7 Tips to Sell Art Online

If you haven’t started selling art online, you are missing out! The internet has created a way for artists to reach more than just their local population at just the click of a button. Though some ways to sell your art online may cost you a little money or a commission cost, there are ways to sell art completely free! We’ll talk about all of this and much more in this article.

Tip #1: Where to Sell

The first question we should answer is where to sell your art online. The list could be endless so I will talk about some general categories: Social Media, Art Websites, and Your Own Website.

Social Media

Social media is a great way to start selling your art online because it is 100% free. On Facebook, there is the Marketplace that lets you post anything for sale. There are also many groups in which you can post your artwork. Creating your own Facebook Page is a place where you know you can post your artwork because you own the page!

You can also advertise products on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and the list goes on. Many people will post the price of the painting right on the post but some will say to message for information. I think the most important thing is to make sure people know that it is for sale and that they have a way to contact you if they are interested.

Art Websites

There are dozens of websites where you can list your artwork for sale and if it sells, a commission fee will be deducted by the website. The advantage of using these websites is that they already have many people visiting their site on a daily basis so you have more of a chance of people seeing your work.

I wrote an article that includes many of these sites and talks about their conditions for selling art on their websites. Here is the link: https://www.briansloanartist.com/where-to-sell-your-art-online/

Or you can watch the video here:

Your Own Website

You can also create your own website where you can sell your art! You can create free websites with platforms such as Weebly or WordPress, but you will have their name in the URL. Or you can purchase a domain name and host so that your website is your own. If you have any questions about my website or how I went about building it just send me a message and I’ll be happy to help you!

Tip #2: Write Good Descriptions

I think one of the most important things about selling art online is knowing your product.

Be able to write a clear and descriptive description of your art. Nothing screams “Click Away!” like a description that only has the measurements and nothing else. People usually buy art because they feel some sort of connection to it. This means they may purchase it whether or not your description is good, however, by telling the story of how it was created and what inspired you as the artist may create that connection with the buyer and turn it into a sale.

Knowing your product also means things like listing the materials used to make it, does it come framed or unframed, is it varnished or coated?

This leads to knowing how it will be shipped, but that will be a section of its own.

Tip #3: Shipping

I remember the first time I had to ship a painting overseas. It was actually the first painting I ever sold. I was nervous and hoped that everything would arrive safely.

Ways to Ship

There are multiple ways to ship a painting. You can ship it in a crate, a reinforced cardboard box, or roll it in a mailing tube.

The cheapest way to ship, at least from Canada, is in a mailing tube. This was how I shipped my first painting. It was originally on a wooden support frame so I detached it and rolled it around the disassembled support frame so it would fit in the tube. The customer then was able to reassemble it when it arrived. This is also one of the safer ways to ship a painting because it is much less likely to be punctured or bent than a box.

Here is a link to a video and article I wrote showing how to ship a painting in a tube: https://www.briansloanartist.com/how-to-art-how-to-package-a-painting-to-ship/

Shipping in a box or crate works great too and you will have to ship it this way if the painting is being sold framed.

Shipping Technicalities

Whether shipping in a tube or box make sure you know the dimensions and weight of the package and not just the artwork by itself. This way you can estimate the shipping cost by using online calculators so you know how much to charge depending on where it is going.

That being said, make sure you have proper shipping costs for domestic and international purchases. Being from Canada, it is much cheaper for me to ship paintings within Canada and to the United States than it is to ship to Europe for example. This means that the shipping cost will be more expensive if the customer is buying from Europe.

Insurance and Tracking

Yes, buy insurance when you ship a painting. It usually doesn’t cost that much extra but if anything ever gets damaged, you can get a full refund for it.

It is always good to be able to track your product as well. Customers also like to be able to see when their purchase is arriving. If it costs a few extra dollars to upgrade to get tracking, do it! Just add that extra bit to the shipping cost when the customer purchases it. I have yet to meet someone who complains about shipping costs when they know their purchase is being insured and is able to be tracked. They will understand!

Tip #4: Payments

Now more than ever before there are scammers out there trying to get your money in any way possible. This means that you need to be careful when selling your art online.

Never ship a painting before the payment has been received in your bank account!

If you are selling your art through websites such as Etsy or Fine Art America, then you never have to worry about this. They won’t allow a painting to be purchased without payment first. These types of platforms will then pay you usually on a weekly or monthly basis.

If you are selling on Social Media or on your own website, then make sure payment is received first. My customers use PayPal or direct E-transfers to my bank. Both of these are safe and secure and ensure the payment has been accepted from the customer.

Whenever I do commission work, I ask 50% at the beginning and 50% at the end. I will send a photo to the customer when it is finished so that they can send the second half of the payment before I ship it.

Tip #5: Photos

One of the most important parts of selling online is getting others to see your work. In order for this to happen, you must upload photos of it!

You don’t need a $3000 camera in order to get good photos of your art. I actually just use my cell phone and am able to get awesome photos that I can also use to make prints of my paintings.

Take photos of your art in natural light. I always take my paintings outside to get good lighting. And I use a tripod to make sure the camera is steady so I get the best quality possible.

I think having a photo of your painting on the wall is important because it helps the customer visualize what the artwork would look like in their home. Also, the dimensions of a painting might not mean much to some people, but if they can see it in the context of a room, it will help them understand the true size of the art.

Tip #6: Share Your Products

This is a small tip but is important! It’s one thing to post your work online, but it is another for someone to actually see it. If you are posting your art on your own website or websites such as Artfinder or ArtPal, use the social media buttons are share your products on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. By sharing your products, you will more likely drive traffic to them which will hopefully turn into more sales for you!

Tip #7: Don’t Worry If Sales Don’t Happen Immediately

In many ways, selling online is similar to selling in a local shop. When someone opens up a new business, people are usually a little wary of them because no one has experience with them. It is the same with selling art. It takes time to build clientele and trust with people.

Here is a little example. I opened my Etsy shop in 2016. In 2016 I had one sale. I took care to make sure everything was good and I got a 5-star review left on my page. In 2017 my sales doubled. I sold two paintings that year. Again, another 5-star review. I was now at 3 sales in total. In 2018, those sales doubled again and I sold six paintings. No, I am not making a living off of my art selling on Etsy, but over the last few years my rating has increased, the traffic to my shop has increased, and my sales have increased.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your success at selling art online.

In closing…

Selling art online is something I tell everyone to do. It is a great way for emerging artists who don’t have a gallery to represent them to sell their art.

If you have any other tips or questions just leave them in the comments below!

And don’t forget to check out my article about where to sell your art online!

Where To Sell Your Art Online

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