As I am discussing the internet and marketing online with artists, the question of whether or not an artist should include pricing information on their site often arises. I spend quite a bit of time looking at artists’ websites, and, from my observations, most artists do not include pricing on their websites. I’ve also found that a good number of galleries don’t include pricing information either. The lack of pricing information is always a little surprising to me, but perhaps it shouldn’t be as there is a warm debate over the issue.
I’ve heard both sides of this debate. While I suspect that a large number of artists (and galleries) don’t include pricing information because they see that very few others are including it – those that do put thought into the issue seem to have pretty strong opinions one way or the other.
Briefly, to frame both sides of the issue, those who don’t include pricing seem to omit it for one or more of the following reasons:
- To encourage contact from the potential buyer. If there’s no pricing information, the reasoning seems to suggest, the client will have to call the gallery or artist and ask for the pricing and now the salesperson has an opportunity to actively engage the customer and push toward the sale.
- Including pricing can lead to complications or confusion. As I understand this concern, if there is inconsistency in pricing between the artist’s website and the gallery website it can lead to obvious customer service problems. The same would be true if the site is out of date and a price has not been updated after a price increase.
- Including pricing makes an artist’s website site seem too commercial
There are probably other arguments, but these seem to be the primary positions I run into.
I come down firmly on the other side of the argument and am in favor of including art prices on artist and gallery websites. My arguments against the points above, respectively are:
- If you are waiting for someone to call you or email you for pricing you are missing the point of the internet. Visitors to your site aren’t going to contact you, they are just going to move on. In the internet age, people want to find information easily and instantly. We have always included pricing on xanadugallery.com- instead of getting calls asking “how much is it” we get calls saying “I want to buy it, here’s my credit card” or, even better, we get the order right from the site. Pricing is the single most important thing people are looking for on the site, you’re only frustrating them if you don’t give them this information.
- Running into problems due to inconsistent pricing is not an internet problem, it’s a pricing problem (or a laziness problem). An artist’s pricing should be 100% consistent across all venues. Eliminate inconsistencies in pricing and you won’t have any website pricing problems.
- As far as the “too commercial” issue, I am truly dumbfounded by this one. Aren’t we trying to sell the art? If not, if you are just trying to create a web museum of your work – then pricing probably isn’t necessary. If, however, your aim is to sell, then you need to overcome your fear of commercializing your site. Collector’s will buy only if given the opportunity.
Of course there are other considerations for an artist. Some galleries prohibit their artists from sharing pricing information on their sites. I think this is counter-productive for all involved – especially if the gallery isn’t generating strong online sales, but it is wise for an artist to accede to the wishes of their galleries if the gallery is generating sales for them. It wouldn’t hurt though to have a discussion with your gallery and talk about the pros and cons of including pricing on their site and your site.
Of course, this debate is close to moot if you aren’t getting strong traffic to your site. If you’re not getting 200+ unique visitors to your site weekly, you should start there before you worry too much about pricing (more on this in a forthcoming post).
What do You Think?
Do you include pricing on your site? Do you have arguments one way or another that I’m overlooking? Share your thoughts, comments and questions in the comments section below. Your feedback improves the dialogue and I appreciate your participation.
{ 109 comments… read them below or add one }
I started reading on the other side of the debate, and finished on your side.
Thank you for the wake up call.
Great post. Artists don’t have to be “starving”- but until they realize that they are selling a product and running a business (which in turn needs to be branded and marketed), then making a living from their art will remain a struggle.
I’ve had prices on my website from its inception, as per an article you wrote a couple years ago. (Thank you for that.) Showing prices hasn’t hindered my sales nor have I received any negative feedback. Instead, I get calls from people who are ready to purchase a painting.
I actually tested this question! Added prices to my previously non-priced site for about 6 months. Contact emails dropped off considerably, so did my ability to capture email addresses for newsletters/updates, etc. AND I didn’t sell a single piece even with a PayPal ‘buy now’ button added! I since removed all pricing and buying features and I’m back to interested parties contacting me about buying.
After that exercise, for me the answer is a clear cut NO to posting prices (at least for painters selling work over $1,000).
I have always had prices attached to my artwork on the Internet, whether my own site, a brick and mortar gallery website or an online gallery. Collectors like to know up front what prices are even in brick and mortar galleries.
I have talked with several collectors who have commented that they do not like the “Price Available Upon Request” that they see both online and in some store front galleries. To them this implies that the price may be fluid based on who you are, who you are perceived to be, etc and that is a turn off even if the artwork intrigues them.
If you are shopping for anything else on the Internet, do YOU send an email asking the price if it isn’t apparent immediately? I know that I sure don’t. I don’t want to wait for someone to find the time to get back to me. The Internet is all about “instant buying” and having to wait for a response (which could take days in alot of cases) is probably going to result in no sale.
Yes, I list prices on my website. Why would I want my potential collectors to have to suffer that “If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it” feeling?
I used to also list prices on my blog whenever I posted about a piece that was available, but I started to regret this when I needed to raise my prices earlier this year – it was a pain in the ass to go through and change all the places where I had posted the price. Now I only list prices on my website, and just link to it when I want to make sure people have access to that information from a blog post or other internet discussion.
I’ve gone back and forth on this one. Right now I have prices listed because helping the viewer outweighs the problems created when you post prices. The main ones I’ve run into are 1)galleries quoting a different price to offset a discount and 2)confusion created when I periodically raise my prices but the gallery is already hanging the work with an existing price tag.
People don’t like to ask the price, it puts them in the embarrassing position of looking like they can’t afford (if they decline) or really don’t think its worth that much, (if they decline, and they don’t want to insult). I started out in the street shows and and malls back in the 60s. A lot of good marketing education was gleaned back then, we all shared a lot of information, not just marketing. A great education for artists that really does not live on like back than. We were truly family back then, we cared and shared, and learned. This is the new way to care and share. A good thing
I have made my website ‘informational’ with no prices on pieces carried in galleries, so that the appearance of competing is removed. Since 90% of my sales come from galleries, I was not giving up much. My emphasis now is to build my brand and support my galleries.
Great topic, for me it is better not to post due to shipping costs being factored in. I live in Hawaii so if something is shipping to Europe its going to be vastly more expensive in the end then something shipping to California in the USA & it becomes a serious problem for potential customers as the shock factor of costs at times upsets them when comparing piece cost to shipping cost. Not posting pricing I am able to let a customer choose not only their preferred mode of shipment but also negotiate on prices fitting their specific needs, such as lowering costs if they buy more than one piece. I think its great to post prices for anything inexpensive & easy to transport but above that you may be losing interest by removing the ability to price around specific Buyer’s needs.
I concur with you Jason. It gives the potential buyer important information, and informs any galleries you are in that your prices are consistent, which establishes trust. Nowadays, the business of art requires team work.
