March 27, 2024

Where Art Means (Better) Business – a How-To Guide on Selling Your Work Online

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From galleries to street vendors, and market stands to exhibitions. From fairs to competitions and competitions to more competitions. These are just a few of the many (many) ways of getting your work noticed and making a living from your art. The only problem is that you want to get your work noticed by the right people. The people who care. Whether you’re an artist, photographer, graphic designer, or you’re maybe selling the work of others, taking your work only provides you with better opportunities in taking your passion to the next level. It is therefore crucial that you find an e-commerce platform that caters to all your needs, from showcasing your products to promoting your brand. Shall we introduce Rekisa Ecommerce?

With Rekisa, you can start your own online store to showcase your artwork to millions of people and provide customers with a convenient and fast way to buy your art. You can sell any type of art from postcards to NFTs and everything in between.

Apart from selling tangible goods, you can also sell your services.

Here are a few step-by-step guides on how you can learn to set up and customize your own Rekisa store to sell your artwork and services, on your own terms. It’s simple and hassle-free.

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Step1. Sign up with Rekisa (for free)

By using you're mail address, you can sign up for free on our website or download the Rekisa mobile app for IOS or Android to create your store

After signing up, you will receive a free plan to customize your website, at which point you can add up to 5 products to your catalogue, set up shipping and payment methods, configure your store design, and start selling right away. You can select your plan or upgrade at any time to improve your store functionality

Rekisa Plans and Features
Upgrading your account to a paid plans

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Step 2. Create Your Catalogue

For every artwork or service that you wish to sell in your store, you will need to create a product in your store catalogue. You can create products in the Rekisa admin panel or use the Rekisa mobile app.

On a desktop computer, create new products using the Rekisa admin panel in Catalogue → Products.
On the mobile app, go to the “Products” tab.

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When achieving this, you want to focus on letting your customers set their own prices for your products. The Pay What You Want pricing feature allows you to set a minimum price with no limit.

Depending on the type of products or services you are going to sell, you will need to make some modifications to your product settings. To do this, check out our tips below

Ready-to-ship Items

If you sell ready-to-ship items, keeping track of your stock is important so you do not oversell.

Here are some ways you can keep track of your stock:

Set the stock for each product: Indicate the precise quantity of each product in your inventory, i.e., the number of items customers can purchase from you. Once a product is out of stock, customers will no long be able to make a purchase (unless you enable pre-orders).

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Learn more about product inventory tracking here.

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Hide out of stock products: If you offer one-of-a-kind products, such as exclusive paintings or sculptures without any duplicates, you have the option to automatically conceal out-of-stock items from your storefront. As a result, once a painting or sculpture is purchased, it will no longer be visible to customers in your store.
Set up low stock notifications: To keep track of the status of your product inventory, you can set up notifications that will you know when your stock is running low. In each product settings, you can specify at what level you want to notified when stock is low.

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Learn more about Rekisa’s "Low Stock" email notifications here.

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Ready-to-ship Items

If you sell ready-to-ship items, keeping track of your stock is important so you do not oversell.

Here are some ways you can keep track of your stock:

Set the stock for each product: Indicate the precise quantity of each product in your inventory, i.e., the number of items customers can purchase from you. Once a product is out of stock, customers will no long be able to make a purchase(unless you enable pre-orders).

Learn more about product inventory tracking here.

Hide out of stock products: If you offer one-of-a-kind products, such as exclusive paintings or sculptures without any duplicates, you have the option to automatically conceal out-of-stock items from your storefront. As a result, once a painting or sculpture is purchased, it will no longer be visible to customers in your store.
Set up low stock notifications: To keep track of the status of your product inventory, you can set up notifications that will you know when your stock is running low. In each product settings, you can specify at what level you want to notified when stock is low.

Learn more about Rekisa’s "Low Stock" email notifications here.

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Made-to-order items

When you create personalized items, it's important to gather all the necessary information from your customers to give them exactly what they want. You should also let them know how long it will take to make their customized product and when they should expect to receive it.

To help you sell made-to-order items with Rekisa:

Get the required info using product options
Make it easy for customers to personalize their orders by providing them with user-friendly features such as drop-down menus, check-boxes or text fields that allow them to choose from existing options or type their own message describing what they want. For example, if you sell postcards, add a drop-down option that gives your customers the freedom to choose their preferred colors of a postcard, and use a text field that allows them to request what they want written on the card:

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Learn more about product options here.

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Show images of a product with different options: If you offer products that come in various choices such as colors or materials, make sure to generate product variations that show how the products looks with these options. For example, if you sell posters, you can use variations to show how they appear in different colors, with or without a frame, and other similar options.

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Learn more about product variations here.

