Hello,

Has anyone had any experience with selling artwork online? I have a website where I link to an online printing/framing company and I'm trying to produce some earnings through my website. I realize that getting my website out there is very important. But other then getting people to the site, to view the artwork, what techniques can be used to get people to buy. I know art isn't the easiest thing to sell. I'm also curious about how I should be pricing my artwork online. I make abstract and surreal art with photoshop and various 3D software apps. that I put about 15 to 30 hours into each piece. Most of these pieces can be printed up to 14" x 22" if not larger. Any ideas? Recommendations or suggestions?

Thanks!

Hmm...lots of fun questions!

First...what techniques can you use to get people to buy. There are many. Advertise a sale...there doesn't have to be one, but you can advertise it as one! lol, seriously...that's what many companies do. I work for a retail company and we'll have an item in an ad for $19.99. The next week the price is maybe supposed to increase to $24.99 so we'll say ON SALE -> 23.99 or something like that. Walmart does stuff like this ALL the time. Watch their video games especially. There will be a video game that has been priced at $39.99 for over a month and all the sudden you'll go in and see "PRICE DROP" $39.99. Selling is a big scam where if you can make the customer think they are getting a value then you're golden. For web sales you can make them drop the item in the cart for shipping...annoying but studies have shown that when you do this people are more apt to buy it. Also, when people leave your site have a pop up window display. Again, I utterly HATE this, but...I have read magazines where again studies have shown it does help.

Now, as for pricing. That depends...if you're selling reproductions of your art then it will naturally be cheaper than if you're selling the art itself. For instance, if you spend 20 hours on a project...even at $10 an hour that would be a $200 poster...yowsers! Whatever you're selling I would just do some research and see what the going rate is. If you can find a descent abstract poster online for $12.99 then mark yours right around that as well.

Again...with customers you really don't have to give them a good deal...you just have to make them THINK they're getting a good deal. I know this sounds harsh, but it really is the standard in any retail company.

Hope this helps maybe just a teeny tiny bit.

Edit: Oh...and try to make the checkout processes as quick and painless as possible.

Thanks! Those are great tips and I plan on trying that out. I like the putting up a sale idea
And for the pricing that it a good idea aswell. I really just need to browse around and see what stuff is going for.

Thanks again for your help

Remember when selling artwork online that while the whole world is your customers, the whole world can also be your competitor. Anyalze the sites that show up on Search engines for your type or art and try and find out how the buyer may describe it (which is almost always diefferent than how you describe it).

How much is your production cost going to be? I have messed with Zazzle to try and sell things, but never made it work. You might check it out though, many people in soem other forums have recommended this way of selling things.


Good luck



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"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." Abraham Lincoln
Company – Projects (Affordable Stock Photos – Sell Your Photos)

Da sells posters?
Maybe check out what they offer as services;)
Greetz

Bouncing off mwookie you production cost will definitely influence what you need to charge. Generally speaking, the more you initially print the cheaper cost the production cost, but the more money you need to fork out in the hopes that you'll get sales.

I'm working on setting up a "Community" online where one of the things it would offer is an online clothing store. To get started with that I'm talking with a local company about a "print on demand" sort of thing to get started. The final product ends up costing a little more but it gives me a way to get started w/o the overhead.

DeviantART offer a free prints service on paper, canvas, mousemats etc, all you have to do is sign up and upload. They do take a large chunk however, but you can pay some money to get a greater cut. The good side is they are reputable and print on demand, to a high quality and deal with all the mailing hassle.