Selling prints

I don't understand the title - you aren't selling ideas - you are selling 'prints'...right?


If you have the print capacity you could print and frame and sell from your own site or from etsy....you could outsource printing ...up to you.


Or - if the prints are or might be 'in demand' might consider selling the rights to a site that sells prints (just a thought, don't know if that is done or not).

What makes more economic sense? Figure your total cost in terms of time, supplies, equipment, packaging, shipping, etc. Factor in the quality control you desire for your products. Then check the prices to have everything done through outsourcing. What makes the most sense economically?


Where to sell?

• Start your own online store
• Sell at print and poster shops
• Sell at places like Etsy, Creative Market, Hungry JPEG, Graphic River, etc
• Sell on Amazon, eBay, and other large sites allowing private vendors

Before you jump in and spend a lot of money getting set up in your business, I would suggest you do some serious market research to see if there is buying pressure for vintage artwork and prints. You may not like what you find.


Steve

I have a retail bricks and mortar custom framing business in Australia and the demand for the mass produced printed images has been in decline for many years.

Studies done within the industry showed original art buyers were still the most likely to buy prints as they already had a desire to display images and they would often be purchasing gallery prints from the various art galleries they visited.

There are many prints purchased online directly by the public and in many circumstances these are niche specific low volume prints produced by the giclee method - basically inkjet prints on better quality paper.

There is already a number of POD or print on demand suppliers out there. One that "used" to be the main print supplier in Australia by importing and distributing various publishers now appears to focus their efforts on POD - you can look them up at artworldpod

Businesses like those already have the relationships established with retailers and various interior decorators, social influencers etc so you may find it easiest to license the images to a POD business who could do the print and distribution.

If you want to go down an independent route then I'm sure there are opportunities but it will take time to build and you would want to do some solid research as Steve mentions because although there is growth in "handmade" and "bespoke" and possible interest in vintage original prints by collectors there may not be much of a market.

You may want to checkout the PPFA forum on LinkedIn and discuss what you have with some of the people in the industry.

You may want to subscribe to PFM - picture frame magazine - you may want to test an advert there. Home

You may want to check out Decor magazine - DECOR Magazine | Redwood Media Group
Read some of the articles from it here - DECOR Magazine | Art Business News

You could attend some of the events run for the industry in particular the West Coast Art and Framing Expo then you can meet and ask people whether they will buy. - maybe if you get a positive response from some ads prior to next year's WCAF you might take a booth?

Best regards,

Ozi