An introduction to selling orginal art using online auctions, galleries or stores
If you're considering using an online art gallery or print-on-demand service then doing a bit of research upfront can reduce disappointment later. Unfortunately, unlike their offline counterparts (who provide customers with independently audited data), it can be very difficult to get marketing data about the efficiency and effectiveness of these companies from the companies themselves.
This site summarises online and publicly available information - all I've done is rounded it up and put it all on one site!
On this site you can find links which help you to:
- find out what services a site can offer
- identify where you can sell original artwork
- read reviews about different sites
- compare the costs of different packages
- see how effective a website is at attracting traffic and buyers and compare the traffic trends for the sites you're considering
All suggestions about the inclusion of websites for galleries not currently included below should be made by way of a comment (see Comments and Feedback). All suggestions will be reviewed but will only be published if the website is added. (This is to avoid spam).
Much of the advice is generic and applicable to all artists no matter where they live. Where information is country-specific, it tends to focus on on the UK. It also provides information relevant to the US market
This site is part of the "selling art online" series and is a developing resource of links to suppliers and reviews of ther service they offer. Check out the other sitesPrint Art on Demand - Resources for Artists | Selling Art Online - Resources for Artists | Sell Daily Paintings - Resources for Artists | Email Newsletter Software - Resources for Artists | Blogging for Artists - Resources for Artists | Packaging, posting and shipping art - Resources for Artists
Check out also other sites relevant to the business of being an artist (see other lens listed in the right hand column) Art and the Economy | Copyright and Orphan Artworks | Art Equipment | Art Supplies in the UK | Art Supplies in the USA
If you like this site please rate it (see above) and feel free to add a link to it on your website.
You can find out about...
...just click a link and go straight to that topic
Options for third party services
The sorts of third party services which are currently offered online range from:
- use of an art auction service
- use of a website which provides a gallery page (with/without ecommerce facilities) and/or an online store for an artist
- use of a website which provides a print on demand service and associated ecommerce facilities
- categorise each service by type
- provide a list of third parties within each category (links to their websites)
- provide links to independent reviews*
- show you the tools which YOU can use to check out a site
TIPS for selling art online
- Making a Mark: Selling art - online art websites, tracking marketing data and a new survey for artists!
- This week I've had approaches from three brand new online gallery sites, who have all seen my work, have all been impressed and who all want to host and sell it for me! What did I do? Run around and jump for joy? No, I looked at the sites, marked all the e-mails as spam and binned every one of them - which is why apart from the latest one this morning I don't have the names and URLs of the individual websites to hand.
Why did I bin them? Let me explain - and bear with me, it's a longish post but you will find out about what I know about
* the simple economics of an online art gallery business (the sort that sends me spam e-mails)
* what you need to know to asses the value of a site you give money to - 7 Tips to Increase Art Sales on Imagekind and other Art-selling Websites
- Wondering how to increase your art sales on Imagekind or other art-selling websites? I interviewed two of Imagekind's top photographers and discovered 7 tips for increasing art sales on Imagekind. Here they are.
- Use eBay Auctions To Send Traffic To Your Website
- Many eBay sellers have launched their own e-commerce websites, since eBay implemented rate increases. They have already known the benefits of having a website, however, many sellers don't see enough visits on their site and still have to depend on eBay to generate most of the income.
- MaM Poll: How much art have you sold via your blog or website?
- "How much art have you sold via your blog/website in the last year? is the question being asked in the November Making A Mark Poll. You can find the poll in the column on the right.
I know from the very first poll I did that artists are selling through their personal blogs and websites. However what's always intrigued me is whether or not this is an odd sale or regular sales. So I decided to convert my intrigue into the subject of a poll - mainly because I suspected I wasn't the only person who'd like to know the answer! - Making a Mark: MaM Poll RESULTS: How much art have you sold via your blog or website?
- In August, 53% of artists responding to the question What's the MAIN way you sell your art? said they sell most of their art direct - online or via their personal networks or personal studios i.e. independent of organisations which sell art for artists. The poll in November attempted to size the level of sales via websites or blog.
Here are the results (read on) - Where Artists Sell Art: A Web Survey of Nearly 300 Artists
- Several months ago I posted a survey asking artists where they sold their art. The response so far has been incredible, with over 270 artists taking time to respond. After analyzing the poll, here are some of the more interesting results I found:
Selling Art Online - Home Base!
This site includes links to all the resources for artists information sites which are about selling at online.Information is largely generic with the more specialised information relating to specific channels being in the other sites in this series
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Sell Art Online - Resources for Artists
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Do you want to know how to sell art online - or improve your knowledge of e-commerce for artists? This site helps you find out about selling art via your websites, blog, shopping carts, auctions, online galleries, online stores, print on demand and e...
