Should I stock up on inventory before the holiday shopping season?

Yes, especially given current supply chain challenges. Even though most print-on-demand fulfillment happens domestically, the raw materials—canvas, fine art paper, metal, acrylic, wood, and merchandise components—largely come from overseas and could face delays. You don’t want to enter the biggest selling season of the year unable to fulfill orders or having to tell customers their delivery will take months. Order extra inventory now within your budget. Having stock on hand means you can guarantee quick delivery, you have physical products to show in your marketing, and you won’t face customer service headaches from delayed orders. This is particularly critical going into Q4 when buyers have gift-giving deadlines and expect timely delivery.

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Asked by artists preparing for holiday sales · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2021-10-20