Why do online marketplaces like Etsy not provide a viable path to a six-figure art business?

Among tens of thousands of artists across years of conversations, perhaps only one out of that entire group claimed to be doing even $50,000+ in gross sales on marketplaces like Etsy or similar third-party selling platforms. These platforms simply don’t represent a statistically significant or viable path to building a substantial art business. While there are occasional fringe stories about unusual revenue sources, the three main viable paths remain: galleries (though with very low odds), art shows and fairs, or direct-to-consumer marketing through your own website. If you’re working on anything outside these three approaches, you’re likely laboring under false premises or working on something that won’t mathematically lead to business success.

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Asked by general teaching point · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2023-07-19