I totally agree with Jean Judd. I refuse to shop for anything that doesn’t list a price based on the “fluid based theory” that the price may be based on many factors” . It is annoying and too time consuming to deal with a sale or a purchase when you are then told to contact someone regarding a price. For me this is a “turn off”.. I want to know the price up front and I would only sell items that way..
Great topic and one that I have gone back and forth on for some time. I do want to add one thing. Why is it that artists have to have ONE price and there are stores across the country that price their merchandise differently according to state and basically what the market is in that area? When I lived near St Louis prices at Ann Taylor were lower than prices at Ann Taylor in Los Angeles. Just a thought to ponder. My work is being repressed by two galleries. One is in an upscale and affluent location and the other is more rural and depends on tourist sales. The galleries also have different commission structures so there is that to consider as well. When pricing a painting on your website is that Framed or Unframed? I usually do not frame a painting until I know where it is going. The two galleries have different tastes in frames. You can see listing prices is not black and white for the artist. I do think galleries should list prices.
I agree with you totally Jason. In fact, I must admit, after ordering and reading your book, I was agreeing over and over on most topics. I do list prices on my website and put a great deal of importance on keeping my pricing consistent whether it’s on my website, or in a gallery. Thanks for all your sage advice.
I have always put prices on my website. I never sell anything anyway, but I know from my personal experience that I want to know prices. Art, especially, is priced all over the place. People wouldn’t want to call and find out a piece is too expensive for them. They’ll just move on and find something with the price clearly stated, and buy that.
I have a link to sales on my site, but it is general with no details. The price range is listed – works on panel starting from and up to the maximum with the largest works. The range is given with works on paper. I have encountered problems with galleries who do not want everything listed, although I always quote the gallery price. I did encounter problems with the Swiss customs when I had given a good discount to a collector. The Swiss officer Googled my name and then confronted my client with the fact that the listed price was a few thousand dollars more than declared. After that incident I removed all the price details and kept things general.
I’ve been a full time Artist for 39+ years and I’ve never figured out the self defeating attitude that the majority of Artists seem to have. Show me any other kind of retail business or website that doesn’t show prices! If selling is your plan and you are not independently wealthy, you not only need to show prices but you need to have a shopping cart on the site! My site has been up for over 10 years . The first site had no shopping cart and I never made a sale. After adding the shopping cart, I got 2 orders the first day! The site has provided enough business that I have to have 2 employees to handle the Framing and Shipping.
Now I am confused. I had my prices listed but took them out because I felt if H got my paintings into a gallery I would have to accommodate the commission. Not having pricing would make it easier for me to price accordingly. The commission that galleries ask are so varied – from 25% to 50% – If I don’t adjust my pricing to commissions asked for, I feel I would be looking money. Unfortunately, because I work in Pastel, I give my work out to have framed, which gives me added expense. This problem falls on pricing! There are so many factors to consider – shipping, with or without a frame, to foreign countries, etc… How does one cope??
I totally agree. I include pricing on my site so it’s easy to find – on the specific art pages and as a linked price list. I think it helps collectors to understand your value and make informed decisions. I’m completely frustrated when sites don’t include prices, and even more so when galleries don’t share the prices along side art for sale. It always makes me feel like the price is dependent on the shoes I’m wearing or the value of my watch. Integrity goes right out the window.
This seems to be one of those debates that will never end. Everyone has their opinion and most are sticking to them. Mine is show the prices. If a stranger took the time to find your site, they are looking for something — hopefully something you have. If you are looking to sell work from your site — and you should be — you have a precious few moments to move a potential buyer through the AIDA continuum. The “A” is for attention, so far you have succeeded by having them surfing your site. The “I” is for interest. Maybe your florals or abstract pieces fit their immediate needs. So far, so good. The “D” is for desire. Your copy might tell them a bit about the piece, yourself, or both that helps encourage the sale. This is a lot for a website with one-way interaction to achieve, but totally possible. The last “A” is for action. If your buyer is ready to act, they need to know the who, how, what, where and when.
If you are not providing pricing, you may lose them right there. Most likely they can backup to the Google search page where they found your link. I do it all the time when I am shopping online. Make it to difficult and I move on. Unless you are 100% sure Google only returned one link to your website, you better be doing everything possible to keep your buyer engaged in the moment. Otherwise, it’s too easy to move on to a more friendly site.
Besides showing prices, you also need to make it very clear how an item will be shipped, and what the full price, including shipping will be. I am not going to email you for a price, then wait for a response and then have to follow up with questions about shipping because this is the 21st Century and I don’t have to. Shipping is part of the online buying experience. Your site also needs to have a clear return policy. I advocate making a YouTube video, or series of photos showing exactly how your shipping is done. As for shipping prices, you should know what they are per zone for every piece and be able to build it into the price.
Your website is a 24/7 sales agent that never sleeps, or needs a break. If you are not fully taking advantage of its potential, you are costing yourself sales. As for competing with your gallery by putting the same piece it is selling, it is a bad idea. If you want to put up pieces available in a gallery, have a link to the gallery’s site and contact information for them. That way, you have no conflict of interest and don’t worry about matching gallery prices. This is the only situation where I would not put prices on a piece displayed on a website.
Someone mentioned not getting email contacts when the prices went up. The problem there is the site must not have any opt-in email links or forms on it. Every page on your site or blog should have at least a link to an online form to let your interested buyers sign up. Ideally, you give them something for signing up, such as free shipping, a discount, note cards, mini-prints and so forth. Make it worth their while. If you are only collecting names from those who email you about prices, you are missing a huge potential to sign up those with a mild interest who might later become avid collectors.
If you want have a successful website, stop short cutting your sales and minimizing your selling tools. Selling online is the future, the quicker you catch up to it the better off your career will be in the long run.
YES.. If I have to hunt for something that is an extra step.. if I have to jump through hoops.. then I’ll jump somewhere else!
I list prices. I believe that it helps people to determine whether or not the work is in their price range. I used to get a lot of inquiries from people who loved the work but were expecting to get it for nothing. Now I only get serious inquiries.
I have gone back and forth with the issue of shopping cart or Paypal button or having people email re: purchasing. Since most of the work that I sell is custom, I find the email inquiries are fine. I have had shopping cart for non-customized work, but it did not seem to enhance sales. So typically, I have the price listed and have folks contact me to purchase.
I’ve always had the prices on my website. I know how I feel when I go to other websites for anything and there is no price listed. I don’t bother with them and move on. I also like to see what other artists are asking for their work without having to contact them. I agree…if the artwork is for sale, include the price. Otherwise, what’s the point.
@Cali – the solution is that you have to take control of your retail price and it has to be consistent across the board. Your clients deserve to pay a fair consistent price whether they are buying from a gallery or your website. In other words your website is just another retail outlet for your work. Most galleries are going to ask a 50% commission, but for those who ask less, you just have a higher profit margin. If you aren’t charging your direct customers the same they would pay in a gallery, you’re under paying yourself.
