Many sites to sell your artwork - My Experiences.

​Sunday evening I spent a fair amount of time trying to post an original drawing for sale on Ebay. I had heard good things about the site - that artwork sells reasonably well and that the overall quality is high (e.g. copyright protection is enforced).

After being sent around in circles for about 30 min, being told I needed to complete my profile first via this link, and then the link telling me "Sorry, this page is only for completing your profile. Please go back to your homepage" I followed my husband's advice of " Just delete it!!!". Wise words. It had already taken me awhile to set up the account in the first place.

So now seems a good time to write about some Pro's and Con's of Printing and Selling Platforms available to artists today - places where you can sell prints of your artwork. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list - these are only the ones I have experiences with. The amount of services out there is staggering. So which ones have been worth my time (and money)?

Ebay (www.ebay.com)
I won't even go there. It seems, if you are not in the US, this page is probably not worth the effort.

TradeMe (www.trademe.co.nz):
The New Zealand/Australia equivalent of Ebay.
Pro's:
It is reasonably simple to set up a profile, and straight-forward to post and sell. Copyright is enforced in theory, but there seems to be some wiggle room (like posting drawings of cartoon characters).

Con's:
You have to be in AUS/NZ to use it and you only reach people in AUS/NZ (since only these can use TradeMe). Also, art can be slow to sell, so be patient.

Verdict:
Perfect for me, and I am selling on this site. Not useful for the rest of the world.

Etsy (www.etsy.com)
Known for its lovely hand-made gifts and items, Etsy can be a place to sell original art.
Pro's:
A close-knit community! You can make friends and sometimes meet each other on fairs and crafts markets. The overall quality (and subsequently - customer expectations) is very high.
Con's:
The listing fee, which is due when listing or renewing an item, can add up quickly.

Verdict:
Keep an eye on Etsy, especially if you like doing something special - like painting on feathers or jewellery!

DeviantArt (www.deviantart.com)
DeviantArt is a community, where many an artist has started out. It is a vivid, highly inspirational platform where you can share art, get feedback, and also sell prints. It also lets you create a first portfolio.
Pro's
DeviantArt has provided me with a big boost when I started out. Some very accomplished artists use this site and can be contacted by message for feedback and tips. The site also has plenty of resources and tutorials available, as well as stock images, from artists for artists. It is quite encouraging to see your art gain views and be added to collections. And love is shared in the form of Llamas!

Con's
The printing service is somewhat unnecessary in my opinion. Many artworks can be downloaded for free in full size, and most artists include links to their websites, facebook pages and shops.

Verdict
Start here!

Vistaprint (www.vistaprint.com)
Vistaprint is a printing service, which - if you are unlucky - can be pretty in-your-face with constant offers and advertisements.
Pro's
A Printing Service for items like cards, mugs, posters, gifts (both single items and bulk) and business cards. I have used them for years and have no complaints regarding the price and service. You can get deals of 25% or 50% off, if you order at the right time. I have had product arrive damaged, but after contacting Customer Service, I have received a full replacement order every time.

Con's
Not for archival or gallery-quality prints. It may also be a good idea to calculate extra time for your orders in case the product arrives damaged and has to be replaced. And you have to handle shipping to the customer yourself.

Verdict
It will definitely get you started for a very reasonable amount of money! It can also cover both your marketing materials and products in one place.

Society6 (www.society6.com)
Pro's
Society 6 features seems very up-to-date with current trends and many of the artworks available are pretty spectacular. Make your artwork one of them!

Con's
My personal nightmare: the site has exact pixel measurements for every item (e.g. laptop sleeve, mug, t-shirt, towel, wall clock). Upload an image just a few pixels off, and it will be rejected. I have folder titled Society 6 with every single artwork I submitted in every single size. It takes forever to set up all products, and you may actually give up half-way through or stop optimizing.

Verdict
It has gotten me started and I have sold on there. In the future, however, I will be using Fine Art America.

FineArt America (www.fineartamerica.com)
Pro's
I have dealt with FAA's Customer Service only yesterday. When I could not change something I submitted the contact form and then decided to give it another try by logging out and back in. That was all the time it took them to fix the issue and email me back! Another very useful feature is the blog, which is included in their profile. If you are not ready to have a website yet, this could get you started! FAA has printing facilities all over the globe, which means orders are shipped from the facility closest to the customer. And lastly, as an artist you only have to upload one image per artwork, which can be customized to fit different items. A huge time and frustration saver compared to Society 6!

Con's
As with most printing and shipping providers, FAA charges a decent amount per item sold, and the artist's profit needs to be added to this to set the final price (which can be quite high).

Verdict
Best printing and shipping service I have used so far.


​I hope this was helpful in some way. Please share with us if you have had different experiences with these or other websites!