Is selling work on Etsy worth it?

[Thebes]

When I looked into Etsy I noticed that while they supposedly promote handcrafted items, about 90% of the photographic prints were digital c-prints made in a lab.

[toolbox]

The whole point of the etsy community is that they "care how it's made;" that's what they tell themselves, anyway.

I agree that if an image isn't strong to begin with, no one will buy it regardless.

I don't think I ever suggested that people should buy my prints JUST because they were made in a darkroom. But, assuming someone has hearted one of my pictures and one of someone else's pictures, assuming that person really is all about the etsy.com "ethic," they should find a hand-made, vintage process appealing.

I have since made a few sales since I last posted to this thread. Frankly, I think raising my prices helped me. Before, I was truly competing against all the $10 Walmart-print "noise." While my higher price points might turn some people off, the customers who do remain probably associate the higher cost with higher quality (and to be fair, it costs me a lot more in time, effort, and materials to make the prints). At least, that is the only thing I can think of to account for finally having sales on etsy.

Have I changed my opinion? A little bit, I suppose. They are a valid online venue. I still think there is real value in building up one's own website, though.

A piece of art is only ever worth what you tell someone it's worth...if you tell them that by pricing it at $10, then they'll definitely believe you . Price it $400.00, and they may or may not believe you, so you have to sell it to them. Luxury goods (including art) are worth what they are based on "perceived value". Why is an Abercrombie or Hollister t-shirt worth more than one from Wally World? Yes, it probably is a little better made, but the rest is just perceived value. That value comes from marketing, and more importantly branding. The more people think something is worth, the more they're willing to pay for it. That's why established artists can charge what they do for a work...it's not necessarily "better" than the stuff being done by a kid straight out of college, but they have a brand that people are willing to pay for. The same can be said for expensive wines, cigars, and yes...even photographs. This is all business 101 kind of stuff...and too many artists are completely clueless when it comes to business.

Finish this phrase: "_______ artist" I'm gonna guess you didn't think "Thriving Artist" or "Wealthy Artist" . There's a reason for that.
If you really want to make money selling pictures, you should ABSOLUTELY stress the process...it's what sets you apart from the 8 million other photographers out there. Make that part of YOUR brand. Yes, you have to sell this stuff...convince people that the process adds value to the picture. Explain that a silver print has an archival quality that all this new stuff doesn't,etc. And yes, you still have to be technically proficient...unless you're a REALLY good salesman .

When my friends ask me how they can make money with their pictures, I usually tell them "you don't"... The same rules of supply and demand that apply to a bushel of wheat apply to photography as a product...and because digital has lowered the learning curve to the point anyone can do it, there's an awful lot more supply than there used to be, and demand hasn't really increased (probably decreased in this economy). You need something to set your work apart...
There's so many people doing this online, it's an *extremely* hard nut to crack. The people who are really successful at it, work very hard to get there...

Anyway, keep at it, and best of luck with selling .

[Roger Cole]

Art and aviation have this in common: What's the best way to make a small fortune in either one? Start out with a large one!

[DanK]

Quick Update....

From what I can tell, the Etsy site is designed around New Shops and those items on Customer's Handpicked Lists (treasury lists)... (but how they find your items, without a direct matching keyword search, is beyond me)

Searching does appear problematic - as my wife had tried a few general searches and couldn't find a single one of my items...have 50 listed...

The search does have an option to look for new shops with no sales...Which is probably why I had my first sale within a day or so of listing items, but since then I seem to be "lost in the middle"....

Etsy offers an option to pay for advertising, showcase your work for $7 day on a random top banner of only main pages...but from trying it a couple times, it doesn't appear to generate much beyond view totals...

Thanks,
Dan