I don’t manage my website, so to constantly update and change prices is costly and time consuming. I have definitely found people wh0 like your work will contact you sometimes out of curiousity as to what you charge. The last thing I want is for someone to be turned off because of a price. 9 times out of 10, once a client contacts me and sees that I asked for 1/3 down and 2 to 3 months to complete, they see it as a process they can afford. A person who is just flying through websites looking at prices is someone looking to buy art because of it’s price (I doubt they bothered to look at your resume’), and more than likely not my client. When your work is mostly commissions, you have to have a conversation with potential buyers, that communication and future friendship has been the backbone of my business for over 20+ years.
I enjoy your flushing out both sides of the debate and like your comment that the goal is to sell art. But I can understand how pricing may appear mercenary and price differentals could be confusing. A suggestion: an artist states in a prominent place on their site that if a collector wishes to discuss the purchase of a painting please initiate the request in an email to determine availability and include your phone number to be contacted. Today artists can make their own sales on the spot with their square account if they are at an event as long there is some arangement with their gallery like maybe being out of state or whatever the artist and the gallery decide. Its all about selling and to increase opportunities to sell and not appear exclusive and to make it difficult to buy art is counter productive. I recently bought a painting from an artist who posted his work on facebook, sent him a message and we did the transaction through emails. It was so immediate and I enjoyed being able to tell the artist how his work affected me.
Price is, of course, one of the first and most obvious questions a purchaser might have. There is a middle ground, that is information on a “price range”.
Always have prices on your website and at any gallery that shows your work. No one, including your potential buyer wants to be put in an awkward situation after telling the artist they love your work, then having to say they can’t afford it.
If I don’t see a price on a website, I consider it very unprofessional and move on.
Some websites are offered to artist and they are not allowed to post pricing. I for one have this problem with my provider. Unless I make changes in the future to another provider I cannot make the changes. My supplier offers me a certain amount of site free of charge and also provides me with a web template. I am not a graphic artist so therefore this was most helpful to me. In the future, I hope to be able to change this and post some prices. So hoping this works out instead of being on the “not for sale” as it seems without pricing implies…
I like it when artists include pricing on their websites, but that is mostly a self-serving interest as a matter of research and comparison. Although the work I do is mostly on commission, I try to give my prospective clients who visit my website an idea of costs. Probably not a fair comparison because I’m interested in negotiating contracts and making proposals rather than selling a particular piece. I expect that may change, though, as I try to be adaptable to market conditions. I have found however, that when I do sell something on a commissioned basis, the first step hasn’t involved price (although, certainly the last step does!)
I have had it both ways on my website. Currently, I have no pricing. I can see the advantages of both, frankly. I am thinking maybe a compromise: Have a separate page with painting prices, and not on the actual gallery page. Any feedback on this idea? Have any of you tried this?
I have prices on my web site and am in favor of it. I move on when searching for anything without a price because I feel that without an upfront price I am being cheated.
Thanks for the great article. I have to agree with you from the basic standpoint of a consumer. I am an artist, but I also buy art, and I enjoy buying online for ease of purchasing, usually at night when I am more willing to give up my money. I am rarely looking for a personal experience if I am shopping online. Most often I will find someone’s artist website because I have read a blogpost or article or saw a link from another person. If I am interested in a piece but forced to contact someone for pricing, I will admire the work briefly but usually just move on. If this is typical behavior for me, an artist (and my non-artist husband in particular), then it probably is also typical with the average web browsing shopper.
Great debate. Artist websites serve variety of functions, and while sales may be one, it is not the only function. If an artist has an ongoing, profitable relationships with a gallery (or galleries), there may be no need to sell directly through the site and therefore, no need to include pricing. Another important function of the artist website is to inform new collectors, establish credibility (value), and maintain relationships with current collectors, followers, and students–these are people for whom pricing may have little or no value. There’s no one answer to this question. Every artist must assess their sales model and their communications strategy, and then come up with a satisfying solution.
I think that ultimately, it is more important to have a well functioning, well designed, up-to-date site than to worry about pricing.
A neophyte to web sales, I did not have any pricing information for my work on my website. I was in the process of trying to find a gallery to carry my work on a regular basis and didn’t want to look like I would be competing. My plan was to then put up pricing once I had an established gallery representation and could show consistent pricing aligned with the gallery and listing the gallery as a source for purchase.
Since I don’t have a gallery representation at this time, I decided to use a website that accommodates artists’ sales, including printing and shipping. If anyone viewing my website is interested in purchasing work, there is now a link to my “sales website”. The “sales website” also promotes each artist’s work and lists their website, so promotion works both ways.
I consider myself more of an illustrator than an artist, but my business is drawing pets and I publish my prices on my site. I offer several variables: four possible sizes, black and white or full color, and one or more animals in a single drawing. By offering my prices up front, as well as providing a gallery of my past work, I’ve given my clients all the information they need right on the website. I don’t deal with a gallery, though I have had some of my work exhibited in various galleries. Since my work is commissioned, I’ve created original drawings to display as framed examples, and I price these flexibly, depending on the cost of exhibiting and the addition of matting and framing (which I don’t provide for commissioned works).
We land on both sides of this debate.
Kathleen’s drawings have their price front and center. We do this because we subscribe to the belief that visitors to our website want to know the price. If the price is within their budget and they would like to purchase said drawing(s), they contact us.
Kathleen’s sculptures, on the other hand, do not have prices. They simply state, “Offered as a Bronze.” The reason for this is because we do not have control over the foundry pricing. We have to ask the foundry what their cost will be at the time of the order. Their price can and has changed at their end. Therefore, we must wait for the foundry to state their cost before we can relay the final price to the buyer.
Thus far, we have not had any issues with either approach. In fact, we have had clients express their pleasure in seeing the price of the drawing(s) prior to their making contact with us. And, once we explain that we need to acquire the present cost from the foundry to establish the price for a sculpture, our clients have been perfectly fine with that situation as well.
I enjoyed this debate very much, and I am planning on putting prices on my website. I am still in the “inventory production” mode, so I don’t have much to sell yet. It took me 6 months in 2011 to create one very large fiber art piece. When I attended a seminar and met Jason, he didn’t have much hope that I would ever be very profitable. That has spurred me on. I have created two pieces so far this year with another one in the drafting stage. My website needs to be updated. Most everything on it was sold years ago. Give me time. I’ll catch up.
I agree that people are not likely to call for find prices and appreciate strait forward marketing. I my self am rather irritated when web sites are not transparent with pricing, etc. I’ve always included my prices on my website, and even though I don’t sell the majority of my work through my website, it is a way that people are informed as to what to expect at my shows.
Excellent and pertinent subject.
Thank you Jason and all who have responded.
Having read all the thoughtful comments prior to this one, I’ll have to say I agree with the majority. I also agree with the online shopping cart (strong) suggestion.
However, for pricier work, I do question who would click and purchase in that way a piece over $1000. I can say for myself, I don’t remember selling anything over $1000 without some type of personal contact.
