MAKER-SELLER SALES OPPORTUNITIES

There's a great deal of readily available sales space on the Internet even without developing a website of your own, and much of it is offered at very low cost or even for free. There are a lot of websites that offer some amazing display features to Artists including people working in the so called Applied Arts, that's people producing Functional and Wearable Art such as teapots, furniture, handmade cloths and jewelry. A list of some of the best sites for artists to list on is further down this page. 
 
Selling over the Internet doesn't have to mean an implicit commitment to ship long distances. Many Free Listings for Artist sites offer regional search functions to potential buyers and allow sellers to state limitations to shipping. Adding an Artist's profile and other information is generally easy.

Of course, having your own personal artists website allows much greater flexibility and control over the business image you wish to project. Whether you are hoping to supply Aviva (www.aviva.co.uk) with handmade office furniture, or simply advertise your local market focused craft activities, (www.freshsilver.com) website pages can be built to craft the appropriate impression.

Few Maker-Sellers find that Internet based sales come close to matching sales that can be made at a Craft fair or a good Farmer's Market where people can touch the items and meet the Artisan. However the promotional aspect should not be overlooked. There may not be much willingness to buy Artists work on line but more and more people are using the web to research products and locations before they go shopping. Many Maker-Sellers list their items on a lot of sites and by using their name and physical location prominently are able to be found on searches aimed at their region which in turn brings buyers to their door.

Here are some free listings for Artist sites to check out.

ArtWanted.com  This smoothly functioning site allows each artist to add 50 listings of artwork items per year to a personal portfolio with a free membership. ArtWanted.com be searched regionally using the advanced search function. This site deserves to be top of the list. Artists can sell directly from their portfolios on the site and place links to their own website.

ArtByUs.com  Great free facility. This site was started by a painter and tends to look Fine Art oriented. However there are also categories suitable for Functional and Wearable Art. Can be searched regionally using the advanced search function. Links to an artists own website are allowed. 

The Saatchi Gallery On-Line provides a gallery service that is free to both buyers and sellers. Predominately Fine Artists but the site also accepts submissions from Designer-makers of Functional Art.

Creative Tao. This site is very new (2010). It seeks to encourage and inspire those considering a creative life. A lot of potential assets including free on-line galleries for artists and craftspeople.

Etsy.com   Not free but very low-cost, Etsy encourages local sales with two variations of regional search functions on the main page. Etsy does not allow links out to an artist or craft persons own website.