Web site to sell framed prints

<p>Can anyone help?<br>

I built this site about a year ago: <a href="http://www.whitewallphoto.com">www.whitewallphoto.com</a><br>

The idea was to sell framed (or unframed) photography for people to put on their walls. Nothing too extreme or cutting edge, just 'nice enough' photos...well and few more experimental shots.<br>

Anyway, it took an age to build as I am not so good at building sites. So far I have not had a single sale and if I look at the stats, few people (10-20%) make it to the last page where the prices are presented.<br>

I have tried buying adds on Google, this increased traffic but no sales.<br>

Does anyone out there have some words of advice?<br>

Has anyone else tried this and can perhaps speak of their experiences?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I think at the outset you have to realise that the task you're taking on is difficult. Lots of people try to sell photography; yet have you noticed how many people you know actually hang photographs that they haven't taken themselves or to which they haven't got a specific personal connection? I do suspect that of the zillions of people who set up a website with the objective (partial or total) of selling prints, you are far from alone and that disappointment far outweighs success. I further think that this failure extends to some people who are excellent photographers and who sell prints for very reasonable prices. </p>

<p>I think that the few who do make a decent business out of this sort of thing are very good at designing websites and getting it in front of people- playing a numbers game well- or that they have a niche product with a clearly defined audience that they can reach easily and within which they have grown a reputation. I don't think you fit into either of these boxes. </p>

<p>I could go on and say that the work is nice but unremarkable, is too literal and not individual enough for the gallery market (itself struggling somewhat right now); that I don't think the "look" of the photographs online is showing them at their best ( some seem to be a bit low contrast to me) and that I would not personally make people press a big aggressive button marked "buy" before I saw prices, sizes and so on. As I say, I could indicate all of those things and mean them but I'm not sure that putting them right would make the difference.</p>

<p>So many people are trying to make a bit of money out of photography, whether by selling some prints, submitting photos to microstock and the less selective end of the stock agency spectrum, doing weddings at weekends, making self-published books and "selling" them online via the printers, and so on. One does have to recognise that supply can be as strong as you want but demand is essentially limited and economic conditions haven't been great. Even that latter may not offer much respite on recovery because the fundamental imbalance between supply and demand will remain long after a recovery. These days it is not at all difficult for people to make decent photographs and competent prints of their own work. The only chance beyond random you or anyone has got is to present work that has an aura of uniqueness, where people look at it and think "I could not do that and I like it". Or as I said, set out to be a specialist in a defined market you can access. The people who have a continuing presence in this market seem to have a strong "local" content to their work, and sell via gift shops, markets etc as well as through a website. </p>

<p>Better to think of a web site as an auxilliary way to cater to people to whom you've pitched your work under other circumstances. So, you attend some art fairs, farm markets, coffee-shop exhibits, etc. The web site is there to give your audience some more background, or let them order a print in a different format or mounting than what they happened to see in the flesh. Without that personal connection and context, the odds of this working are, as David says, slim indeed.<br /><br />Think of it this way: how many pieces of art have you personally purchased from an artist you've never met, using a web site of unknown risk/credibility, in the expectation of recieving a shipment packed/insured you know not how well? You can improve your odds of making a sale if you can address all of those issues up front in a soothing and compelling way. But you've got other, more personal work to do, too. That's what makes it actually happen.</p>

<p>I know you spent some time on your web site (probably money, too) but I would suggest also putting your work on a site like <a href="http://www.imagekind.com/sell/art-photography.aspx">imagekind.com</a>. They reach out to an audience for you. Maybe you would sell more of less, I don't know. But at least it would be a nice site that incorporates some of the suggestions given in this thread. They also would take care of the fulfillment for you.<br>

I would use that type of site for the selling of the images and then use your personal site to get, well, personal. Put some things about yourself on there or how you approach your photography. You can even learn how to use some social networking tools and put them on the site (photo forum, twitter, chat room, etc.). This would help you establish a connection with people and then you could send them over to the site where you sell your prints. <br>

As a matter of reference, <a href="http://jbhaferkamp.imagekind.com">here is my own store</a> on imagekind. You can see it in action before you sign up.<br>

On your web site: The main thing that your site is missing is information about you. That's a big no-no. You need a photo and some information about you and your photography. Where have you been? Where do you shoot and why? Do you have images of you selling image to people? Again, I would use the web space as a way to sell you and your photography while you contract out someone else to help sell your images.<br>

Just a few ideas for you to consider. Hope it helps.</p>