I’ve had my website for about 8 years now and I chose not to post price mostly for the third reason, i.e. not to appear commercial. However, my re-designed website which I’m currently working will have the prices! I’ve been vacillating on this one and your argument for posting convinced me to do so. Thanks! Aïda
I’ve had my a website for about 8 years and had chosen not to post prices mostly for the third reason, i.e. not to appear commercial. However, my re-designed website which I’m currently working on will have the prices! I’ve been vacillating on this one and your argument for posting convinced me to do so. Thanks! Aïda
I struggled with the same question and have vascillated between the two positions.
This dialogue has convinced me that pricing should be included on your web site. If you then get a call, it’s because someone is serious about a purchase.
I used to put my prices on my website. I rarely got a call from a collector wanting to buy because 99% of my work is in galleries (gallery contact info is included with painting image) so why should they contact me? Plus they prefer to go to the gallery and see the work before they buy.
I had a few problems with “inconsistency in pricing”:
1) I would put a more expensive frame on a painting and forget to change the website.
2)My Web Guy would get the price wrong (I try to double check each one but my eyes/brain blurs after a while)
3)I bump my prices up annually and something gets missed on my web update.
Yes, all of those are “laziness” problems. I admit it.
I do have a separate blog that has 2 or 3 paintings on it with a Buy Now Paypal button and of course the price is listed
The “pro side” sems to be assuming that a prospective customer will make their decision to purchase WITHOUT being sold to. This can happen of course but this feels like a variation of “the work sells itself” myth. Even galleries that post prices wouldn’t let a customer walk through and check out the artwork and pricing without engaging them to actively SELL them. So why would we give a prospective buyer all the info they need to buy via our websites without the artist being actively involved in the selling process? By listing prices for each piece of art we remove one of the simplest ways to engage the prospective customer.
That being said, I do think it’s important to give prospective customers some idea of what your work sells for. Perhaps a way to do this is provide the price range of your work (eg: The price of my work begins at $XXX for a 12 x 12 inch unframed work. My largest most complex works sell for $XX,XXX. If a person is “budget challenged” they’ll know if they can afford anything at all. Those with a bigger budget will have an idea of the most they might expect to spend. Curious to know if this makes sense to anyone besides me.
James
I also agree Jason. I display my pricing on my website so that I show all my visitors/clients everything about the painting right there on the spot. Having all these “cards on the table”, I would hope that the decision to purchase the painting (or not) would come down to the foundation of the sale… the love or obsession for the work itself.
The only thing you left out on your post was the human factor. I dont want a painting that I labored over for many hours to be sold online to some vague collector who I may never have contact with ever again. My success selling art as an artist and/or gallerist is the relationship I build with collectors. Not to just sell one piece and move on, but create a relationship that can last for many years and be very beneficial to me and my career. I have also been contacted in several instances by fraudulent buyers who tried to use stolen credit cards online. If I had had a link with the price, I would have immediately lost thousands of dollars on a phony sale. It was only because they had to call in to verify pricing that I was able to detect the fraud. Having said all this, I do put prices on lower priced items and I do have a hidden link with prices (that I only send to collectors). It seems to be working for me. thanks for the article and letting us share our 2cents.
I always include my prices on my website, and work to make them consistent with wherever my art may be. The published price is the price is the price–but may be negotiated within limits by myself or the gallery if necessary to make a sale. It isn’t fair to clients to have different prices in different venues. If most customers are as busy as I am, they don’t have time or feel that they have time to look up prices or call for information. I respect that, and try hard to make it as easy as possible to purchase my art—so prices are displayed wherever you see my art. It just makes such sense to me. It does take a bit of doing to make sure that all is consistent, but it is worth it, I think.
I’m reworking my website/blog, at the same time trying to build a stock of paintings.
I work small, nothing over 5×7. I find that people don’t appreciate the small gems, and rarely like to pay over $25 for something I’ve worked on for a minimum of 40 hrs, even framed. (The frame costs more than $25, even at that size.)
I’ve noticed that no mention of selling by auction is addressed. I’d like to sell that way, like many artists are beginning to do. The only way I can see to list a price sold in that manner is to state: “bids begin at $50. Paintings are oil on board and can easily be float framed. Frames can be found at [these sites]. Mailing costs are not included in auction price and are determined by weight and service thru USPS-individual to painting sizes. [quote price for this painting here] Painting to be mailed within 7 working days.”
Does anyone have any feedback on that?
Well – this got me thinking. Up to now I’ve had prices for my watercolors under a separate ‘prices’ link. Maybe I thought that was not so commercial, because most visitors come for my sculpture.
Maybe it could be an idea for the colleagues with arguments against pricing to have a page which gives gives any buyers a general idea of a price range for certain categories. Then you won’t have to put a dime store price sticker on every single piece, and you give an indication so that people who don’t dare to have to back off when it’s above their range. Nowadays I get around a thousand visitors per day – and true… their may be a buyer among those.
Thanks
Great article.
I’ve never put prices on my website for a few reasons. First, with my work, I make one off pieces and production pieces. With my production work, prices have been pretty static. But, with my one off, I’ve been raising the price of the work as I sell it. Having the prices on my website leaves me with too much to do.
The biggest reason is that I use my site more as a portfolio than a store. A potential store owner decided against showing my work because it was not within his price point range. But, he took a look at it, liked it and there’s always a possibility that he’ll pass my name along.
Finally, I have always been dumbounded too buy people reticent to treat their work as a business. We should be happy to sell our work. Only when the work is compromised to sell is it a problem.
Dear Jason Horejs,
I totally agree with you because people are so,busy and don’t have the time because time is money.Thats why they designed BlackBerry and iphones etc to purchase stuffs on the go.Before BlackBerry phones were opened to the masses/public, it was only business people you see with a BlackBerry,it’s a reason.nb.A classical example,i had LOST a sail for one of my largest paintings,the top price then US$1600 in 2007 to a TOP LAW FIRM in LA,where a lawyer/founder of the law firm was going in retirement, who was a Caribbean by birth.The law firm wanted a Caribbean art work to present to him at a function and they contacted me through my website http://www.absolutearts.com/johnpowellpaintings asking only TWO QUESTIONS,1. Can we get a 5-10% discount before we put in the credit card info? 2.How long would the painting take to reach the firm? nb.I was teaching then so,i had just time to check my emails so,i said, i will get back to them later.When i got back to the law firm,they replied,we are so, sorry,we already got a Caribbean artist who got back to us in lest than half an hour because we wanted to purchase your art but we found something close to yours, when we didn’t heard from you but we really wanted your piece.I had spoken to a few internet gurus about my LOST of sail,they replied,that’s why you have E-COMMERCE,people don’t have time to wait,you offer a service,people don’t know what else you do and they are not concerned.Go get a gadget for your business,you need to get a BlackBerry Phone,i was advised and so,i did and since then i never LOST another sail.nb.All i had was to do, was to login to my website and changed the price to fit 5-10% discount and that’s it and FeDEx the painting to the law firm because it was paying for the shipping.nb.The moral of the story is,i offered a service but i wasn’t there to deliver.
