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  Tam Helmin March 8, 2011 at 12:11am

  Gary-

  Right now only Etsy, but I'm working on getting my own site ready and then will sell from both. I hope to move some of my Etsy customers to my own site to avoid Etsy fees -- which really aren't bad, but why pay if I don't have to :)

  This is still a work-in-progress, but here my separate site: http://www.xohandworks.com/
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  Gary Haynes March 7, 2011 at 11:47pm

  Tam

   

  Are your online sales only through Etsy or do you have another website?

   

  Gary
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  Tam Helmin March 7, 2011 at 9:28pm

  55% online, 17% shows, 28% wholesale & consignment (for 2010)

  Love the online sales -- it's great to sell stuff while you're asleep!
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  MICHAEL ALAN STIPEK March 3, 2011 at 10:48am

  Geri,  what my booth image shows is also what you see in person, especially my architectural images.  It's just that I shoot only in optimal light and time of day.  Many photographers just do grab shots, then have to spice them up in Photoshop, which can lend an unreal look to the final result.  Another factor is if the booth at an art show is in deep shade:  this can really be a color killer.  I always ask for full sun, but some shows just plunk the artists wherever there's room, ignoring any special requests.

  Unfortunately, I think some shows think my images are highly manipulated because of the intense colors.  Fortunately, once in a while, a juror at an art show will see my work and comment that they look just like the submitted images.  Win some, lose a bunch!

  I'm also hearing that during the jurying process that some jurors think many images (not just mine) are mounted on canvas, which is more and more coming to be a pariah among show juries.  However - and Larry Berman can attest to this - with only 100 characters allowed on ZAPPlications, I (as is true with many other artists) can't describe all that goes into my images, such as the process, which includes archivally laminating the photos onto MDF board, a 3/8" substrate, then finished with a satin laminate, for protection and allowing me to pass on the glass; then framed in a contemporary black metal frame.

  I have another series of interior shots which I seal in non-glare glass, both for protection and allowing me to frame the images without having to use mat board.  These can also appear to be on canvas, but are traditional prints from negatives - as are all of my photographs.
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  Leo Charette March 3, 2011 at 10:41am

  Geri, artists dream about patrons like you! Gosh, I have had trouble getting patrons to travel from the eastern side of Cleveland, OH to the western side. It is always interesting reading your perspective on things. Thanks for being so involved on this board. You raise a very good point about the calendar. I visit many artists web sites and few keep their calendars current. Cheers. LC

   

  P.S. did I read on a blog post that you are planning to attend Krasl this year or was it Art on the Square Belleville? If either, I  will look forward meeting you there. -- Cheers, LC
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  geri a. wegner March 3, 2011 at 9:28am

  I prefer to buy in person because colors on a computer may not be accurate or textures are missing.  This makes your show calendar the most important part of your website for me.  I have driven further than I originally planned to see an artist whose work interests me.
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  Geoff Coe March 3, 2011 at 9:11am

  My site generates less than 10% of revenues DIRECTLY.  However, like Gary, it's invaluable for producing future sales to customers who have seen my work at a show. They may come back and order prints directly off the site.  But more typically, they'll browse the site (particularly my "Art Show Favorites" gallery, which (as I inform customers when I hand them my business card) holds all the inventory that I have at a show.

  I struggled for a long time with what to say folks who ask me about my website while they're in my booth.  I don't struggle any longer.  I tell them: "I'm grateful for your business any way you want to give it to me <and smile>.  But that said, it's generally a better deal to work with me at the shows if you possibly can.  Can I tell you why I say that?" 

  If they say yes, I can be fairly sure they're a potential customer, now or in the future.  So I'll continue: "If you purchase from me at a show, you get archival matting, and a signed print, for your money.  If you order on the website you get the print, but you've got to go out and get it matted yourself."

  That often results in a same-day sale.  If the customer demurs, I will explain how to navigate to the art show prints, and invite them to call or email me if they need help. 
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  Leo Charette March 3, 2011 at 7:48am

  Gary, when I access your web site and attempt to use your shopping cart service, it tells me that the service is not available. Are you working on it, because I'm not able to purchase if I wanted to? I'm using FireFox on a Mac. Cheers... LC
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  Leo Charette March 3, 2011 at 7:06am

  Hi Gary,

   

  About 1/16 of gross revenue come from my web sales. Most web sales are the result of patrons following up after they had seen my work at an art show. This can occur several months or even years afterward.

   

  Now 1/16th of gross revenues doesn't seem like much, but it comes in very handy this time of year. I do not access that revenue during the year; I just let it build. During this time of year, it pays all of my jury fees and several booth fees. I charge the same on the Web as I do at art shows, so profit margins are greater. All sales are the result of business cards given during art shows. I do little else to promote the services. 

   

  It would be a loss revenue stream to not have a web site with a shopping cart service. BTW, I use paypal to process the transactions. I am looking at other services, though, I prefer to pay as needed rather than paying a monthly fee. I hope this helps