Selling Original Art Online - via auction
eBay - Online auctions and stores
- eBay - Art, Original Art and Paintings items on eBay.com
- Find Art, Original Art and Paintings items on eBay. Browse a huge selection of Prints and Sculpture and find exactly what you want now.
- Art on e-bay UK
- Scope to sell Art, Posters, Paintings, Prints, Photographs on eBay.co.uk
eBay - Reviews
- Selling Art on eBay: Is it worth it?
- When I looked into eBay as a viable way to promote and sell my art, I came away a little disappointed. I found that thousands of paintings went unsold every week and those that did sell were primarily works by famous artists. Read more. . .
- eBay Finagles Fixed-Price and Final Value Fees, Cuts Paper Payments
- EBay cuts fixed-price listing fees, but some categories have higher final value fees. Also, new media shipping charge limits and tougher DSR minimums. Plus, the auction giant plans to eliminate paper payments.
eBay in 2008: Unique Visitors (monthly) and Average Stay (Minutes)
This date relates to all parts of eBay - NOT just the art channel
Bonanzle - including reviews
- Sell on Bonanzle - Bonanzle
- Site description
Selling on Bonanzle isn't the same painful process that other marketplaces have made you think it has to be.
33 of 33 of sellers that we asked said that Bonanzle was "easier" or "much easier" to post items on compared to other sites they had used. Plus, listing items is free and the final value costs are simple, low, and transparent. Want to learn more about selling on Bonanzle?
What makes Bonanzle so fast to sell items on?
We have made a science of studying where seconds and microseconds get spent for the average person when they go to sell an item online. Our mission is to keep the average time it takes you to post an item at 1-3 minutes by cutting out every unessential detail, and adding creative flourishes that make your life easier. Like so:
* One page to post one item. Other sites use 3-5 pages to walk you through picking a category, item location, shipping options, confirm your listing, etc., etc., etc. before your item is ready for sale. At Bonanzle, there is one page, five fields, and your item is ready.
* Skip the picture uploading. By using the picture cropper or the picture guesser, it is often possible to take and upload just a few pictures to use with many items. Imagine how much time you'd save if you had to take 5 pictures to depict your 20 items, instead of 20 pictures.
* Quick! How much should it cost? Do you really want to log in to eBay and wade through past items for 5 minutes to figure out how much your video game, book, or other item should cost? Didn't think so. On Bonanzle, we harness the power of the mighty Zeus to guess what your item should cost (either new or used) based on its title. How cool is that?
* Just the essentials.Do you want that item bold? Underlined? Do you want this item to be in the gallery? At Bonanzle, we say "enough already!" For the essential options (like types of payment you accept), you specify it once for all items. For non-essential options, we defer to eBay.
* Describe your item while your picture uploads. When you're creating an item on Bonanzle, you can describe it at the same time the picture for it uploads, saving yourself from waiting idly for those 10 seconds, or...
* Shorter descriptions can be OK. Post an item for sale with a three sentence description on another site and people assume you have something to hide. Post it with a three sentence description on Bonanzle and they assume that you did a good job of posting stuff quick.
What's more, when all your stuff is posted together on Bonanzle, you're in the perfect position to sell multiple items if a buyer finds one thing of yours that they were looking for. - About Us - Bonanzle
- Bonanzle is a person-to-person marketplace with the goal to make it easy to buy and sell unique items with the friendliest community around. ...
- Bonanzle: The Best eBay Alternative We've Seen
- This snappy, start-up company created an online marketplace that's easy to use, affordable and includes awesome online selling tools. In fact, it's the best eBay alternative we've seen yet.
- Bonanzle - Bodacious eBay Competitor Gives Birth to Fresh ...
- Sep 22, 2008 ... Bonanzle (pronounced Bon-an-zle), a start up out of Kirkland Washington, is positioning itself as a viable option to eBay and Craigslist. ...
- My Blog Utopia!: Bonanzle Keeps Growing!
- As eBay continues to struggle and small sellers search to find a home for their product, Bonanzle seems to getting some traction and growing nicely. ...
- On Bonanzle Marketplace, Simplicity Sells
- Oct 5, 2008 ... What can a video game teach you about creating an ecommerce marketplace? Bill Harding learned from his experience as one of the developers ...
Bonanzle and ArtByUs in 2008: Unique Visitors (monthly) and Average Stay (minutes)
ArtByUs - including reviews
- ArtByUs.com Art Auctions
- Site Description
ArtByUs.com came into existence in 2004 to provide a platform for art collectors, art representatives, art galleries, interior designers and the general public to connect with artists from around the world in a pleasant and inspiring setting.