The status and price of each piece is posted on my website, along with commission procedures and estimated costs. When I shop, price is a key ingredient in my decision, so I would assume for others. Price also tells interested parties the value you place on your work and their time.
I totally agree! When I look for homes in a magazine or on the internet, if it doesn’t have the price, I sure don’t want to bother trying to find out more about it. I want to know if I can afford it before I fall in love with it. The same applies to art, for me. I might admire someone’s work, but won’t give it much more than a moment of appreciation if it’s out of my price range.
Thanks for posting your article!
I too am for priced work on my web site as I agree with the argument that anyone looking at purchasing art wants to know the price or will move on to some other site. It seems little different to me from unpriced goods in fine art/antique shops which suggest that the price is negotiable and means researching comparables before enquiring about the price and starting negotiations. Anyone buying from a web site will not be wishing to either negotiate or spare the time that this would involve.
I have listed prices from the start. Because if i am shopping i want to know the price with out having to ask what it cost. Some people ask for a lower price and if they buy more than one i give them a break, i also charge less for shipping if they buy two.
I like having prices and PayPal on my website to help with fraud issues. Whenever someone with poor English wants to buy 3 pieces and have them sent to wherever, and pay with a check, I simply direct them to buy through my website using PayPal. I never hear from them again.
I had no prices for years. After taking your class a year ago, I did put prices up as you suggested. I feel like my email has changed because of this but for the better. The people that DO contact me are serious. I think if you are creating art, you should create the art you want to see. If you are building a site, you should make it the way you like a site to be when you are visiting. I want to see artists prices. I do what I can to keep things consistent across the board whether my prices are listed or not. Keeping prices correct on my site may create more work. Big deal. If I see no prices, I wonder why. My prices are not secrets!
I’m so glad to read how you think, since I’ve 100% arrived at the same conclusion. I had gone back and forth but in the end, people *do* buy more when they can see the price. I actually think I have a “middle ground” approach where I don’t put the price on the main page that has a slideshow of paintings, but an easy link to “purchase” below each piece. Once the visitor is in my shop, they can see prices on everything.
At the risk of comparing apples to oranges, I’d like to relate a shopping experience yesterday.
I was shopping for a watch at a chain store. This store, unlike another I had already looked in, had each and every watch priced. Also unlike the first store, in the “priced” shopping I poured over the inventory as I could determine what was in my price range and what was not. At the “unpriced” store I was hamstrung by not knowing what was possible without asking a clerk to show me the price, something I will only do once or twice. I know that one jewelry store philosophy is to get the customer involved by having to ask for help and then in turn handling the merchandise which gets the customer closer to buying. It never works for me, quite the opposite. My shopping at the priced store had me much closer to a purchase than the unpriced one. For me, the story on an art website would be exactly the same.
I certainly agree on web pricing. –Helen Madill
Agree with posting prices, as above. An additional note:
Within the past calendar year, I listened to a fiery lecture by a gallery owner who told the collected audience of artists that they should be making art, not wasting their time learning website updating skills, and that it was the business of the gallerist to be selling, because she had the relationships with buyers, paid rent, etc etc etc. She hated to see artists “trying” to sell online and competing with her gallery.
It was a coherent argument, although she made no attempt to explain why the market should give her more room and consideration than the current battle between Amazon and Best Buy, for example.
And then I went to her gallery’s website, which was an outdated, nearly useless flat-file (all image based) that provided no artist information, no directions, no SEO value, no nothing. You couldn’t buy off her website.
End of argument.
My work is all original photographic work. I have my prices online but clearly marked as the “matted price” because I don’t want to ship it framed (with glass), and lots of folks want to frame it themselves anyway. At art shows my framed prices match what you would see in a gallery (essentially the “retail” price). This allows for a very simple explanation of why a piece is more in the gallery or hanging in my booth than it is online…it’s framed. I always offer to unframe a piece if they’d like it and the lesser amount, but very rarely does anyone do that. If they were serious in the first place, they understand the difference and buy it framed.
I think it depends on the intention of one’s website. It also depends on who the customer base is and how one markets to that customer base. I find that those who aren’t in the market for big art for big walls, want prices. My art isn’t commodity art. I have two markets, those that can’t afford original works and those who can. Those who can, deal with me or my agent directly. Those who can’t get the the 30 dollar poster option.
I’ve also found that I don’t actually sell work on the internet, outside of posters, that is. When I actually sell work is when it can be seen in museum or gallery settings. Period.
I’ve always wondered why artists don’t included prices on their artwork. I just returned from an outdoor art show and sale. the artists whose display was next to mine didn’t have prices on his artwork for the first half of the show. As a result, people walked right by and never stopped to ask him how much. My prices were clearly labeled and I had more people stop to ask about a painting they liked. I also got a lot of serious inquiries and several purchases. Collectors want to know if your work in within their budget and if not, they will move on to the next artist. This is especially true with the internet. At the show, the other artist realized his mistake and added prices the following day. He then sold two paintings. I say, YES, price your work!
It depends on the artist’s goals. Some artists do art for sales while others do art for pure expression. I can point to my childhood friend and artist Samuel E Vázquez. He pointed out to me that he doesn’t care what others think about his art. That when he does art he is not thinking about the audience. That includes pricing. The point is that whomever connects with his work and wants it will acquire it. I think you also have to factor the history of the artist. Young emerging artists desire immediate recognition and profits while established artists have devoted collectors. Click on my friend’s Samuel E Vázquez’s name to view his paintings. (M. Rivera)
Yes, I include prices on my website. In my past experience, when something exhibited has no price posted, my first reaction is, “It is probably way over my budget.” Or, when someone displays a group of art, or collectibles and shows no prices, I believe they will tailor their asking prices to how well heeled you appear to be. My pricing is the same whether you are a member of the 98% or the 2%. Yes, the art ia a commercial product. While we frequently create it from the love of making art, it is the best reinforcement when someone loves your work enough to purchase it.
as a gallery owner… in a small rural town that relies a lot on tourists who come from all over the world, as we live in an area designated a world heritage site, two sites, in fact. thus we must insist, despite that it may reduce our sales, that our artists price their work the same in every venue. who knows where that tourist is from? in the long run it is to everyone’s disadvantage to have varying prices on a work.
we are in the business of selling and kudos to the comment about that above, right on. business is business and too many artists including hobby/sunday painters are not very business savvy, and this also hurts all artists’ sales.
we represent mostly local artists, but some travel and paint internationally, thus pricing must be consistent for the work… shipping and other additional costs can be noted separately. as can all and sundry considerations. i for one would rather read that when searching online, than have to fuss with an email etc etc etc.
we maintain constant contact with our artists, and thus there is no problem with consistency in pricing, altho i must admit sometimes there is a short delay in updating the website or blog or facebook!
