Making A Mark Survey: Do you Collect Art?
67 respondents in September 2008 (survey now closed)
I didn't ask anything about background, but I know from my stats that most of the people who read this blog have some sort of arts-related connection.
The main conclusions arising from the survey are:
- 58% of the people responding have a collection or have started to collect
- 20% aspire to collecting with the great majority of these inhibited by finances at the moment rather than any practical issues to do with 'how do you go about building a collection'.
- only 21% were not interested in collecting art - they only wanted to produce it
If these sort of figures are being repeated on every other art blog it could be that the vast majority of the audience we share as artist bloggers are people who want to buy - even if some of them are a little short of the necessary cash right now.
On the other hand, it might mean that the survey tended to attract only those who are collecting or interested in collecting!
Speaking personally, I don't particularly push my work on this blog - but nor am I swamped with people asking me if they can buy my work. So, what this survey result does is make me think whether there are reasons why people might not buy even if they want to collect art. Plus what are all the different ways in which you as an artist can make it easier - or more difficult - for people to buy your work - or even my work! :)
I'm now wondering whether any of you have informative answers for the following questions:
- What, in your experience, inhibits people from buying art from a blog?
- What, in your experience, helps convert people who look into people who buy from a blog?
- What makes you want to buy art on the internet - and specifically from a blog?
- What makes you want to keep buying from the same person?
I'd love to know what you think - please leave a comment below with your explanation
I'm surprised there aren't many answers to this. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteInhibited: I think some people still don't like to give personal info on the internet.
Converts: I think the easier it is the better. Creates impulse buying.
Wanting to buy: You like the art and the artist. Popularity. People want to have what others have. Quality, use the best supports and equipment you can afford.
Make it easy: Contact on every page. E-bay or Pay pal. Satisfaction guarantee. Ease of shipping. Friendly service.
Making it difficult: Hard to find contact, price, shipping info. This gives the feeling it won't be arriving on time and may not be a quality item.
I haven't purchased art on-line, but I think it would be from an artist that communicates consistantly and has new and creative work at a reasonable price. I think much of the work on-line is overpriced .. but I am comparing to local prices in small town Texas and New Mexico. Somewhere like Santa Fe or Taos is expected to be high priced.
I have purchased from local artists that I appreciate the quality and beauty of their artwork. I would rather have a piece of original art than a print. I would save to have the original.
What a great set of really useful comments! Jo - many thanks for taking the time out to write this all down
ReplyDeleteI can connect with an awful lot of what you say - and one or two of your comments gave me food for thought.
That's what's always so useful about exercises like these - it helps to understand the other person's persective