We give artists the opportunity to showcase their work to buyers from across the globe, without having to contend with cheap reproduction art being sold alongside their real art creations, and without having to pay large commissions or listing fees to have their work seen.
(Note - the above is taken from the community pages. There appears to be no actual page which explains how the site to the visiting artist or provides the answers to FAQs) - ArtByUs.com ::
- Discussion board for self-representing artists, artisans, art collectors and fine art galleries.
- A Review of ArtByUs.com: Sell your Art Somewhere Else
- Jul 12, 2007 ... ArtByUs.com - you may have come across it before and considered listing your artwork for auction. For those of you not familiar with it, ...
Auction Site - Tips
- Making More Money on eBay | How-to Guides for running your business from Work.com
- Take advantage of selling tools to rev up your online auction revenues Selling stuff on eBay is easy enough. So is making money at it. Selling more stuff, however, and making more money requires true business savvy.
Selling Art via Online Galleries and Stores
Etsy
YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT ETSY
- Etsy :: Your place to buy and sell all things handmade
- Buy and sell handmade & vintage items, art, and supplies on Etsy, the world's most vibrant handmade marketplace. Share stories through millions of items from around the world.
What you can sell
- Handmade - Goods handmade by you.
- Supplies - Commercial and handmade crafting supplies.
- Vintage - Items 20 years or older with vintage appeal
- Anything that doesn't fit in one of the
three categories above
- Handmade goods created by someone else
- Illegal or prohibited items
Why sell on Etsy?
No HTML required. Setting up shop on Etsy is easy and takes only a few minutes. You can customize your shop with a banner, profile, shop policies and more.
You'll get your own URL for your shop based on your username, http://username.etsy.com
Vibrant community. When you join Etsy, you're joining a community of helpful, knowledgeable sellers. You can chat with other Etsians, share tips and marketing strategies on an Etsy Team or even attend an online workshop in our Virtual Labs.
Active buyers. Etsy shoppers are looking for handmade goods, vintage items and craft supplies. Reach the ideal customer for your products when you sell on Etsy.
Online safety. Etsy values your safety and privacy. We won't share your email address with anyone. All sensitive information, such as billing information, is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL). For more information, read our Privacy Policy.
- Handmade - Goods handmade by you.
- Etsy :: FAQ
- FAQs about Etsy - and the answers
- Storque - the Etsy Blog
- The Storque: Etsy's superblog, geared toward Etsy members and readers interested in the handmade lifestyle.
- Etsy Shops Directory re artists and artisans
- (Not an Etsy 'proper' site)
A directory of artists and artisans who sell their handmade wares on Etsy.com.
Subcategories include:
ACEO
Altered Art
Art Dolls
Decoupage
Digital
Drawing
Eclectic
Fabric
Giclée Prints
Hand Marbled
Metalwork
Mixed Media Collage
Paintings
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture
Wearable Art
Wire
Wood Panel - Etsy :: The Storque :: Etsy News :: Tech Update: Freshening Up the Category Pages
- Etsy's Category pages have a fresh new look?check them out. This is the first set of enhancements we have in mind for the Category pages. Our goal in implementing these changes is to enhance the shopping experience on the site, making it easier to navigate and to find items to purchase. We also hope that the improved design will encourage shoppers to spend more time on these pages.
- Etsy :: The Storque :: Etsy News :: Talking Shop with Etsy CEO Maria Thomas (2/27/09)
- According to the lunar zodiac, the Year of the Ox, 2009, will be a ?year of resilience.? Feng Shui experts have expressed sentiments that despite (or perhaps because of) the current economic turbulence the Year of the Ox will bring respite because the ox is patient, persevering and tireless. The ox symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work.
Perseverance and hard work are principles we are taking to heart at Etsy in 2009. We are building the world's most vibrant handmade marketplace, one that gives more meaning to buying and one that can be an amazing breath of fresh air for millions of people who want to discover something unique
Etsy in 2008: Number of Visitors (monthly) and average stay (minutes)
Etsy - Reviews
- Etsy.com Review - "Better than ebay if you are looking for handcrafted art items" - Viewpoints
- Etsy.com. See consumer reviews, ratings, and advice on the Etsy.com. Consumers say 'Better than ebay if you are looking for handcrafted art items'. Read reviews of thousands of other products too.
- Etsy.com review
- REVIEWS: Etsy.com
26 reviews - average rating of 4.65 - 3 months review since selling on etsy %uFFFD Handmade with joy
- 3 month review by a new Etsy member
- eBay Alternative for Artisans: Etsy Expands Your Exposure
- If you make handcrafted wares and want to increase your exposure online, let Etsy be your elf this holiday season. Unlike many other eBay competitors, this site gets lots of traffic.