I want to sell my work and at some point the buyer needs to know the price. Might as well tell him up-front. I had a friend who put a ‘for sale’ sign on his car and a phone number. No one ever called. Finally, he put the price on it and it sold in a couple of days. I have sold paintings from my website.
I have priced my work on-line in the past, but currently have no pricing posted. I use my site mostly as an on-line brochure. I do have occasional sales from my site. I have noticed no difference either way, priced or not. My major reason not to show pricing is because my understanding is that galleries really hate their artists to sell on-line. I have heard that some galleries will not represent an artist that has this practice. As I am seeking a gallery, out of state, for representation I don’t want my web site to look too commercial. Am I wrong about this?
I agree with previous posts that it is a bit of a deterrent to a buyer to have to contact the artist to find out about the price of a work. I may have to re-think this…
I do not have prices on my website. I do not sell my work. My galleries do. They do not put prices on theirs, either. I don’t know of many high end galleries that do. Interested people can alway contact the galleries. I look at galleries that put prices on them differently than those that don’t. If I am buying a pair of shoes, I want the price, but I don’t think of art and shoes the same way.
I used to have my prices listed but went to a marketing workshop and they said the opposite. I went thru much discussion with many artists and the woman who gave the workshop. Talking with well established artists ( I live in Santa Fe,NM) and the conclusion for not putting prices on your site was: If you want to go to NYC galleries or museums do not list prices.
I looked at many NY artist sites and found no prices on any of them. What do they know that makes them all decide not to?
Prices on or off may depend on what your site is for. If you use it to sell your work then it makes sense. If your site is for promoting your work to galleries and curators then maybe not. Nobody said the art world made any sense in the way things are done
We recently started putting prices on our wall labels, and sales have gone up. I know there are still some galleries that don’t put prices on the artworks . It is similar to a menu without prices – if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. If you are in that market and are selling, more power to you. Otherwise, I think it best to get the price out there where it can be seen, whether it is on the wall or the internet. I do think that there should be the same pricing whether the work is in a gallery or sold online by the artist, so that the gallery that is working hard (we hope) for you doesn’t get undercut. Or, if you are not in a gallery, make sure there is a notice about whether your prices are open to negotiation, or other caveats.
Having pricing on my website is essential and not only because the venues I’m using require it. I feel that my work is valuable and I want that reflected in the pricing shown. When I am in galleries, my pricing will reflect the gallery price and indicate where the work can be seen. I don’t feel most people want to play guessing games in these days of technological rapidity. If a customer is interested, they will buy and frankly I feel at that juncture, the price is not the selling point; its the quality and design that attracts.
Great article! I have been debating on this for a while now and recently began to build in the option to by from my website. Thanks for your perspective it helps quite a bit!
Sam
I put prices on my web site for paintings and commissions. I also put pricing on wall tags at shows or in the gallery along with interesting information about the painting, what inspired it, etc. People really read the tag, and accept the price as part of what they now know about the piece. It makes them consider the whole package.
My web site is new — just put up this past week — and I’m in the process of adding those stories to the art description so that my web site pages work like those wall tags.
Being up front with pricing is a sign that you are easy to do business with and honest in your dealings. I sell a lot of my work. No one has to ask how much a piece they admire is.
Thank you for a good article. It reminds me to go back to work enhancing my site.
I’m so glad you wrote this. I’m in a class at this very time where the teacher is teaching artists that putting your prices up makes you commercial (and tacky) and some of the students have actually gone and taken their prices off their site. There is a school of thought where selling art is thought to be passe–doing performance or somehow being an activist against the system is where it’s at. Of course, these folks need teaching jobs in order to espouse these ideas–so how out of the system are they, really? It’s elitism against elitism! That said, I’m embarassed to say, I do not have prices on my site at the moment, nor sizes, titles, and some other potentially useful info. I’m not lazy (okay, maybe I am?)…but sometimes one has to wait to get all one’s ducks in a row…Lord, Have Mercy! But when I do get my website updated, I will have prices! Thanks!
Great Article Jason! This has been something I’ve been debating for years now. I do list prices on my site http://www.verybigart.com but I also have another site, http://www.savarinoart.com where it’s more informative and where I list a price chart for commission pieces only.
I’ve had galleries tell me they would not represent me because I display prices and they would not want any conflict, even though I try to keep me prices even across the board.
My prices are pretty reasonable for the sizes I offer and because of it, I’m able to sell between 100-150 pieces a year through verybigart.com.
I might be able to get more if I did not list prices and perhaps have more gallery representation, but I don’t think I want to take that chance!
I’m beginning to realize after reading your article and skimming through the comments that putting the prices on the website is a good idea and I hope to start that tedious process asap. However, my bigger question is how do I get my website out into the right markets on the internet? I’m not savvy enough to know how to get my site ‘clicked on’ in a bigger market. Please give us some guidance on this issue, unless I’ve missed something on this that you already addressed.
For years I was in the “don’t put prices on the work” on my web site (in fact that is what you will still find on my existing web site). But after getting a good number of emails asking how much my work cost and what sizes, as well as “how do I see more of your work”, led me to realize I was missing the boat on sales. Though I respond quickly, the number of closed sales is small. The fact that the customer has had to contact me first, rather than being able to make an impulse purchase, means I already have at least one strike against making the sale. Add to that the question of “how do I see more of your work” and I now have two strikes and giving the customer a way to back out. So I’m now almost finished with a new “eCommerce” site that gives prices for five different sizes/prices from $85 to $4000. These prices are the same as in the stores and galleries that carry my work. The old saying of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” is very prominent in the art buyers mind. As both an artist and an art buyer I don’t like to ask how much something is as it commits me more than I may want to be at the time. I don’t need a sales job done on me, as the art should sell its self.
I make original artworks. I also shop for art, both for myself and to become better informed about the market. When I see a piece that captures my attention or particularly appeals to me, I want to know – at a purely practical level – “how much”. If there’s no price posted, I immediately move on. After all, it IS about the market, and our things ARE for sale. (Unless, of course, you’re making it for fun, in which case why put it out there and confuse everybody?) Again, as a practical matter, art is a commodity and is really not different from a pair of shoes, even if it costs as much as a luxury car. To me, it is arrogant – or perhaps just silly – to suggest otherwise. Obviously, I believe in pricing my work, and diligently trying to keep it consistent between venues.
I lived and worked in NYC for 13 years, and I’ve had many discussions regarding this topic. My decision in the end was to not list prices on my website. The primary purpose of my website is to make images of my work easily accessible to all- curators, gallery directors, collectors and art lovers alike. If someone wants to buy my work, they will inquire for pricing. When I’m contacted, I’ll send along all the information, including better quality images, for the potential buyer to decide on making a purchase or not. Still, most of the sales I’ve initiated through my website have been completed at a studio visit or gallery showing, when the buyer can view my work in person. Why people continue to compare the buying and selling of original art work to that of clothing or cars, I will never understand.
