Should You Use Print-On-Demand to Sell Your Fine Art?

With technology changing so fast, is print-on-demand still the best method to sell your art?  

Using print-on-demand in Australia is an excellent business model for Australian artists and empowers you to do what you love for a living whether as a side hustle or full time. As an artist trying to make a name for yourself or simply make a living from your art, selling your work through a print-on-demand (POD) service is one of the easiest options.

So, what even is print-on-demand? Print-on-demand is a printing process initiated on a software platform - your artwork is printed only after you receive an order. The printing, framing, and shipping of your artwork is provided together as a service from the platform saving you the hassle of assembling your own printing and shipping infrastructure.

Choosing print-on-demand in Australia eliminates many of the common hurdles you may face as a local artist when getting yourself up and running online. With print-on-demand you can continue creating and selling your work without being concerned about framing, packaging, and shipping or needing to invest money in expensive printing equipment and storage costs. If you currently sell your work locally print-on-demand makes it easy to expand globally when you are ready. 

Let’s take a look at the five main benefits of artists choosing to use print-on-demand to help you understand why so many Aussies are turning to POD to sell their art.

Low Upfront Costs

One of the most difficult things for artists just starting to sell their art prints is finding the money to get things up and running. You have to set aside some funds for investing in multiple vendors, sometimes requiring scheduling, travel, and expensive equipment like a quality printer.

A print-on-demand service for fine art like PrinTribe, eliminates the need to deal with multiple vendors and buy pricey gear. You simply prepare your artwork file, upload your artwork or photography onto the PrinTribe platform, and we handle the printing, framing, and shipping at our end.

Having low or sometimes even zero upfront costs is what makes print-on-demand such a low-risk way to sell your work, giving you the freedom to experiment and see what sells best without worrying about wasting money or time as you will see as you read on.

No Inventory

Gone is the hassle of storing and managing inventory. Goodbye also to Excel spreadsheets and art inventory management subscriptions - saving you both time and money. 

Stored art prints are vulnerable to disaster or decay and unsold inventory can become an unrecoverable expense. No one needs those problems! You can avoid them using POD!

Print-on-demand means you can create and test new artworks without committing to a certain quantity from the beginning - selling your masterpieces as they’re ordered. That way you won’t have paid a large amount for printing and storage without the guarantee of a sale.

Repeat orders are a cinch with PrinTribe due to the ability to save your artwork file complete with chosen frames, paper, orientation and finishings as products ready for shipping to your next customer in a couple of clicks – kind of like a hassle-free virtual inventory.

React Quickly to Trends

When you occupy an art niche, speed to market can be important. Print-on-demand gives you the speed and flexibility to create products and offer different options to your customers in response to shifting trends and changing demands. 

Traditional printing and inventory systems often don’t print single items and providing many options for your customer can get expensive fast. When you are paying for larger print runs you are not as well positioned to customise your print options quickly.

By contrast print-on-demand allows you to customise of all your products and offer things like different sizes, frames, paper, canvas, when required and without huge costs or delays. 

This flexibility means you can give your customers a more unique and personalised experience, and that’s what is going to make you stand out from your competitors aside from your own individual work. 

It’s going to give you the edge you need to launch your business and establish credibility among a sea of other artists.

Easily Expand Your Reach

There are always people who will love your story and what you create and with print-on-demand it is easy to expand from selling in your local area to anywhere in Australia – or even globally.

Selling your art on a POD platform gives you the opportunity to do that, which is just not as easy when you’re selling your art prints the traditional way. 

It is safe to say Australians love purchasing from Australians. Selling your art to buyers who love supporting Aussie artists is easier than ever when you learn how to connect with your audience and promote your art on social media. 

Pair that with using print-on-demand in Australia and you will spend more time doing what you love and less time (read ‘no time’) packaging your art and shipping it off from the nearest Post Office after your school run. 

We are spoilt for choice in almost every buying decision we make and choosing a Print-on-demand platform is no exception – let’s round out this article by giving you some reasons to choose a print-on-demand service based in Australia.

Why Choose Print-On-Demand in Australia

Whether you decide to sell your art globally or not, choosing to sell your art prints using print-on-demand in Australia gives you benefits that print-on-demand services based outside of Australia do not. 

After all – who knows Aussie Artists' needs better than local business. And you will be supporting local business that supports Aussie artists!

Ultimately, choosing to use print-on-demand means you can focus on creating art, and on balancing your art and business to achieve more profitable results. 

At PrinTribe, we're proud to offer a print-on-demand platform that empowers our amazing Australian artists. 

We handle everything from printing to shipping, so you can focus on creating your best masterpieces. With our museum-grade printing techniques and sustainable materials, you don’t have to think twice about the quality you’re giving your customers. 

Plus, our fast and friendly customer service is always around to lend a helping hand when you need it.

So, whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, print-on-demand is a game changer when it comes to your art business. Give us a try today and find out just how easy it is to sell your work and get noticed.