How did e-commerce websites transform the art business for individual artists?

E-commerce unlocked the ability for individual artists to sell directly to consumers for the first time at scale. Artists could now display their entire catalog online—not just one or two pieces chosen by a gallery—and that gallery was accessible 24/7 to anyone globally. This was huge because artists could finally acquire their own customer list and their own leads, building direct relationships through email and other channels. Previously, all those relationships belonged to galleries or dealers. Owning your customer list is fundamental to building a valuable business and essential if you ever want to sell that business. This shift gave artists control over their own distribution and customer relationships for the first time.

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Asked by a podcast host · Answered by Nick Friend · art-marketing-podcast · 2023-05-22