Etsy - Tips
- Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: The Etsy Seller Handbook: All Our How-Tos about Selling
- a handy index of all the useful How-Tos about Selling on Etsy. We're calling it the Seller Handbook. We'll be adding all new how-tos for sellers to this index.
You can also search the Storque tags for "Seller Handbook" for a chronological list of all our published how-tos related to Selling. - Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: Etsy Seller Inventory Worksheet
- This is the first in a series of downloadable business tools for our community. We really want you to be successful in the new year, so I hope you can use these spreadsheet to keep your shop organized!
- Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: Tech Update + How-To: Download your Sales and Billing Data to a Spreadsheet
- Sellers who do their own accounting will be excited to hear this: you can now download your sales information to your computer in CSV format
- A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Shop on Etsy
- Want to get a shop started on Etsy? Don't know where to start? This guide will help you find the help you need to get your shop up and running!
- Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: Seller How-To: Finding Your Etsy Niche
- So you're a seller on Etsy. You're trying to get your name out there and be noticed. However, standing out in the crowd of enormously talented sellers and the wide variety of high-quality items is no easy feat. In fact, it can be daunting. How do you make your work seem different than everything else that's already out there?
Let's talk about finding your "niche" at Etsy and running a shop that has your distinct stamp of individuality. - Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: Seller How-To: Fostering Repeat Business
- I ran some very scientific and fancy tests here at the Etsy Labs and I found out a few things about customer loyalty.
1. It costs a whole lot more (or some might say, a heck of a lot more) to gain a new buyer than to retain your current buyers.
2. When those buyers come back, they spend more! This is because when they do come back, they trust you a little more and are willing to spend a little more.
3. Return customers are also more likely to chat up your shop to friends. So here are some things to think about to help you build a great group of loyal customers. - Etsy :: The Storque :: Search: shop makeover series
- The Storque: Etsy's superblog, geared toward Etsy members and readers interested in the handmade lifestyle.
- Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: Web Analytics Recap: Seller Chat in the Virtual Labs
- Recently, we held a Virtual Lab on the topic of Etsy Web Analytics, which enables sellers to do tracking with Google Analytics. We had a great turnout, with over 100 sellers in attendance. If you were not able to attend, I wanted to recap...
Alternative perspectives on Etsy
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Tools for Etsy Sellers
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Etsy is the biggest online marketplace devoted to selling handmade products. Here is a collection of tips and tools for Etsy sellers to help their productivity and success.
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Etsy Glass Artists Headquarters
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Etsy Glass Artists Etsy Glass Artists (EGA )is a glass artist collective, comprised of glass fusers, glass blowers, lampworkers and stained glass artisans dedicated to fostering an appreciation for the handmade glass arts.
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SquidEtsians Headquarters
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SquidEtsians A group of lensmakers who are members of the Squidoo Street Team on Etsy. This group nurtures a sense of community and offers a support system for each other. Please make sure that you have contacted PurrPrints on Etsy to let her know...
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A Well Dressed Bullet Etsy Shop
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On June 25, 2007 we started selling on Etsy. If you are a regular Etsy shopper,you are invited to drop by our Etsy Shop. If you have never been to Etsy, I think you will be impressed with all the creative items for sale, so be sure to check it out....
EBSQ
It also provides a portal into sites (such as ebay and etsy) where members sell their work
- EBSQ Self-Representing Artists: Online Artist Community & DIY Art Portfolios
- extracts from site description:
EBSQ is an online art association whose members represent their own work to the public. Our mission is to foster an active community of independent artists, and to provide tools and services to bring our members greater exposure in the art market. EBSQ membership is open--we welcome artists at all stages of their career. All media and styles are welcome.
Our easy-to-use tools empower artists to create a web presence for their art within minutes, allowing you to connect with other artists and art lovers world wide. Additionally, there are monthly exhibition opportunities, a really engaged community forum, opportunities to learn (or teach!) new skills from art techniques to marketing via social media.
(A Self-Representing Artist typically makes his/her work available directly to the public without a middle man. This does not rule out gallery representation as well, but in general, this is an artist from whom you can purchase work directly.) - EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0
- This is the official Blog for the EBSQ Self-Representing Artists Community, where you'll find news, reviews, site announcements, and of course, a generous helping of art!
- EBSQ Self-Representing Artists Community Forum
- EBSQ Self Representing Artists - Forum
- EBSQ - Online Art Gallery
- EBSQ galleries for different types of art
- EBSQ Self-Representing Artists | Facebook
- EBSQ on Facebook
- Twitter / EBSQ
- EBSQ on Twitter - a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time
- Become a Member Artist of EBSQ!
