Should I sell merchandise and lower-priced items, or focus only on high-end original artwork?

Offer multiple price points including merchandise and lower-priced items. Not everyone who sees your marketing is ready to buy wall art at that moment. If you only offer high-ticket originals, most visitors will leave and the statistics show they never return. Lower-priced items like mugs, tote bags, and prints give you a chance to convert that person into a customer. Once someone owns your work—even a mug—they won’t forget you, and they’re much more likely to return for higher-ticket wall art later. Every museum has a gift shop for this exact reason. Think of merchandise as a way to advertise—it gets your work into daily spaces (kitchens, shopping trips, offices) where traditional advertising can’t reach. Merchandise also makes excellent gifts, introducing your work to people who don’t know you yet.

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Asked by an artist considering whether to add merchandise · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-10-30