SELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ARTWORK ONLINE
Photographer JO STEPHEN shares her experiences of selling her photography artwork online at Fine Art America (FAA)
WHERE DO YOU SELL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ARTWORK ONLINE?
I sell my work online as prints at Fine Art America (1-jo-stephen.pixels.com).
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS ABOUT FINE ART AMERICA?
The pros are you can set up a free shop with up to 25 images to test the waters before committing financially to the site. The membership is cheap and all printing and packaging is undertaken. You also get international reach. I have found that the profits are minimal but using the site does mean I can offer my work to those that are asking for it. You can add the shop front as a page to your website (if you have the right widget and subscription). As it is so big, it is easy to get lost with all the artists and I would prefer something more niche. They control the printing and presentation, and personally I would like more creative control, and to be able to print at home or at a local lab. I feel this is more in line with my ethos.
WHICH IMAGE/S OF YOURS SELL BEST?
The images that sell best are usually those that have had media exposure through placing in competitions. It tends to be my more abstract work rather than representational.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO INCLUDE?
I include a lot of my work but do withhold some collections to be limited in edition, for example my murmuration series. Initially I only sold representational and botanical work, however as I find the costs associated with printing prohibitive, I have made more work available on FAA.
DO YOU JUST SELL PRINTS OR DO YOU OFFER FRAMED ARTWORK TOO?
I sell prints, canvases, and framed prints. There is an option to sell all manner of goods from phone cases and yoga mats to bags and cards, but I prefer to just offer my work as prints. I sell my cards online through Love From The Artist.
WHAT COMMISSION FEE DOES THE ONLINE RETAILER TAKE?
The retailer sets a fixed price for the products on the site, and you can add your own markup. They offer a suggestion which will keep your prices in line with other products on the site.