What a timely subject. Long ago I took the prices off my website upon someone’s advice that it might scare potential customers away. Just the day before this posting, I was advised by a curator that I should post prices. I was just about to take her advice, although a little reluctantly, when your blog entry came along. I put all the prices back on this morning.
I do sell paintings from my website from time to time. It will be interesting to see if requests increase.
Some more thoughts. I’ve been photographing artists’ work for over 35 years, some great , some not so great. I’ve been to almost every major museum in this country, to every gallery in the Chelsea and the SoHo, NYC, and many more around the country. I’ve seen some great work and some not so great. My point is there is a lot of “undiscovered” talent in this country that even with an “art” website with no prices hoping they will be discovered by a famous gallery, are starving. I have one client who’s been moderately successful selling in the NYC gallery scene, his work is as good as any I’ve seen, but he has spent years waiting to be “discovered” by the famous “art buyers”, people in the high end art world that when they buy your art, you’ve been anointed, you’ve arrived. I won’t express my dismay at this except to say I’m not waiting on some one else, I’m doing what I enjoy and, as my sales will attest, I have a broad spectrum of buyers and collectors that own my work. I’ve always priced my work to be affordable by having several price points as mention in my previous post. I strongly believe humans need art in their lives (and not just the wealthy), whether they create it or buy it. My personal experience with galleries over the past 35 years is mixed, with some good, but more bad, as in not getting paid for sold work, and exclusiveness for a large regional area, which could be OK if they marketed. I can pick a geographical area and target market my images and do very well, so I expect a gallery to do the same. When I was a kid I had a postcard that came with MAD magazine, the postcard had an illustration of two vultures sitting on some dead branches in the desert, the speech balloon over one of the vultures said “patience my ass, I’m going to kill something!” In other words, don’t wait for the world to come to you, take your self to the world! Variety is the spice of life.
WOW! Thank you for addressing this subject. I work with artists every day on advising them on how to develop a marketing strategy and I am stunned by those that think NOT putting prices on their site will actually entice a buyer. I agree with you on all positions about including prices. If you want to sell work you must price it and make it easy to buy – otherwise people will move to another site and there are millions of competitive sites with artwork just as good as yours. The days of galleries being the only game in town are also over. (nothing better than keeping that extra 50% for yourself) The internet is a wonderful vehicle and can make many artists very rich if they are willing to treat their art business like a business. If you had to go into a grocery store and on every shelf there was a card that read “call owner for pricing” how long would you shop in that store?
I started by not including the price . However, I received one of those apparently fraudulent queries regarding how to pay for the piece and realized that PayPal, which requires that the price be listed, was the only safe way to answer.
I totally agree with including prices on your website. When I’m shopping on the Internet or at a mall / store and am in a hurry and want to make a purchase, it’s a big turn off if I can’t find the price and there is no sales person readily available. Usually, I move on because I don’t feel that the customer should have to call for this info. or hunt down a sales clerk. It’s a waste of the customer’s time.
Jason, you are so right on all 3 points. I have never hidden the fact that I want to “sell” my paintings, make it easy for a patron to “buy”, and quickly provide the info to do so. If this is a very commercial way to view things, then I say this. A successful artist has to be both the creator and the capitalist. It’s something to be proud of. You touched on a big issue with me; the need for price consistency. Years ago, my framer gave me this advice; “Suzanne, carefully set the retail price of your paintings, don’t discount (not even on your website, fairs, or special shows), and if you need to adjust prices, do it across the board with all your work”. Reading your comments confirmed this advice. I have been in galleries that made a very big deal of “helping artists” and seemed to be hesitant about the selling part, galleries that did not put prices on my consigned paintings. I want a gallery to profit, do business, and make money while I concentrate on painting. Isn’t a profitable art gallery my best help? In another life I sold annuities through a savings and loan. The regimen and work of closing sales and meeting goals makes me very sympathetic to the business of doing business. It’s gratifying to find a professional gallery owner’s opinion confirming my own. Thanks.
It’s great to see lots of artists weighing in on this topic! I’m always eager to hear the thoughts of others. There was a lively debate regarding this same issue on Joanne Mattera’s blog not that long ago, too: http://joannemattera.blogspot.com/2012/05/marketing-mondays-sold-and-other.html
This is something I’ve always struggled with – I never want to inconvenience a buyer. On the other hand, I have worried that posting prices would upset potential galleries who may be considering representing my work, even though I always keep my prices consistent no matter where I sell. I have sided with listing prices. I mark my work as “available” or “private collection” next to the image, but have a separate “shop” area on my website where buyers may purchase through Paypal.
I couldn’t agree more. I want to see the price on others work and if it is not there, I just move on. It’s very annoying to have to go another step to get the price.
But a question. I have often seen that one should keep their price the same in all venues. But if commission is 25% instead of 40%; that doesn’t seem fair. I don’t know what to do.
Thannks, Nan
I have always included prices on my website! I AM in the business of selling my art. It’s how I make my living. While I create for the love of it if no one wants it I have no one to share that love affair with and quite frankly that’s no fun. I do about 26 juried shows a year and people want to know what the pricing is. I have not found it to deter sales at all! As for the pricing itself I offer discounts to my show customers when they purchase and make sure they know they can check out the website for additional images and call me when they are ready to purchase more prints and I will sell to them at the discounted show pricing plus shipping. They really do appreciate that I offer them this discount. I do believe in this day and age people want to know NOW what things will cost because there is so much out there to choose from. How many times have you gone to a store and gotten aggravated by having to wait for pricing to be checked or just passing it by because it isn’t priced and you really don’t want to wait. Why is art any different?
Just remember if you want to sell it you must make it as easy for the customer as possible. He won’t wait around.
Susan
I like what you have to say about consistency in pricing. It is tempting for artists to sell their artwork at a lower prices through their own website and personal sales leads (since they do not share the sales $ with a gallery).
We have a policy of consistent pricing and the artists we carry know it.
Interesting to hear the pros and cons of listing pricing. Now that I am managing my own website, the cost of adding prices and updating them is not a factor. I do not currently have prices on my website, but am considering the idea based on many of the points in this valuable discussion. One problem I see is how to deal with packing, shipping and insurance charges, which can vary greatly. One option would be to list the price and state that these charges would be additional. This would be calculated and quoted after the shipping address is given. I would think that the buyer would want to know the total price before committing to purchase the artwork, so it would require more communication with the buyer before the sale could be completed. How do others handle this?
I would also like to add to the discussion questions about displaying jpegs for sold artwork. Should artwork be listed as sold and then continue to be displayed on the website? If there are some portfolios with sold artwork and some with no sales to date, does this imply less interest and urgency for perspective buyers? Also, some of my artwork is printmaking, with varied editions that have had sales. Do I indicate sold but say that similar additional prints are available in the edition?
I have really found the comments in this discussion thoughtful and helpful. Thank you for the topic and the comments.
