings, reviews and feedback loops, platforms build immediate trust between strangers. A high-rated profile acts as a portable, globally recognised resume that helps workers secure higher-paying or more frequent jobs.
- Transaction and payment security: These platforms handle invoicing, escrow, and secure payment processing. This removes the administrative burden and financial risk from the gig worker. They also protect users by ensuring deliverables are met before payment is processed to vendors.
- Algorithmic matching: Instead of manual searches, these platforms use data-driven algorithms to match workers with tasks based on location, availability, skill set, and past performance, making the entire ecosystem highly efficient.
South African event marketplace Gigster has relaunched as a tech-driven marketplace for the local event sector. The new platform connects event organisers with professionally vetted… Read More
