Where to Sell Art, Crafts, and Designs Online

According to the Hiscox Online Art Trade Report of 2017, the online art market rose 15 percent to $3.75 billion in 2016. The global art market value is said to range from $12 billion to $56.6 billion, indicating ample room for online art business growth.

By 2021, the online art market is projected to reach $9.14 billion, providing great opportunities for artists and crafters looking to sell their work online.

Several platforms are available for selling and marketing your work, depending on your products and business goals. To choose the best one, carefully review costs, fees, and terms to avoid scams.

Keep in mind that building an online business requires planning and investment, even if art is your passion.

Amazon Art: Selling on the shoulders of giants

Amazon, the leading ecommerce platform, draws about 183 million visitors each month. This makes the Amazon art section a great opportunity for artists to reach a wider audience.

Artists can sell various types of artwork on Amazon, including photography, mixed media works, prints, and drawings. However, 3-D works and sculptures cannot be sold.

Consider the pricing options. Individual sellers pay $0.99 per item per month if they sell less than 40 pieces, while professional sellers pay $39.99 a month for more than 40 pieces. Keep in mind additional charges like referral, closing, and shipping fees.

Although Amazon offers exposure and potential sales, it may be harder to build a repeat customer base due to the platform’s wide range of products.

Etsy: Put a bird on it

In Q3 2017, Etsy made a profit of $106.38 million. It is a popular platform for artists in various fields, such as jewelry, clothing, home décor, prints, photography, and more.

Selling on Etsy incurs fees like a $0.20 listing fee, a 3.5 percent transaction fee based on item price, optional advertising fees, shipping fees, and payment processing fees.

Etsy is known for its specific focus on arts and crafts, making it easier to attract customers looking for those types of products. However, some sellers face competition from mass-produced, cheaper items.

Etsy also offers resources on selling and avoiding common mistakes for those interested in joining the platform.

CustomMade: Bid to create completely original work

CustomMade allows artists to bid on custom, one-of-a-kind art pieces requested by buyers. Mastering bidding skills is crucial for success on this platform.

Keep in mind the complexity and cost of creating custom work, including prototyping expenses, when setting your bids. Don’t undersell yourself.

Craftsy: For selling patterns

Craftsy focuses on patterns and tutorials for sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, cooking, baking, woodworking, papercrafts, and gardening. It is not a platform for selling finished artwork.

Craftsy offers a passive income opportunity by selling digital patterns repeatedly. Sellers need a Paypal account to join. Craftsy’s audience is interested in specific crafts, increasing the chances of pattern sales.

Zazzle: For designers and (a few) makers

Zazzle allows designers to sell their artwork on various products like shirts, business cards, posters, and mugs. Designers can set their own royalty rates, ranging from 5 to 99 percent. Zazzle handles manufacturing and shipping.

While Zazzle has a large customer base, it is challenging to figure out the details of becoming a maker on their platform, as it is still relatively new and requires an invitation or application.

Creative Market: For graphic designers

Creative Market is a platform for graphic designers, photographers, and web template designers. It offers stock photographs, graphics, logos, fonts, and templates.

Sellers set their own prices, with Creative Market taking a 30 percent cut of each sale. The platform has a large community of artists and potential customers, making it a potential investment worth considering.

Displate: Commissions for designs printed on metal

Displate specializes in art printed on metal sheets. Artists can set the commission rate for each artwork, and Displate handles manufacturing, packaging, delivery, and customer service.

Registering on Displate is free, but the platform is better suited for artists interested in selling a larger volume of reprints over time.

Art Licensing Show: If doing the detective work is worth it

Art Licensing Show allows artists to license their artwork to manufacturers. Corporate art directors browse artists’ digital portfolios and pay to use the images. The platform offers various pricing options for artists.

Art Licensing Show is a good fit for artists interested in licensing without manufacturing or creating unique items.

Houzz: For home goods and decorative items

Houzz offers a platform for selling a wide range of products like backsplashes, lighting fixtures, furniture, bedding, chandeliers, floor rugs, and wall décor. Houzz has a large potential client base but lacks transparent information about seller account pricing options.

CraftFoxes: A social option

CraftFoxes is a smaller marketplace and social media platform where craftspeople can connect, share ideas, and sell their items. CraftFoxes charges $0.10 per listing, which expires after three months, and an additional 4 percent fee for each item sold.

Explore your options and develop a plan

Finding the right platform for your art or crafts business requires research. Consider factors like pricing, functionality, and audience. Building your own website with a shopping cart solution is also a viable option.

Remember to analyze pricing and presentation strategies used by other sellers on each platform. Attention to detail and understanding the fine print are crucial for success in online arts and crafts businesses.

Andrew Brooks

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I’m Andrew Brooks, a seasoned finance consultant from the USA and the mind behind phonenumber247.com.

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