Printing on demand sites offers you and your customers a one stop way to buy art and lifestyle pieces. In this blog, we’re taking a deep dive into printing on demand.
Is it a good option for you?
The rapidly growing network of artists selling their work continues. Plus, 80% of customers across the globe today start their shopping online. This spells opportunity for artists to sell their work online. And, opportunities for clients to find unique pieces for their homes and lifestyles.
As customers scan the internet for unique finds, it makes sense for artists to diversify selling platforms. Etsy, personal websites, specialty products, galleries, exhibits and more. Selling our work across multiple sites allows us to reach more customers.
Getting Started
As artists, we control everything up to purchase. It starts with image capture and post processing. From there, it’s sharing and publishing our work. This includes social media in addition to our specific sales platforms.
With full service printing on demand, we first set up our store. Then we add our art, establish pricing and bring clients to our site. Then, the print on demand provider manages billing, inventory and fulfillment.
From there, it’s adding more art and continuing to promote to customers. We also use our social media and emails to update and share new work.
Is Printing on Demand Right for You and Your Customer?
Demand for buying artists works continues to grow in volume and velocity. Online marketplaces are exploding. They’re geared to bring quality art, products and gifts to consumers. Plus, sharing to social media shops encourage and feed customer buying demands.
Customer Demand vs. Printing on Demand – Current
Etsy: Today I have both a website and an Etsy shop to meet the needs of my customer. On Sheen Watkins Studio, I sell prints and metals only. Many customers prefer to choose their mats and frames on their own. Etsy continues to be my first choice in selling my art.
The reason? People go to to Etsy to shop. Period. Plus, Etsy invests in their artists with marketing, advertising and services. Etsy continues to expand and attract customers.
Website: My website holds my online galleries in addition to the products and services I offer. It’s a full service site. However, it doesn’t capture the customer searching in online marketplaces. It serves as an overview to my full body of work and services.
Related reading: Selling Your Photography? Websites, Etsy, It’s Easy
Printing on Demand – Considering A New Addition
For photographers and artists our specialty is behind the lens and mediums. For the majority of us, the skill set of custom framing, printing on metals and other products is outside our wheelhouse. But, these products are foundations in converting our work to art in the customer’s desired format.
Full Service: I continue to see customers requesting full service options. Frames and mats, home decor items, custom and unique home and office items too.
As a result, I recently added Fine Art America (internationally know as Pixels) to meet this customer need. The reason? The elements that are outside my skill set. This includes full service art framing, metals, prints and more product options. With Fine Art America, I now own a place to direct customers looking for full service. To see my full service site: Sheen Watkins: Art Prints Decor
Note: Any type of selling site requires an investment of time. This starts with research and applying SEO. Then there’s setup, ongoing updates. With a site like Fine Art America, engaging with the artist network plays a role in our reach too.
As a YouTuber, I watch YouTube videos for insight. Sharon Durbin Graves YouTube Fine Art America Review shares her feedback and several lovely items of her own printed by Fine Art America. The quality products from Fine Art America appear to fit the bill. Thanks Sharon!
Sharon’s YouTube channel is fantastic. Beautiful artistry! Her high energy videos coach and educate artists across many related topics.
I’m ordering a few products this week and will update this post.
Why Not Just One Website?
Today, customers procure art and art products through many venues. Plus, they demand different levels of services. Widening our presence across multiple sources offers our customers with the buying experience the prefer. Additionally, we reach more customers searching for art across different platforms.