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Set clear expectations: Make sure to clearly communicate the time it takes to produce and ship an order to your customers so they know what they should expect in advance. This also gives them an idea of when they are expected to place an order for a product if they want it delivered by a set date and time. You can specify your time frame on your store’s home page, add a note at the checkout using the Checkout Notice app, or alternatively include it in the product’s description.

Services

If you are selling your services, it is important that you help customers understand what kind of service you offering, when they can expect to receive them, and how they can access that service.

Here are some tips to help you set the right expectations for your customers.

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Write detailed descriptions: To prevent any confusion, make sure to clearly explain the process of how you will deliver your service and precisely what the customer can expect to receive. For example, if you sell interior design services, describe the process you follow to deliver the service, how long it typically takes, and what outcomes the client can anticipate (e.g. receiving design recommendations by email or receiving a printed booklet).

Find out how you can sort detailed product descriptions into collapsible blocks.

Agree on a date to provide a service: There are several ways to agree on dates for a service:

One option is to add a date picker as a product choice when customers are selecting their product.
Another way is to provide a drop-down menu that shows available dates for them to pick from.
You can also consider adding a Google calendar feature that displays open dates for booking.

It's always a good idea to reach out to the customer after they've placed their order to confirm that the chosen date works well for both of you.

Learn more about how to accept bookings here.

Masterclasses

There are two ways to sell masterclasses:

Sell video masterclasses: You can make recordings of your masterclasses and sell them to customers. All you need to do is upload the video to your store once, and Rekisa will take care of the rest! When someone purchases a masterclass from you, Rekisa will automatically send the download link to your customer.

Learn more about selling digital products here.

Sell spots in your offline masterclasses: If you offer in-person masterclasses, you can utilize your online store to sell spots in these classes. To manage the number of participants, you can use the stock feature found in Catalog → Products → product details. Simply indicate the maximum number of participants in the "Quantity in Stock" field:

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Works by Other Artists

If your catalog contains works by different artists, consider the following options:

Create clear navigation: In Rekisa, you can categorize artworks into collections based on artists, styles, or any other criteria. Simply add the products to different categories to achieve this. The great thing is that a single product can belong to multiple categories. For instance, if you sell paintings, you can assign the same painting to both the "Impressionism" category and the category dedicated to a specific artist. To create categories and assign products to them from your Rekisa admin panel, go to Catalogue→ Categories.

Learn more about assigning products to categories here.

Use attributes to advertise more information about each work: The product details page is an ideal location to showcase product attributes. It's a great opportunity to provide important information such as the artist's name, creation date, style, and more. These details allow visitors to learn everything about a particular piece that may be interested in, and make your website more discoverable on Google.

You can display product attributes on the product details page. This is a good place to show such details as: the name of the artist, the date when the work was created, the style, etc. Such details will help the visitor learn everything they need to know about a piece they’re interested in and will make your website more searchable through Google.

For more information, check our post on how to create product attributes.

See 13 Rekisa’s store examples that sell artwork.

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Step 3. Personalize Your Website

When selling online, your website serves as a representation of you and your art. It’s important to make sure that your website reflects your style and uniqueness, setting you apart from other artists and stores. After joining Rekisa, you have the choice of using Instant site, a free website with a built-in storefront. You have the flexibility to design it the way you want, add your content, and set up product pages just the way you like.

If you already own a website or are considering running a blog alongside, you can effortlessly integrate your store with other platforms such as WordPress, Wix, or any other custom website.

Here are some ideas for how you can personalize your Instant site:

Adjust your storefront design: Rekisa's integrated settings allow you to customize your website to your preferences. You can add website blocks, upload images, modify fonts and colors, configure the product page layout, and choose how product images are displayed, among other features. Learn how to configure the design and content of your Instant site→

Talk about yourself: People are naturally drawn to stories, and sharing your artistic journey can help you build trust with customers. You can do this by sharing photos of your workshop, sharing a sentimental story about your journey as an artist, and detailing sneak-peaks about what defines you as an artist. For instance, consider adding a photo of yourself working as the cover image for your store or crafting an engaging "About Us" section on your storefront.

Share your contact information and social media links: Make it easy for visitors to your store to get in touch with you if they have any questions about your artworks. Provide contact details such as your email and phone number. Additionally, consider including links to your social media profiles, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Social media serves as an excellent platform for sharing updates, offer insights into your works, and engage with potential customers. To add your contact information, simply access your store admin panel and navigate to Website → Edit Site → Contact Us block.

Set up a custom domain name: When you join Rekisa, your store address (also known as the domain name)appears as: https://store12345.company.site. However, you have the option to customize this domain to something that is memorable and recognizable for your customers.

