How to Sell Your Art Online

How to Sell Your Art Online ResourcesArt Apr 14 Written By Pablo Kunert Selling art online is becoming a more prominent trend — and not just for galleries. To help you keep up with the times, we’ve put together this guide to some of the ins and outs of selling your art online. What to ConsiderSo what are the main things to keep in mind when getting ready to sell your artwork online?Commissions and feesThink about your budget. Depending on how and where (and in how many places) you sell your art online, the costs can add up. There may be membership/subscription fees and/or commissions on sales. From the standard 50/50 split adopted by many galleries, to lower transaction fees incurred through online marketplaces, it’s something to be aware of when you’re getting started.Documenting and presenting your work Wherever you present your work online, make sure to provide quality images and clear, up-to-date details. This is especially important when you consider that someone might not have the chance to see the artwork in person before deciding to make a purchase. The images and information you provide, will therefore, play more than a supporting role in making a sale. Packaging and shippingSelling your art online creates the potential to reach collectors and potential buyers anywhere in the world. That means you will have to think about packaging and shipping your artwork — costs, materials, services — potentially on an international scale. Without the face-to-face transaction, logistics are something you will likely have to deal with when selling your art online. You’ll want to make sure your art is safe in transit, while keeping it economical. Keep in mind that providing accurate, reliable shipping estimates to potential buyers is important. Also think about the scope of your online selling. If you are a sculptor, for instance, it could become quite expensive and logistically complicated to ship internationally. Do some research beforehand. Check out the options and get a few estimates from different shipping companies. Depending on which selling platform(s) you use, there may be integrated shipping features that make the organization and management of this process a bit easier. Where to SellAside from major players like Artsy or Artnet, which provide a platform for galleries and collectors to sell artwork online, there are also options that enable artists to sell their work directly. It might be a good idea to try out a few different platforms, if possible, to see what works for you. In any case, it makes sense to put yourself and your work out there in more than one place.Online GalleriesIn addition to commissions, when considering online galleries, keep in mind that it might be more difficult for your work to reach collectors if there is a high volume of artists and works presented on a site. But likewise, if a gallery is small scale or just starting out, they might not have so much marketing budget, or they might not have as many connections. There may also be options that are better suited depending on the medium you primarily work in.Saatchi ArtWhen it comes to online galleries for selling artwork, there are of course the big ones, like Saatchi Art — which has a large audience on and offline. Saatchi Art allows artists to register and set up a shop for free (commission is taken on works sold). And they even arrange shipping of works sold through the site. Meaning, the artist is responsible only for packaging. There’s a high volume of art and artworks on Saatchi Art, of course, but the site’s curators do make selections of works to feature on the homepage for increased visibility.UGalleryUGallery functions a bit differently — as a juried platform that presents a curated selection of artists and artworks. The gallery accepts applications on a rolling basis from emerging and mid-career artists interested in exhibiting and selling their work on the platform (for a commission). While it is possible to sell your art via other channels and venues once represented by UGallery, note that they do require exclusivity on the artworks that are on their platform.Your Art BeatThere are also more medium-specific online galleries. Your Art Beat is a newer, smaller scale online gallery space designed to highlight digital art, in particular. Artists can join at different membership levels — in support of the non-profit Your Art Beat e.V. Depending on your membership, there are different fees for exhibiting work on the site as well as varying commission.MarketplacesOnline marketplaces may offer a platform to buy and sell a wide range of different products. Or they may be more tailored to a specific category or medium.Though not specifically for selling art, Etsy is certainly a well-known example. It’s one that is focused on creative works — like handcrafted and design products. From jewelry to prints, it could be an effective tool for selling single pieces, custom designs, or serial works. Etsy does charge listing and transaction fees. But it is relatively easy to set up and use. Plus it has a wide reach. Minted is another online marketplace, which is geared primarily towards photographers, illustrators, and graphic designers. Through the site’s monthly competitions, the public votes on and selects artists, who can then set up their own shop on the site. Minted also produces and sells the winning designs on various media and products, like stationery and decor.Social MediaOr, more specifically, Instagram and TikTok. While these are not art-specific platforms, they are visual ones, which means they can be a good way for some artists to increase their visibility, gain an audience, and even make sales. To do this, of course, involves the legwork of building up your profile and ‘brand’. This means posting videos and high quality images regularly. While it may seem like a lot more effort, short-form video is now one of the primary discovery tools for artists, so it’s not something to overlook or sideline.Aside