When I first put up my website I included prices. My thought was that to be fair, everyone should pay the same price for my work. I quickly found out this simply doesn’t happen. Some galleries offer discounts to commercial designers and their best customers. Some galleries work from a wholesale standpoint and tack on their commission. There are galleries in high rent districts and they simply want to charge more. And most of my galleries don’t want me selling out of my studio because they fear I’ll cut the price without having to pay a commission. So I agreed not too. I actually like that because I’m concerned about scams. I’ve actually had inquiries from my website who end up canvasing all the galleries in my links to find the best price. So, it might not be fair, but everyone doesn’t end up paying the same price. It’s like being on an airliner. It’s highly unlikely that you and the guy next to you paid the same price for a seat.
I think you make some very good arguments for me to add prices to my website, maybe even e-commerce. One of my problems with selling this way is shipping. My works are all pastels, which I frame myself, according to the very specific needs of framing pastels. There is a HUGE difference in shipping costs between an unframed and a framed pastel. When I ship a framed painting, I take it to Fedex and have them tell me how much it will cost. Then I have to contact the buyer and tell them how many hundreds of dollars extra they will have to pay for shipping. This probably doesn’t go over well. I don’t know the best way to handle this shipping cost issue. I, too, am willing to unframe a painting if that’s what the customer wants. Should I show the framed or unframed price? What should I say about shipping costs?
As my dear friend reminds me continuously “Ya can’t sell a secret!” Clients need to see their options and be informed on easy ways to get to it. Two clicks on the internet is average, by the third click you could loose your potential client unless you have something concrete for them. That said I’m certain if e-browsers have to call me or email me about an artpiece after they see and are interested in, it will be an added obstacle to sales in our fast moving world. The general public’s desire for easy, access to affordable art, thankfully is growing and the internet is a tool of choice. In the bricks and mortar gallery setting it may be different than online, but be assured the gallerists are doing their share of marketing for artists with their client’s list, cold calling and personal networking. The word is getting out there because they know it’s a business. Like many young artists, post art school graduation, I produced art and kept hoping for a gallery to represent my works. I waited for a very long time while I built my inventory up for the day I was going to be “discovered” and make it “BIG”…Two decades later I turned 50 still waiting for BIG TIMES!! Recovering from beating myself up for waisted time, today I’m much more motivated to find creative ways to get my artwork out into the world so it can be on client’s walls and bring pizzazz to the lives of who it’s meant to touch. My art sells not always off of the internet but interest is generated and I refer people to pay there and share with their friends. If you don’t have representation….you need to do it yourself (put prices up make it easy for collectors to buy your art) or be content to make art and give to your family and friends for free! Money is an exchange of energy…Everyone agrees to discounts as a means to build rapor with the collector who falls in love with your art and sweeten the deal with the buyer part of them that is concerned about costs. I’ve gotten much more creative with my sales strategy. When I get major gallery representation with art sales that supports me in my life maybe then I’ll negotiate on having my site be just a viewing gallery just for fun. Until then…I have two hats that I put on as needed. The creative artist hat and the marketer sales agent hat since unlike some artists rather than have a day job….. I like to have money come in from doing what I love to do for a living.
I have prices and Paypal links on my blog (sharonlynnwilliams.blogspot.com) but prices only on my website. I would love to put PayPal on my website as well , but I listened to a talk you sent on getting into galleries and you said NOT to have that on a websit so now I am confused! It’s ok to list prices but not ok to have an easy way to purchase the work????
Thanks for all infro.it help me decide on what to do/
Sharon, This is a tough issue. From a gallery owner’s perspective, I can tell you that I prefer that the artist not have e-commerce on the site as it feels like direct competition to the gallery. I don’t mind prices because this is informational, but when it comes to the actual sale I would, of course, prefer that the transaction go through the gallery. You will find that most galleries feel the same way. Of course I understand an artist wanting to take advantage of traffic coming to their site but you have to weigh whether the sales you are getting from the site are more important than the disadvantage you will incur in terms of resistance from galleries.
I have pricing on my website. I thought about it and asked other artists then I thought about what I like. If I go into a store, or to a website, and prices are not listed, I leave. I can easily find another store, gallery, etc. that is willing to let me know the price ahead. I don’t have the time to chase them down to tell me a price.
I agree with Jason. I suppose if someone was really taken by a work of art and there was no pricing they might go out of their way to contact the artist or gallery but we have to face facts. Competition for time is fierce and most people will just move on if they don’t get all the info they need from a site.
I wholesale (and retail, though very little) my origami jewelry and was told that potential wholesale buyers do not want to compete with me and would prefer that I don’t retail on my web site. So for now, I have taken retail prices off my origami work for fear that listing them may chase away a wholesale buyer. Personally, I don’t really see this as a win-win situation, but I also want to build a wholesale customer base and not risk losing an interested buyer. For some buyers, just knowing that I have a site and use it for retail is enough info to send them away.
I totally agree with Jason. If someone is looking at your website, they want all of the information they can get. The objective of the site is to show art that is for sale, not just on display.
I agree with Jason also. When I am looking at artwork on line, not having a price is frustrating. When I go to tag sales, if an item isn’t priced, I move on.
I love what you said …..”a museum for your art”…. that’s clever.
As a previous gallery owner, I acted on my own instincts . We had a policy – Everything must be priced.
As a customer, I will not ask the price of anything. It is embarrassing to me. So, I wanted to make it easy, comfortable, and enjoyable to the customer. Customers like to compare. How can they compare 2 things that don’t have prices. Pricing may be a consideration.
All art that an artist sells should be priced consistently…..meaning that the gallery sells for the same price as the artist. Otherwise the artist is undercutting the galleries that provide a service to the artist. I wish more artists would understand this.
i think that only when galleries will be able to guarentee a good income thats is reguler for thr artist should they say they dont want them to sell else where.
having the prices on site is a good idea people want to know! on this site they give a chance to make an offer – this is about to be launched in a week heres the link if you want to be nosey . i also agree yes pricing should other wise show the same.
http://artoriginalstobuy.com/login-sign-up/4565221286?noRedirect=Y
artist tanya martin
Jason, you have converted me! I have fallen into the first category of thinking. My work sells well in person but not too much online…duh! how can it when there are no prices? You convinced me when I started thinking of my own internet buying habits (just moved so using it a lot!)…I don’t hang around if the price is not there or difficult to find. As soon as I unpack, I am adding prices!
Thanks,
Julie
I believe that although we are artists, we are producing a product to sell. Therefore the potential buyer needs to know what it is going to cost them to become the new owner of the work they like. Put yourself in the buyers shoes. Yes my prices are on my website.
As to the other part of the discussion; priceing consistently…absolutly! However I just had dealings with a gallery that doubled my prices in their gallery even though it was understood that my pricing was posted on the website and other markets.
I was more than a little surprised but was happy that I did not hide the fact that I am marketing elsewhere.
I guess we can’t control everything.
If you want to show your work but no prices, then show only work you have sold.
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