Gallery and Museum Owners, How Do You Deal With the Competition of Online Shopping, Especially When the Artists You Display Have Their Own Websites That They Are Selling From?

We don't really seem to have this issue but we do boost our FB page with items available at the Museum. Our local artists tend to send people to us to purchase since they know we are non-profit. Maybe suggest that the artists refer to you instead of client paying shipping cost so they can pick up from you and you get the sale.

My experience is that few are able to sell their work on a website. It all depends, though, what kind of art it is. I represent about 30 artists, some with websites. Whatever work hangs in the gallery is the work I am concerned with. I find most customers like to see the work in person. Most of the artists, with websites, list my gallery for viewing their work in person.

Well after reading every ones response I totally understand everyone concerns Been in the art world for over 35 years and a business owner for now 14 years! with 4 locations we are not a traditional gallery! Our collection is from prints pottery fiber tshirts garden and food just to name a few we have the good better best price point and being in malls we see the customer and what they want...... and as far as new artist we have artist who apply on line we stet up a appointment to meet with one of our team and then we decide and sometimes they also say its not for them... which is good. Our turn over is about 20% and then we have the artist who sell like crazy we encourage all our artist to grow there a small business within our business. good luck with everyones journey

I have raised this question many times in my 24 years of selling artists' works. I had a brick/mortar store for 12 years and now sell online (12 years). There is another part to that question as well - when the artists that I represent go to WinterFair (Columbus), a gathering of about 300 artists, and sell the same stuff that I bought wholesale to sell to my customers. Their prices during that show are usually lower than mine and I'll see my customers buy directly from them instead of me. I don't deny anyone to make a living, especially the artist that had the talent to bring it to anyone - including me. But when I spend money to travel to a wholesale show, buy the minimum or more quantity that they require to represent their work (in other words, invest in their talent) and they compete against me by having a retail site --- I don't like it. I would prefer they list the merchants who sell their line on a page (and update it regularly), and refer to those people who are representing them . Many artists don't include online retailers, and I'm wondering why. If you have a retail gallery online, then you know how costly it is to run it. For me, updating and being a one-person "do it all" on the site - from entering products, biographies, and paying to update the site and also paying someone to do the SEO work so your site can be seen, is as costly as paying rent and overhead at a brick/mortar. I guess my simple answer is to ask the artist upfront before buying if they have their own site. Then you can make that decision there and then on how much you want their wares.

Another thing to consider is product differentiation. What is the high end version of the art that works well in the gallery? (originals) What is the easy-to-buy version that works better with impulse buyers? (giclees and prints).

So one solution would be to strongly encourage your artists to focus on prints and giclees at the local fair and in their online sales and let the gallery handle the originals. They can bring one or two "showpiece" originals for the art fair booth. You can cross-promote, referring clients to the artist for prints and getting referrals for the originals.

Prints from jpegs work well online - what you see is what you get, and the time spent listing doesn't evaporate as soon as something sells.

Another solution would be to agree that you have exclusivity on certain series and they can do whatever they want with the other series.

Online shoppers don't want to "contact gallery for sales". You need a contract between the gallery and the artist that stipulates what work is consigned, a period of time and a geographic territory that gives the gallery some sort of protection (a limited exclusivity). You also should stipulate a separate commission/referral structure for online sales for a certain period after the work has shown in the gallery - some people like to browse the gallery then go home and shop the website on their own time. Since the gallery is not using precious wallspace nor incurring storage nor marketing costs once the work has left, the commission should be lower - I'd say 20 - 30% instead of the usual 50% for in-gallery sales.

This arrangement actually benefits everyone. The gallery has an incentive to refer collectors to the artist's website, even when the artist isn't showing (benefits artist)

The artist protects the gallery's price structure and acknowledges ongoing benefits of their marketing (benefits gallery)

The collector has a clear channel to find and purchase art seen in the gallery, but not on display (benefits your best collectors - the ones who will let artist and gallery grow out of "Starving" mode)

This depends on your relationship with your artists and the type of gallery you are. Many artists refuse to sell directly and always refer sales through the gallery/galleries that represent them. So their web site would indicate-CONTACT GALLERY/GALLERIES for sales.

Some galleries do not have exclusive or semi-exclusive relationships with their artists [Collectives, etc.] and artists sell through whatever other means are available-directly, on line, etc.

Normally, things sort out over time and you and the artist will figure out where the true value lies-do the majority of their sales come from your gallery or online, or direct, or at art fairs. Once you';re both clear on that, the relationship that makes sense should emerge.

The galley that represents me has asked me to write "Contact Gallery (Their name and information)for sales" instead of a price. Most of the contact that I get on the website are scams anyway.

The services, the trust and the expertise that you can offer to your clients, the artists cannot do it. You just have to excel on representing them and cater to your clients' needs and likes. The rest will follow. Hope that helps!

Myriam