Should I focus on selling mugs, phone cases, and other low-priced merchandise as a fine art photographer?

No, avoid those cheap merchandise items - mugs, phone cases, t-shirts, key chains - if you’re positioning yourself as a fine art photographer or artist trying to raise your prices. These items are off-brand and hurt your fine art positioning. There’s no evidence of anyone successfully making significant revenue from these low-margin items unless you have massive volume like a sports team. The exception is using them as promotional giveaways for Instagram live shows or perhaps as small order bumps for stocking stuffers, but never as a primary sales focus. Instead, focus on items that support your fine art brand, like high-quality coffee table books or photo books.

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Asked by implied question from teaching context · Answered by Nick Friend and Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-07-16