Should I give discounts to customers who ask for them at art shows and fairs?

Never give a discount without getting something in return. This is a key negotiation principle - always exchange value for value. If a customer asks for a lower price, ask for something back such as payment in cash (to avoid credit card fees), a referral, framing the piece unframed, or another form of value. The exchange maintains the psychological value of the transaction - when someone simply gets a lower price without earning it, ‘the thrill of the hunt and the kill is gone’ for them. This approach has proven successful and helps maintain pricing integrity while still being flexible with serious buyers.

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Asked by a full-time artist who does art fairs · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-03-12