Talking ArtFire While I Wait for my Husband to Blog

My husband is an excellent writer, and I’ve somehow roped him into writing a post for the blog. But he’s been busy, and hasn’t had much of a chance to sit down and do one yet.

Despite my reminders.

Or, in plain English: nagging.

While I wait, I wanted to switch gears a little and tell you about a side of my art business, in case you’ve ever debated doing the same sort of thing. It’s pretty exciting to consider myself a “business woman”, but my husband, as supportive as he’s been about this venture, will be even more excited if  it ever pays the mortgage off. :)

Like many “mompreneurs”, I started my business online, and, boy, was there a lot to learn – and there still is! There are tons of venues out there to sell on, and I continue to explore them, but I must say I have no regrets on starting out on ArtFire.com, so wanted to share a little about it with you in case you aren’t quite sure if it would work for you. ArtFire really was a shot in the dark, as I wasn’t familiar with selling online at all – or even in person. But I love it there!

Why, you ask? Oh, you didn’t? Well, you know me, I’m gonna tell you anyway. But since I’m so often verbose, I’m going to just keep it to five fave reasons. Ready?

1.       The cost. There are two studio options to choose from in order to sell on ArtFire, known as “PRO” and “Basic”, and I have one of each. What’s the difference? (Click on the links for examples of each.)

a.      For a PRO account, there is a monthly fee – but that covers everything. Whether you list one or one thousand items, there are no listing fees, and they never have to be renewed. If you make any sales, you don’t pay any extra. This makes it easy to just create and list, as you always know what your bill is going to be at the end of the month.

b.      A Basic studio is free – no listing or selling fees at all. No kidding. But there are differences, such as fewer seller tools available, plus your studio will have ads placed next to your items. And I’ll be honest, they can be tacky. But, hey, it’s a great way to start out, especially if funds are super tight.

2.      My opinion matters. My goodness, can you believe ArtFire actually wants my feedback? Ok, not just mine, but from all sellers? The “admin” is always around, and isn’t above stepping into discussions. You may not always agree with them, but they are very present and accessible.

3.      ArtFire is like business school in a box. Tony, who is the main “face” we see, COO, and marketing guru, is always providing tips on how to become successful with our businesses. I haven’t always liked what I’ve learned, but he’s been right so far, which works for me.

4.      The Collection of the Day! Oh, I just love these! They are one mass email mailing that I actually open up each time it lands in my inbox. It showcases a dozen beautiful items from fellow artisans, and is such a bright spot in the day. (Click here to sign up for them.)

5.      It continues to move forward. As the online world spins faster than the speed of light, change (which folks like me rarely embrace!) is survival. ArtFire is not one to keep things “as is”, but keeps progressing, which is necessary for any ecommerce platform.

So, that’s part of the non-Asperger side of my life. But it’s also an important one to me. My daughter is looking to join up, as well, hoping to earn some money towards college. If she does, I need to remember to use this link when she signs up, as she’ll get her 3^rd month free, if she chooses a PRO studio. (Actually anyone can click on it and use it.)

If you have any questions about ArtFire, feel free to ask. I do sell on a few other venues, but ArtFire has worked best for me so far. As always, I’d love your thoughts! And there's a poll -->>> if you'd like to take it, too!