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Selling Art Online
Can artists sell their work online? Is the Web an appropriate or useful place to exhibit your work? How effective is a Website as an art gallery? What is the best way to build an online gallery?
These are just some of the questions that I've run across lately. I know that online galleries will never replace brick and mortar galleries because some art buyers must see the art first-hand in order to appreciate it. However, the online gallery can be an effective tool for artists who don't have traditional gallery representation. It can be used as a gallery to sell directly to buyers or it can be used as a convenient portfolio in addition to the traditional portfolio. Prospective buyers can be directed to an online site to get a "feel" for the work and then contact the artist for the more detailed experience of viewing the art in person.
If the artist wants to sell their work online directly to the customer working out the financial arrangements can be tricky. Some may use the honor system, which is not a good idea in my opinion. If the artist plans to accept credit card orders then the site must be a secure site. Another approach is to use a third party institution which can create an escrow account and be the liason between artist and buyer. Shipping costs should be the responsibility of the buyer and included in the final purchase price. Ideally the sale should be one that the artist receives no money until the customer has the work delivered in good condition and that the customer receives no work until the artist knows their money is securely waiting. The artist should also have some form in writing that covers the situation involving the return of work or refund of money.
The artist wants satisfied customers and the buyer wants to know that they will receive exactly what they are paying for.
When it comes to building an online gallery, I think that the best way is to build a gallery that is a secure site, has it's own domain name, is straightforward in design, and easily navigated. The new technology in Web design can be impressive and innovative but in online galleries the buyer wants:
- To see the art.
- Fast download.
- Ease of navigation.
- Artist's Statement.
- Information about artist's background.
- Art medium and size.
- Pricing and purchase information.
The prospective buyer does not want to have to figure out how to get from point A to point B. Sound files, animation, extraneous graphics, and unnecessary text are more of a distraction than an enhancement.
Thumbnail images on pages should reference a larger image for a more detailed view. No one is going to buy art that they have to squint at just to determine what it looks like! A well laid out gallery is a pleasure to browse through. The artist should view the page as if they were the prospective buyer.
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