A question about on-line art galleries and the business of art

SDW

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Oct 28, 2004, 12:43:31 PM10/28/04

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Hello All,

I'm working on a term paper for my business class about sucessful
artisan websites. I'm gathering information and have several questions
I'm using to gather information. If you have any insight on these
questions, I would appreciate a thoughful response. So, here goes
with the questions

1. Have you been to or engaged with a successful artisan website? By
successful, I mean one that turns a profit. If so, do you have a
link?

2. What are the marketing strategies used for successful websites?

3. How long is an artisan website in existance before becoming
profitable?

4. What are the classic pitfalls of marketing art on the web?

5. Have you used an on-line auction service, such as ebay or
sotheby's, to market your art? Did you get the price you expected
from the auction houses?

6. What is the size of the on-line art market? the entire art market?

7. Do you have any horror stories or success stories about on-line art
galleries, stores or auction houses?

8. What is the most used method of payment fo on-line transactions?
Paypal? If a credit card is used, whatis the most used merchant
account and gateway combination?

Thanks in advance

Stevo

Rose

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Nov 9, 2004, 10:21:17 PM11/9/04

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What you should do is ask some of the people that sell their art on
Ebay. There are a lot of tutorials there written by those who have
successfully managed to sell their art online plus there are message
boards there as well.

Rose
http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/consult.htm
"Can you make money on the Internet?-YES!"

John A. Weeks III

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Nov 10, 2004, 10:05:57 PM11/10/04

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In article <cms1f...@enews2.newsguy.com>, Rose <Roseb...@aol.com>
wrote:

> >I'm working on a term paper for my business class about sucessful
> >artisan websites. I'm gathering information and have several questions
> >I'm using to gather information. If you have any insight on these
> >questions, I would appreciate a thoughful response. So, here goes
> >with the questions

> What you should do is ask some of the people that sell their art on

> Ebay. There are a lot of tutorials there written by those who have
> successfully managed to sell their art online plus there are message
> boards there as well.

Art does not work on E-bay at all, and doesn't work well on the
Internet. The folks who have the time & money to buy art are
not the same people who spend time on the Internet. They have
people to do that for them. Art is a person to person business
that is built on relationships.

-john-

--
====================================================================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 jo...@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
====================================================================

Rose

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Nov 13, 2004, 7:49:24 PM11/13/04

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On 11 Nov 2004 03:05:57 GMT, "John A. Weeks III" <jo...@johnweeks.com>
wrote:

>
>In article <cms1f...@enews2.newsguy.com>, Rose <Roseb...@aol.com>
>wrote:
>
>> >I'm working on a term paper for my business class about sucessful
>> >artisan websites. I'm gathering information and have several questions
>> >I'm using to gather information. If you have any insight on these
>> >questions, I would appreciate a thoughful response. So, here goes
>> >with the questions
>
>> What you should do is ask some of the people that sell their art on
>> Ebay. There are a lot of tutorials there written by those who have
>> successfully managed to sell their art online plus there are message
>> boards there as well.
>
>Art does not work on E-bay at all, and doesn't work well on the
>Internet. The folks who have the time & money to buy art are
>not the same people who spend time on the Internet. They have
>people to do that for them. Art is a person to person business
>that is built on relationships.
>
>-john-
>

Sorry but I have to disagree with you. As a matter of fact I went
back to Ebay's Message boards especially the one relating to art and
there are a lot of posts there. Not posts from those that want to
sell their art but posts from those that are selling there art. There
are also some messages about re-selling artwork and there is a
workshop about selling's one's art on Ebay.

John A. Weeks III

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Nov 14, 2004, 3:01:13 PM11/14/04

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In article <cn6a2...@enews2.newsguy.com>, Rose <Roseb...@aol.com>
wrote:

> >Art does not work on E-bay at all, and doesn't work well on the
> >Internet. The folks who have the time & money to buy art are
> >not the same people who spend time on the Internet. They have
> >people to do that for them. Art is a person to person business
> >that is built on relationships.

> Sorry but I have to disagree with you. As a matter of fact I went

> back to Ebay's Message boards especially the one relating to art and
> there are a lot of posts there. Not posts from those that want to
> sell their art but posts from those that are selling there art. There
> are also some messages about re-selling artwork and there is a
> workshop about selling's one's art on Ebay.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you. Go to E-bay, and check the
"completed auctions" area. You will see that stuff like art prints
almost never meet the reserve price and almost never sell. Those
that do sell bring only a fraction of their secondary market value.
For example, I deal a little in Carl Brender's prints. Most of them
are released at $295. I have never gotten bids of over $50 to $60,
even for ones that have gone up in value and should sell for $500.
I have also tried to buy these prints by bidding in the $50 and $60
range, but I did not find anyone who would let them go at that price.
So, I will repeat, art does not work on E-bay.

Christopher Richards

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Nov 25, 2004, 1:06:53 PM11/25/04

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Stevo,
It seems to me that the answers to your questions would be worth some cash
to someone starting such a business. I know some business people get
students to do their legwork for them in the guise of a project. Is there
such a "sponsor" or "real client" for which you are gathering this
information? If yes, what does your school get out of the deal?

Christopher Richards

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Nov 25, 2004, 1:06:41 PM11/25/04

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> Sorry, but I have to disagree with you. Go to E-bay, and check the
> "completed auctions" area. You will see that stuff like art prints
> almost never meet the reserve price and almost never sell. Those
> that do sell bring only a fraction of their secondary market value.
> For example, I deal a little in Carl Brender's prints. Most of them
> are released at $295. I have never gotten bids of over $50 to $60,
> even for ones that have gone up in value and should sell for $500.
> I have also tried to buy these prints by bidding in the $50 and $60
> range, but I did not find anyone who would let them go at that price.
> So, I will repeat, art does not work on E-bay.
>
> -john-

John,
It must then be a buyers market. If one can buy low on the Internet and sell
high through the gallery system.
I am interested in this because I have a friend in the UK who is just
putting his gallery website up. But he does, in fact, do all of his business
face to face. I bought a sculpture online for $250 recently and I am happy
with my purchase. Take a look at this
http://www.beacongallery.co.uk/carl_brenders.htm and see how they do.