- Details of membership fees
Alternative Perspectives on EBSQ
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EBSQ Artists @ Squidoo Headquarters
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EBSQ Artists @ Squidoo The Official (and hopefully definitive) collection of EBSQ Self-Representing Artists member lenses here @ Squidoo. Getout of the vacuum and express yourself! Important!!!!!! DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR LENS IF YOU ARE NOT A PAI...
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EBSQ Self Representing Artists : Why we're here & why you should be too!
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EBSQ is an online artist community and portfolio site. Our easy-to-use tools empower artists to create a web presence for their art within minutes, allowing you to connect with other artists and art lovers world wide. Additionally, there are monthly...
Yessy and EBSQ in 2008: No.of visitors (monthly) and average stay (minutes)
Yessy - including reviews
- Yessy > 14-Day Free Trial
- Benefits:
* 14-day free trial to display and sell your art.
* Very quick and easy setup, often taking only 5 minutes.
* Display as much of your art as you wish. There are no limits.
* Instantly accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Checks, and Money Orders.
* Upload your images instantly from your computer through an easy-to-use form.
* Yessy shopping cart allows your art to be purchased quickly and easily online.
* Yessy handles the transactions and transfers the buyer's funds directly to you along with the order information.
* Average artist on Yessy receives several thousand hits per month and you can view your statistics at any time.
* Edit your gallery and add more items for free anytime, instantly and easily.
* Free biography page with optional personal photo.
* Free contact page that allows people to send you a message while keeping your contact information private.
* Free critique system that allows you to receive valuable feedback and interact with visitors. - Yessy Art Gallery: A Review
- This review of Yessy.com will let you know how it compares to other online art-selling websites. Obviously Yessy is a well-established online art gallery and doesn't charge a commission fee - but does it work? Read the full review for more details.
(July 2007)
Boundless Gallery - including reviews
- Buy Art Online & Sell Art Online with BoundlessGallery.com
- Buy art online and sell art online! Artists, galleries, and art from around the world featuring paintings, photographs, glass art, studio furniture, sculpture, ceramics, and much more.
- My Review of BoundlessGallery.com
- I now realize now that this review of Boundless Gallery should have been higher up on my to-do list for EmptyEase - after looking at the site I was really very impressed. BoundlessGallery.com sells all types of art by original artists, and they offer a flexible pricing plan too.
- Boundless Gallery Adds Custom Framing for Artwork Plus
- Boundless Gallery - one of the top art websites I've found for selling original art - has recently added two new features for both artists and art buyers: custom framing and a full money back guarantee. Why is this good? Click here to find out.
- BoundlessGallery Switches to Yearly Fees & Lower Commissions for Artists
- Boundless Gallery has been updating and improving several features on their website (for both artists and art buyers), and has also changed their member fees and commission rates. Here's a quick update on some of what's new at BG.
Discovered Artists - including Reviews
- Discovered Artists
- Site Description: The Right Setting for Selling Your Art
DiscoveredArtists.com is serious about selling your art. You can effectively promote yourself and your work to thousands of qualified Buyers around the world on this website. Our professional site design, robust search engine, and smart marketing result in generating significant art sales for career Artists.
And, the good news? It doesn't take serious cash to do it!
You can sell your artwork online for as little as $59 per year. - A Review of DiscoveredArtists.com, the Online Marketplace for Emerging Artists
- DiscoveredArtists.com is a new online marketplace for artists and art buyers, featuring original art, photography, and art objects.
It launched in July with over 300 artists and nearly 3500 works of art for sale. It has a pleasing layout of neutral colors and strong navigational cues to help people browsing or searching for art.
Artflock - and reviews
- Contemporary craft and original art to buy and sell online - Artflock
- ArtFlock.com is an online creative community where you can buy and sell original art and craft. It is an ideal place to discover the latest artistic talent or to share your artwork with new audiences.
- Artflock.com Goes Social, Adding More Community Features for Artists
- Have you been to Artflock.com lately? Artflock is a UK-based website for displaying and selling original art, but it's open to artists all around the world. More importantly, it's really been changing over the last few months..........
Three sites in 2008: No.of Visitors (monthly) and average stay (minutes)
Boundless Gallery / Discovered Artists / Artflock

Bear in mind that the number of visitors at any one time are spread across all the different artists included in the website's galleries so the number seeing an individual artist will be much lower than this

Compete. com Note: We have little data for boundlessgallery.com, discoveredartists.com, artflock.com, so these are rough estimates. With more data, we can cover more sites.
Other Online Galleries and Stores
- Saatchi Online - Show your art to the world
- Saatchi Online at The Saatchi Gallery allows artists to showcase their work for thousands of visitors to this site to view.