Learn more about how to connect your own domain to your Rekisa store.

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Step 4. Set up payment methods

To begin your online sales, determine how you want to receive payments and then configure the payment methods in your store. You can offer various payment options for customers to choose from, such as paying online with PayPal or paying in-person with cash during pick-up.

Learn how to set up:

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Step 5. Set up shipping methods

Next, you'll need to determine your shipping strategy and configure the applicable shipping methods. You have the option of setting a standard shipping rate, rates based on the weight or value of the order, or using carrier-calculated rates. Find out more on how to decide on your shipping strategy.

If you have a workshop or physical store where your customers can pick up their order, set up order pickup. Learn more about order pick up here.

Additionally, consider the packaging of your orders as it contributes to the overall customer experience. Take the opportunity to design unique and appealing packaging that reflects your artistic style. This thoughtful packaging not only protects the items but also demonstrates to customers that you value their satisfaction and have put effort into their order's presentation.

If your artworks are delicate and need extra care and materials to ensure safe delivery, you can charge customers a handling fee. This fee will be displayed at checkout. To learn more, see our post on how to set up handling fees.

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Learn more about packaging in our following blog posts:

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Step 6. Explore other sales channels

With Rekisa, you can sell products on social media and other marketplaces in addition to your Instant site or your personal website. The best part is that any sales and product stock updates will be synced between the platforms. That means that you can keep managing the store from one place — your Rekisa admin, and still make sales from different sources.

Here is a list of platforms with more information on where and how you can sell your products.

In addition to selling online, there are various offline selling options you can explore. Consider running a pop-up store, participating in local art and craft fairs, or collaborating with local boutique owners. These avenues allow you to reach customers in-person and showcase your art. To ensure that your online store's inventory is up-to-date and to record sales made offline, you can utilize Rekisa mobile app available on both iOS and Android platforms

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Step 7. Upsell and cross-sell

Upselling is a technique where you offer customers a premium version or an upgraded product, while cross-selling involves suggesting related or complementary product options based on their cart items or previous purchases. Implementing both strategies can effectively boost your revenue. Consider which products in your store can be paired together or have premium versions to offer. Utilize the following ideas for upselling and cross-selling:

Add complementary products: Consider offering complimentary products alongside your current offerings. For instance, if you sell painting masterclasses, you can also provide watercolors and brushes for customers to purchase. This allows them to conveniently find all the necessary materials in one place, which ultimately enhances their overall experience

Show related products: With Rekisa’s built-in that lets you show related products on the product you can show related products to your customers while they're looking at a specific product or checking out. This is a great opportunity to recommend items that go well together or complement each other. For example, if you sell small art pieces, you can use this feature to display artworks that look great when paired or grouped. It gives your customers more choices and allows them to find cohesive sets that match their artistic style and preferences.

Offer customization options
If your products can be personalized, it's a good idea to offer your customers the choice to customize them. You can provide free options like allowing them to choose a preferred color, or you can charge an additional fee for special customizations like framing a painting.
Offer gift wrapping
If your customers frequently purchase your products as gifts for others, consider providing a special gift-wrapping service. You can offer it as a product option on a product page.
Sell gift cards: For customers who are unsure about what to give as a gift, offer them the option to purchase gift cards from your store. These gift cards can be used by the recipients to buy products from your online store, providing them with the flexibility to choose something they'll truly enjoy.

Learn more about gift cards here.

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For more ideas on how to promote your store and increase revenue, check out these blog posts:

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Next steps

Great job! You've successfully added products, set up your store, and customized its design. Congratulations on getting this far!

Now comes the exciting part. You get to see the results of your hard work. It's time to focus on promoting your store and generating orders. Here are your next steps to move forward:

Place a test order in your store.
By doing this, you can ensure that your store functions smoothly and provides a positive shopping experience for your customers. Additionally, consider asking your friends and family to explore your store and provide valuable feedback. Their insights can help you further improve your store and make it even more customer-friendly.
Promote your store. Add your store's link to your social media profiles such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more. It's also worth considering creating a dedicated Instagram account specifically for your store and setup product tagging there. Advertise your store with Google Smart Shopping. See more ideas on the Marketing page in your Rekisa admin panel or check the Promote section in our Help Center.
Make sure to process orders promptly. Set up notifications for new orders so that you can receive them as soon as they are placed and start processing them. By default, you will receive notifications via email, but you can also opt to receive push notifications via the Rekisa mobile app.

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Learn how to manage orders here.

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Starting a business from scratch is an exciting journey, but it can also have its challenges. However, we have full confidence in your passion and talent to create and manage a thriving business. We wish you the best of luck and abundant sales in your entrepreneurial endeavors!

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