I sold 3 paintings locally in the $30-40 range and I’ve had no enquiries through DPW. I haven’t used the auction process here but I always check the number of active auctions. Back in Oct to April there were about 90 active auctions whenever I looked. Yesterday there were less than 20 active auctions. Any theories on what is happening?
WOW! GOOD FOR YOU! MAYBE YOUR GALLERIES COULD BE MY GALLERIES. 
Downtrend in auction based selling for me on other sites and DPW. Of course, I am also experiencing downtrend in sales overall, so…who knows!!
Just keep painting 
then when things pick up we will have a lot to sell. 
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I wholeheartedly agree! I have kicked myself in the past for not doing that and when things did pick up, I had no time to paint, lots of customers but not enough to sell.
Yep same here, I have not been consistent enough in producing work. I have 30 6 x 8 panels coming in. So ill be ready to start painting this weekend. Going to try doing a minimum of 3 a week.
I have no excuse! Lots and lots of materials and supplies but no painting. 
Maybe it’s just a phase? 
I’ve been on this site about three years now. Started around November and thought wow! this place is it! Made LOTS of sales and some friends as well. The next year was great, the year after that slowed a bit but still good. This year… very very slow and the past 4 or 5 months…nothing! I have no idea what is happening. I get LOTS of views but no sales. The sales on my gallery page are all from Ebay. Its coming to the point where I will have to see what I must do after the holidays. I’m retired and can’t just keep spending money here with no sales. It is just heart breaking for me. Its almost as though sales were abruptly turned off earlier this year. Is everyone in this same boat?
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I can’t say I’m in the same boat as I was lucky enough to sell a few pieces recently, but I think there is some objective evidence that confirms your observations.
I think that the number of active auctions can serve as a relatively good indicator of the market activity. I remember that last fall there were always about 60-70 and sometimes even 100+ active auctions. Right now it’s 26, and I don’t think I saw more than 40 during the last few months. I have no idea what could be the reason. I even suspected that US election could influence art market, but the election is over, and the market is still slow… Does anyone have any explanations?
What i don’t understand is i can get 10 or 20 views on ebay
and get bids. I have some on here with hundreds of views and they just sit here. Its very depressing.
I haven’t tried selling on any other sites except DPW, so I don’t have my own statistics to compare. It would be really interesting to know if this downward trend is common for all online art sales. Looks like Ebay works much better for you! (And yes, I know how depressing it can be when you don’t have a single sale for months… I usually start thinking I’m totally hopeless and will never be able to produce anything worthwhile)
Ebay has advantages. I’ve been on there since 1998 so I don’t know the rules for newbies. I get free listing and free automatic relisting and pay only if I sell an item. I also promote by joining ebay groups on facebook. We also have ebay contests like Nibblefest where a group of us lists on ebay for 99 cents once a month. Those listings always sell. It all helps.
Also Ebay is unique in that you are on or near the first page when you list and again when the listing ends. I don’t know of any other site that works this way.
Amazon Handmade is terrible for art you have to spend to advertise and even then you may get only one or two views a day. I’m surprised when I get a sale there. People selling jewelry and other collectibles on Amazon are doing a booming business…but not art.
I still can’t figure out Etsy and have given up on that site since I don’t know how people can find you.
Patricia, thanks so much for your input! I have never used Ebay (even as a buyer) and know very little about it, so your comment was very informative! Will definitely read some more about it. On the other hand I really do like DPW, in all ways. I like how the site is done, the interface is very user-friendly and intuitive, I like how everything is managed, and most of all, I like the type of art that prevails here. Whatever the reason is, I hope this downward trend in sales is just a temporary thing.
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It’s never easy to work out. I used to sell Aceos on Ebay ten years ago but gave it up because I couldnt get more than a fiver (£5 sterling) for them and they took me ages to do. Have tried other artwork but the British Ebay is just full of scroungers looking for cheap stuff…and it’s also full of Chinese art as well. Plus, after deducting Ebay commission and Paypal fees, it comes to around 14% off, so you have to price that in. And, Ebay charges commission on the postage as well, which is a disgusting rip-off, another reason why I avoid it.
Just actually sold an oil painting this weekend on a UK site…there, I said earlier it had happened at the same time last year, just before Christmas. However, I shall not be expecting much more…if it happens, it’ll be a nice bonus.
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Ten years ago Ebay was not like it is today. Back then the art categories were going strong. I knew artists pulling down thousands of dollars for paintings. I saw ACEO’s selling in the $300 range. Unfortunately, Ebay destroyed that thinking they would sell new stuff like Amazon. They never really made it and in the midst of all that change they utterly destroyed art and collectibles when they welcomed in all the chinese junk. The chinese got free auctions and they get free shipping. Its sad. As for ACEO’s I do about five or six a day so its no problem selling them for $5.00 on up. It helps my retirement income while I wait for DPW to wake up again…hopefully.
@Patricia Ann Rizzo Your post prompted me to look up ACEOs on Google. Interesting product and what was also interesting is your take on Ebay and its decline as an art sale site. I’m glad you found another way to produce art and supplement your income.
Well, I thought I found a way to help supplement my retirement when I joined DPW but as I said before, sales have died completely for me here this year. The sales in my gallery were made on Ebay. I am hoping things will pick up here soon or I will have to leave the site and I do love DPW and hope that doesn’t happen.
Yes, I was in on the birth of ACEO’s on Ebay and they were quite a collectible and still are, but not to the same extent. Its a great way to collect an artist when you can’t afford their larger paintings. Incidentally, it took us years and years of begging Ebay just to get a sub category in the Arts categories for ACEO’s and I know during the earlier years Ebay was making out just great commission-wise on these little paintings.
By the way, the only requirement for ACEO’s is that they be 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches. I even have some made of metal and I’ve seen some made of glass too.
I recently came across a similar concept.
A local gallery where I had a piece exhibited has installed one of these:
http://www.artomat.org/
They are vintage cigarette machines converted to dispense art at $5 a-pop, of which the artist receives $2.50.
The artist also has to purchase or provide specifically sized blocks or boxes on which to mount the art.
It’s a nice idea, but with all the time, effort and expense it would be crazy to think of this is as anything other than a way to promote yourself. There are machines at many prominent locations however, so it depends on whether you think it is worth the effort.
Here are some examples of the type of art dispensed:
http://www.artomat.org/portfolio-gallery/art/
Hi Jacqueline, this is not new. I heard of it at least 10 years ago on Ebay. Its something I never bothered with but a lot of artists did use them for promotion. I didn’t know they were still doing this.
That’s right. It’s been going since 1997.
I realise it’s not new, just that I was only just made aware of it. I thought other people might be interested.