Snapshot review:
This is a very complex site which primarily essentially provides a basis for highlighting the Saatchi Gallery and Saatchi artists (ie this is a business oriented site rather than a completely altruistic one).
All the links from artists enamoured with being discovered by Charles Saatchi provide Saatchi with lots of points for a good SEO rating. However active marketing is employed only in relation to Saatchi artists.
The site showcases art on a random basis and/or if you know the name of an artist. It takes no commission from artists and charges no commission to buyers. You simply buy the work you like directly from the artist, using Paypal or a suitable alternative payment method.
This is NOT the same as being a Saatchi Gallery artist! - Sell art online - selling art on the Internet
- Sell art online with ArtGallery.co.uk (free!)
The purpose of ArtGallery.co.uk is to offer you, the talented artist, a platform from which to sell your art online to the public, without any of the hassles of having your own web site and dealing with e-commerce. If you can answer "yes" to these questions, then we want you to join us and start selling art online.
* Are you a talented artist living in the UK and willing to sell to UK customers?
* Do you have three or more original paintings, sculptures, or other artworks to sell?
* Are you prepared to take great quality photographs of your art?
* Will you be responsible and take your artworks offline when you are away and cannot fulfil orders?
Saatchi Gallery in 2008: Number of visitors and average stay (minutes)
Print on Demand Services
Print on demand - for artists
The majority of links to websites providing print of demand services, information and reviews are in this dedicated site.-
Print Art on Demand - Resources for Artists
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Are you interested in having your artwork printed using print on demand technology? Do you want to check out who are the suppliers and what people think of them? Find out about: what is print on demand / publish on demand?suppliers of print on demand...
Online print on demand services for artists
- Art.com - Posters, Art Prints, and Framed Art Leader.
- Find any Poster, Art Print, Framed Art or Original Art at Great Prices. All Posters and Custom Framing 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed, Fast Delivery.
- Imagekind
- Site Description:
Imagekind is one community for creating, buying and selling high end framed artwork. We offer giclee art prints of all types for sale......Visitors can shop from over 50,000 unique and independent artists or choose from the classics in our Masters of Art collection. Artists from all disciplines, including traditional and digital photographers, painters, digital artists and illustrators sell their artwork on Imagekind. Shop our selection of high end wall art, framed art, canvas artwork, custom greeting cards, photography and poster art prints. Or choose to create your own high end work of art with your personal digital images.
Now part of the Cafe Press Group - Zazzle
- Essentially a site for selling artwork on T Shirts and posters. This is how they describe themselves
"T-shirts, Posters, Art and more!
Infinite and Instant, Zazzle is the only on-demand retail platform for consumers and major brands, offering billions of retail quality, one-of-a-kind products shipped within 24 hours. Offering the largest library of customizable digital images from world-class brands, Zazzle enables content owners to unlock their entire libraries of content, making it available for purchase and customization by consumers. Through Zazzle's innovative on-demand retail and technology platform, users can instantly create, customize to fit their personal style, purchase and sell a near infinite array of products online.
The company launched in 2005 and is based in Redwood City, California." - CafePress
- CafePress.com is an online marketplace that offers sellers complete e-commerce services to independently create and sell a wide variety of products
There's a big focus on printing on to T shirts (and other clothing items) and mugs - Red Bubble Art Gallery and Community - T-shirts, Fine Art Prints, Calendars, Cards and More - RedBubble
- Site description:
RedBubble is an open and inclusive website where you can share your creative genius with the world.
On RedBubble you can sell your work online. Over the last 2 years RedBubble has shipped 180,000 items of art to 71 different countries (including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu). We take care of all the hassle. Give us your digital file and we will turn it into the finished product, deliver it to your customer and take care of any customer service problems. You control the pricing of your work - and decide how much you'd like to be paid (RedBubble doesn't charge a commission - we charge a simple base price).
Reviews of sites providing print services
and other updates about these sites and services offered
- Imagekind: A new way for Artists to Exhibit and Sell Art Online
- Today I'm reviewing Imagekind, an online community for artists who want to sell prints of their artwork via the internet. With Imagekind, individual artists don't have to deal with the printing, storing, mailing, or online credit card transactions - Imagekind handles all. Continue reading. . .
(November 2006) - My Review of Zazzle.com: Printable Products and Posters on Demand
- Zazzle.com is a print on demand supplier of various products, including posters and fine art prints. It's fairly similar to other print on demand services I've reviewed, but with enough clear differences that I'm sure some artists will prefer Zazzle over the competition.
(April 2008) - Artocracy.org: Affordable Art Prints and Downloadable PDF Artwork
- Although Artocracy.org has apparently been around for a few years now, it only recently came to my attention when I saw that it was one of five art websites nominated for the 12th Annual Webby Awards this year.
