TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR ART ONLINE

The rapid growth and advancement of technology have significantly increased the ease of online business. Many websites now enable artists to showcase their work and sell it online. With the help of these websites, your artwork can reach a much wider audience and potential buyers from around the world. Here are tips you may wish to consider before you sell your artwork online. The suggestions are pretty broad as they can be applied across a wide range of skill levels and art styles, so take some time before finalizing this decision. As with any significant business decision, it is essential to do due diligence and research thoroughly before diving into this process head-first!

1. Don't Rely on One Stream of Income

Utilize different online platforms or art marketplaces to ensure you have multiple income streams from your art. Even if you are confident in a particular forum, there may be other artists who are just as good or even better than you on that platform who will be much more successful. This does not mean that you should abandon a particular channel. Better sometimes, channel selection and use several different platforms to diversify your income stream and sales.

2. Get To Know Your Art Business

There are various art platforms that you can use, such as Etsy, Artfire, Artfinder, Artworx, and many more. Some are free, and others have a membership fee. Before selling your artwork there, it is best to familiarize yourself with these platforms' terms and conditions. There may be some terms and conditions that you are not aware of in advance and some policy changes that may affect your business.

3. Keep Records

You must keep records of the transactions you make on the different platforms or websites where you sell your art and the income generated from your sales on these platforms or sites. It may be helpful to use infrastructure as code and keep records in a cloud storage area so that you can access them from anywhere. This will help you file taxes and make your business more visible. Those who are not comfortable using cloud storage may have to use their own computer or laptop to create the files they need and print them out at the end of each year since most online platforms do not allow you to save a copy of your digital artwork.

4. Art Marketplace Review

As an artist, it will be essential for you to write reviews about your artwork on different art marketplaces. This will help you attract potential buyers and build credibility on these platforms or sites. You may also consider creating adverts to target specific individuals looking for artwork in a unique style or genre. You can also consider writing articles about your art or crafts and use Google AdWords to target large groups of people who are interested in these types of products and services, for instance, "How to make awesome Artworks," "How To Sell Artwork Online," "Art is my Lifestyle."

5. Don't Rush To Submit

If you are new or inexperienced in selling artwork online, do not rush to submit an application on a platform immediately. Research and understand the different platforms, their submission requirements, and policies. Also, build up your portfolio on these other platforms before applying.

6. Buyer Beware

Like any other business or financial transaction, you have risks when selling your artwork online. You will not be a stranger to the buyer beware as you know that you are at risk of receiving an unsatisfactory product or service or, even worse, in some instances, having no product delivery at all! You must price your artwork competitively and protect yourself against fraud by using sites like Paypal, which provides added security against fraudulent buyers who may leave negative feedback without actually making a purchase.

7. Consider Print on Demand for Product

There is print on demand platforms like Fine Art America (FAA) where you can upload your artwork to sell online. They allow print on demand, which is cost-effective as they charge a small commission between 5-20% depending on the product and have their shipping system. You will have to research further into this option, but it may be worthwhile as you can sell your artwork across the globe!