ArtSites Updates

Put prices on all art that's for sale
This assumes you don't have any issues with galleries or other who are representing your works. However, if you do have representation, try to talk to them to see if you can find an option that works for both of you. That said, if they don't want you posting prices, don't ;-)

If you're not represented, post your prices. If you ask visitors to contact you, etc. before finding out the price, most won't do this. And, you may lose a potential sale.

Just like in the real world, many of us like to shop quietly by ourselves, to come to our own decisions and then reach out.

If we have to ask about prices, there's a good chance the piece may be out of our budget and if not, maybe you'll try to sell us on another piece or even a piece at a higher price.

Think about the yourself and how you like to make a purchase decision. Remember the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" ;-)

Explain your prices
We all like to think that we're getting value for our purchases. So anything you can do to help buyers understand your pricing structure can be quite helpful. Perhaps, it's based on size, medium, or other factors.

Regardless of your pricing structure, we do recommend you create a page on your website outlining how you price your artwork so that potential buyers understand why they're paying what they're paying.

Offer approval, return, & refund policies
Online art shoppers may want to see art on approval first and be able to return it for complete refunds (less shipping costs), especially for cases where the artwork doesn't look like they thought it did when they saw it online.

No approval, return, and refund policies mean fewer, if any, sales. The more willing you are to work with buyers, the greater your chances of selling art.

Provide instructions on how to buy
Tell people:

• What payment options you accept (accept as many as possible)
• How you pack
• How you ship
• How long they have to view the art on approval
• And so on ...

The more professional you appear, the more comfortable people feel about buying from you.

Offer art in a variety of price ranges
Online shoppers tend to be conservative. They tend to start out by buying less expensive pieces from artists they're not already familiar with or who they don't already know.

As a result, they may get discouraged if every piece they see costs thousands of dollars or more.

This is especially true of people who happen upon your site for the first time. And, impressing first-timers is critical to your online success as an artist.

So make sure that pretty much anyone who likes your art has a chance to buy something regardless of his or her budget.

Have I missed something? Please let me know what's worked for you and if there is anything else that you'd add to our list of tips!