- CafePress.com: Where Art Becomes. . . Stuff.
- CafePress.com was one of the first online markets to offer print on demand services to artists. Now CafePress has over 6.5 million members (each with their own CafePress shop) who sell t-shirts, mugs, stickers, cards, and yes, even posters and framed prints of their artwork.
(April 2008) - Making a Mark: CafePress acquires Imagekind - what next?
- I woke up this morning to find that CafePress has acquired Imagekind. Below you'll find links to the announcements on their respective blogs and my initial thoughts - set out as pros, cons, observations and queries. While reading all of this just keep in mind the relative size of the memberships - CafePress has 6.5 million members and Imagekind has 50,000 members - and I'm one of them.
Art Business Books
books on Amazon
Taking the Leap: Building a Career as a Visual Artist
Cay Lang's "Taking the Leap" has helped thousands of artists jumpstart their careers and make real the dream of exhibiting and selling their work. An internationally exhibiting photographer and teacher, Lang offers the wisdom of experience, as well as enthusiasm and gentle humor, to guide artiststhrough the ins-and-outs of the art business. Practical and inspiring, this revised and updated edition offers two new chapters-on using the Internet and the media to best effect-as well as step-by-step advice on preparing presentation materials; finding and dealing with galleries (as well as bypassing the traditional gallery system); handling therights, royalties, and taxes; an extensive resource list; and other invaluable information and advice for both beginning artists and those ready to take the next step in their careers.
How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist, 5th ed.: Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul
The classic handbook for launching and sustaining a career that "explodes the romantic notion of the starving artist", with new and expanded resources for succeeding in the burgeoning Internet art market (The New York Times). Now in its fifth edition, with over 85,000 copies of previous editions sold, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist is the top guide in the Amazon Art Business charts - and offers a way of taking control of your career and making a good living in the art world.
Art Marketing 101, Third Edition: A Handbook for the Fine Artist (Art Marketing 101: A Handbook for the Fine Artist)
Artists need help with the business side of their career and this 302-page, twenty-one-chapter volume aims to answer all the questions they could have. It provides a guide for creating long- and short-term marketing plans and provides an education about how to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. Artists will learn about: overcoming roadblocks, the secrets of successful artists, alternative avenues for selling art, building name recognition, sales and publicity tactics, pricing artwork, planning an exhibition, creating a beautiful portfolio, photographing artwork, the proper way to contact a gallery, succeeding without a rep, promotion, maximizing value, and much more.
Amazon Price: $13.82 (as of 12/21/2009) ![]()
Usually ships in 24 hours
Internet 101 for Artists, Second Edition: With a Special Guide to Selling Art on eBay
Educate yourself on all aspects of promoting your artwork online. This book includes a thirty-page chapter on the methods Susan F. Greaves, a California artist, has developed to successfully sell her work on eBay and make thousands of dollars per year. You'll also learn about: acquiring a URL, broadcasting for results, designing your homepage, meta tags, guerrilla tactics, search engines, tracking visitors, and more.
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 12/21/2009) ![]()
Usually ships in 12 to 14 days
I'd Rather Be in the Studio!
I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion offers practical advice to help you sell more art and build an art career that lasts.
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/21/2009) ![]()
Usually ships in 24 hours
Market research and analysis
Before making a choice of whether or not to try and sell your artwork via an online gallery you need to:
- review site visitors and traffic
- compare the performance of different options
- check out what artists say in surveys
- read independent reviews of different services
Website Traffic
Check out the traffic using compete.com. You can look at one site or compare more than one - all completely free. While the figures may not be wholly accurate it's very likely that the comparative positions indicated by the stats are real.
Remember to look at how many unique visitors they get as well as how many hits.
- Compete
- Compete helps you benefit from click-sharing by providing free services that create a more trusted, transparent, and valuable Internet.
ALL THE CHARTS IN THIS SITE ARE EMBEDDED IMAGES OF CHARTS PRODUCED IN COMPETE.COM - Tracking the Online Art Market: A Look at 10 Art Websites' Monthly Visitor Stats
- As you know, I keep track of the online art market by watching the traffic stats of 10 art selling websites, including Boundless Gallery, Imagekind, RedBubble, Yessy, Artflock, Artist Rising, PicassoMio, and a few more. Here's how these companies compare right now.
(January 2008)
Surveys - how you sell your art
- The Making A Mark Poll - What's the MAIN way you sell your art?
- (August 2008)
53% of artists responding to the poll say that the main way they sell their art is independent of organisations which sell art for artists. They sell most of their art direct - online or via their personal networks or personal studios. - The Making A Mark Poll - How much art have you sold via your blog or website?
