How has COVID-19 changed buying habits for art and photography?

COVID-19 has fundamentally shifted buying habits toward e-commerce in a way that appears permanent. When people’s context changes dramatically—like during lockdown—new habits form and stick. The longer these habits persist (through multiple waves of disruption), the more cemented they become. Data shows massive increases in online art sales—some platforms reporting 300% year-over-year growth—while traditional channels like galleries and art show circuits have seen 80% or greater declines. This isn’t temporary: repeated seasons of disruption are cementing these new buying behaviors. Customers are now comfortable buying art online, having items shipped to their homes, and making purchases without visiting physical locations.

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Asked by teaching-context · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-11-18