There are many ways to get into the business of Art. Whether you’re already a seasoned artist, have a great idea for a new product, or have a passion for selling, here are some tips for taking that next step with Art.
You’ve probably seen paintings sold by artists online, but they didn’t look like that. And, you could easily be confused by those low-quality paintings, thinking they’re the real deal.
How will artists market themselves? Creating a career as an artist means building an audience, understanding how to price your Art, and the unique requirements for shipping Art.
The term self-distribution refers to the artist’s relationship with other people. Before ecommerce platforms, artists relied on third-party agents, agents, and retailers to distribute their work. The creator tools and sales channels of today needed to be more present.
Independent artists can now own their distribution streams, creating and selling their Art online. They don’t need record labels; their distribution is on their terms. Today, gallerists and curators can represent more artists and sell affordable art prints online. They can also reach larger audiences globally, thanks to the rise of internet sales and ecommerce stores.
1. Decide What Art To Sell And How To Sell It
To start selling your product, you’ll first have to decide what and how to sell it. There are a variety of ways to sell Art online. You know what kind of Art and the medium in which you’ll sell it is an important step. It’s possible to make money selling digital files or prints of your artwork. This makes your time investment worthwhile for sure! Furthermore, you can also make money selling other people’s Art online, provided you have a network of artists and a store to sell their Art.
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Sell Original Art
You could sell original artwork if you’re a painter or work with charcoal or other specialized materials. People are crazy for custom pieces of Art because they love having pieces of Art to decorate their spaces. These items should be priced higher because they are created separately.
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Sell Copies, Prints Or Digital Files
You can sell large-format prints of your original photos, paintings and drawings. You can also find buyers who will pay more for an original print than a postcard, a poster or a small print.
Prints and digital files usually cost less than original artwork. However, they can be a good way of repeating one’s earnings through one piece of Art.
You may also want T-shirts, mugs, or notebooks with your Art on them. A professional photo lab can do this job quickly and easily. One thing I love about Print On Demand (POD) is you have no overhead costs. You don’t need to spend a bunch of money on ordering lots of products to sell them.
Items are only created when someone places an order. You can also have a print-on-demand service where orders are automatically printed and shipped every time someone lands a sale.
If you want to use a print-on-demand service to sell your Art online, learn more about how to start a T-shirt business.
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Sell Other Artists’ Work
If selling your Art takes off, you can also start hosting other artists in your store. A different album cover style will let your customers know more about your band and you.
If you already know successful people, this would be a good choice. It’ll help you learn more about the field you want to enter and how to succeed. Your brand is the foundation of your business. To grow, you need to be consistent, predictable, and profitable.
2. Register Your Business
Before selling your artwork, it’s essential to have all your paperwork. You can register as a sole proprietorship for free, but it might be better to submit paperwork and register your business as an LLC.
As an LLC, you have more freedom than a sole proprietorship to track your business expenses. Also, it is easier to hire employees as your business grows. Remember to get your business EIN. Once you’ve done this, you can open a business bank account.
The state you live in determines whether or not you need a business license to sell your Art. It’s worth checking with your state first. In the U.S., you can file for a new business using the Secretary of State or the state’s Business Division.
3. Choose Your Sales Channels
First, decide where you want to sell Art. Many ecommerce platforms, such as Amazon or Getty Images, make selling incredibly easy.
The type of Art you’re selling will dictate which sales channel is best for you. For example, a photographer might sell his work through Fine art America and Getty Images.
If you’re an author or blogger who wants to self-publish your book, the best online venues to look into are Amazon, Lulu, and CreateSpace. Here are some of the most popular platforms for selling Art online:
- Direct: If you’re already selling products online, you should start creating your ecommerce store
- Fine Art America: is a store where you can list and sell your fine artwork.
- Etsy: A marketplace for people to buy and sell handmade or vintage goods.
- Amazon: Sell wall art prints via Amazon or Amazon FBA. Amazon Handmade: Connect with Amazon buyers who value handmade goods by selling originals through the world’s largest e-commerce platform.
- Zazzle: Create unique, one-of-a-kind products and sell them online. You can do it in just a few minutes.
- Redbubble: Sell graphic design work at scale. Creative Market: Sell digital art / Photoshop tutorials, fonts and other resources at scale.
- Social Media: Sell on Facebook Marketplace and Instagram via Shoppable posts.
- Fiverr is a store for freelance artists, writers, and professionals to make money. If you have graphic design skills or are a professional writer, try this site out for yourself.
- Upwork: Same as Fiverr, for graphic designers, web designers, and professional writers.
Anyone with a camera or an editing program can take photos, make videos and sell them to buyers online. You could even design your products and start selling your products online.
4. Determine Pricing
Selling your artwork for money is difficult, but it’s essential. When you’re producing original pieces of Art to sell, consider pricing those higher because so much of your work went into their creation. You can only price your products higher than what people are used to paying for shipping to get people to buy them online.
Shipping is one of the factors that weigh against you. Lower the shipping cost by using multiple packages to get a reasonable price. Shipping costs matter less than people think. Keep costs down to get your products out to more customers if you sell digital prints and reproductions printed on things. After building a customer base, you will want to give your products as gifts.
5. Market Your Online Art Store
After establishing your online store or seller accounts through marketplaces, it’s time to begin marketing your Art to reach people looking for the types of artwork you sell. As a Shopiroller seller, one of the essential tools to grow your business is to use ads for advertising your listings.
Social media is one of the best ways to connect with people interested in your type of Art, whether through Facebook Groups, Facebook Marketplace, or Instagram.
There are many ways to optimize your store.
- Promote your listings
- Try PPC ads
- Join relevant Facebook groups
- Build other social profiles (Instagram, Pinterest)
- Create a Facebook store
- Use content marketing to boost SEO
- Use your existing network to promote your Art
- Connect with other artists to collaborate on a project
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Do you need a license to sell your Art?
A: No, you do not need a license to sell your Art online. However, depending on the type of artwork you are selling and where it is being sold, you may be required to obtain specific licenses or permits to enter into business transactions.
Q: How can I make money with Fiverr?
A: Fiverr is a site for freelance artists, writers, and other professionals to make money. If you have graphic design skills or are a professional writer, you can use the Fiverr platform to market and sell your work.
Q: What are some tips for pricing my artwork?
A:When you’re producing original pieces of Art to sell, consider pricing those higher because so much of your work went into their creation. You should also lower shipping costs by using multiple packages for a reasonable price.
Q: How can I market my online art store?
A:One of the best ways to reach potential customers is through social media platforms such as Facebook Groups, Facebook Marketplace, and Instagram. Other marketing techniques include promoting your listings, using PPC ads, creating a Facebook store and building other social profiles (Instagram, Pinterest).
Q: What is Shopiroller?
A:Shopiroller is an online store for artists, writers, and other professionals to make money. The platform provides a wide range of services, including listing creation, order fulfilment, customer service, and marketing support. With Shopiroller, you can easily set up an online store or seller accounts through marketplaces.
CONCLUSION
You can become a successful online art seller by understanding the best online venues for selling Art, creating your own e-commerce store, pricing your products competitively, and marketing your Art to interested customers. With hard work and dedication, you can ensure that your artwork will reach the right audience and increase your chances of success. Take the next step in your online art-selling journey by joining Shopiroller today!