- (November 2008)
* nearly 50% of those who responded failed to generate any income from their website or blog - half because they didn't try and half because they didn't succeed.
* 51% generated income through sales via their website or blog. Of these: 37% sold 5 items or less and only 5% of those who sold were achieving regular sales via their website or blog. - Where Artists Sell Art: A Web Survey of Nearly 300 Artists
- Several months ago I posted a survey asking artists where they sold their art. The response so far has been incredible, with over 270 artists taking time to respond. After analyzing the poll, here are some of the more interesting results I found:
The Making A Mark Polls
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The Making A Mark Poll - Resources for Artists
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Find out the results of the monthly Making A Mark Polls for artists - as seen on popular art blog Making A Mark. See the charts and read the main findings about topics of interest to artists. Questions to date include: - What's the MAIN way you have...
Selling Art Online - Reviews by Empty Easel
Dan at Empty Easel has reviewed quite a few sites
- A Review of Ugallery.com: The Online Art Gallery for Emerging Student Artists
- If you're a college art major or a talented high school artist looking for an online art gallery, you might want to check out Ugallery.com. Ugallery is a new online art gallery specifically for students and recent graduates, although it's a bit different from other art galleries online.
(October 2007) - PicassoMio.com: Not my First Choice for Selling Art Online
- Thinking of selling your art on PicassoMio.com? Read my review of PicassoMio before paying the start-up fee. I compare PicassoMio's traffic, features, and design, with several other art websites on the internet.
(May 2007) - OriginalArtOnline.com: Showcasing Your Original Artwork to Sell
- OriginalArtOnline.com is a website that has been selling original work online by artists for over two and a half years. There's no commission fee charged when you sell your work, and in fact, there's no system for payment through OriginalArtOnline at all. How does it work? Continue reading. . .
(February 2007) - GoZabo.com: Selling your Hand-crafted, Original Artwork
- What is Gozabo.com? It's a new online art marketplace for artists of all types - woodworkers, sculptors, jewelry makers - and the list goes on. If you make hand-crafted artwork and are looking for a place to sell it online, you'll want to read the rest of this review.
(July 2007)
Resources for Artists - relating to selling art online
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How to pack, post and ship art - Resources for Artists
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How do you pack art? How do you post art? What about international deliveries? What about customs? How do you get it back again?This site doesn't pretend to have the answers to all the very many questions people have about getting art from artist to...
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Email Newsletter Software - Resources for Artists
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Are you confused by the different software options for generating a newsletter delivered via email? You're certainly not alone - and this site is starting to try and sort out what are the free and paid options and how they compare. Plus tips on using...
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Blogging for Artists - Resources for Artists
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Are you an artist and want a blog? Or maybe an artist who wants to work on improving your blog? If you are then read on - you'll find links on this site to sources of advice, information, and all other matters which are relevant to blogging for arti...
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The Art Business - Resources for Visual Artists
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Do you want to know more about the business side of being an artist? Or maybe you're looking for a particular piece of business information for artists? Whether you are an emerging or experienced artist, this site provides you with a link to informa...
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Art and the Economy - Resources for Artists
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Are you concerned about the impact of the economy on artists and selling art? What will a recession mean for artists? Find out about making and marketing art in an economic slowdown. Topics include: - rethinking your approach to art - being business...
Making A Mark
Katherine Tyrrell's blogging portfolio about: - Making a mark creating drawings with pastels, pencils and pen and ink - Art projects - Notable Artists - Developing art careers - Art blogs and blogging about art - Reviews of art books and exhibitions - Inf
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Reply
- AnnRadley AnnRadley Dec 2, 2009 @ 5:47 pm
- So many resourses on this lens. I'm rolling it to my JoyofDrawing update!
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Reply
- ArtGarageSale ArtGarageSale Apr 28, 2009 @ 7:43 pm
- Started up a great selling site recently, http://www.ArtGarageSale.com. No listing fees until July 1, 2009, 4% commission on sales, and 10 cent listing fees per month after July 1. We have had over $2,500 in sales in the first 4 months with close to 200 artists on the site! Come check it out!!
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Reply
- sherryparis sherryparis Apr 8, 2009 @ 8:10 am
- Love the lens!!
Thanks for all the great info, It will surely come in handy.
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- henzy henzy Mar 11, 2009 @ 11:18 am
- great lens...awesome resource of information. I'm already a member of Redbubble and Zazzle but going to check out some of these other places immediately.
Who is makingamark?
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Who is Making A Mark?
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I'm an artist with a very wide range of interests who enjoys learning about art, making art and sharing information about art. I've combined all my information sites with sections of my other websites and blogs to highlight my main interests and acti...

















