Failed artshop... help?

[Reynbowz]

About a month ago I started up my first art shop, located here. I waited for quite a while, bumping regularly until almost a month later, having reached the second page finding to my chagrin that I still had no customers.

Looking at other artshops, it seemed normal to have customers by at least the third page regardless of art quality.
What am I doing wrong? Is my art really that crappy? I didn't think so personally, and considering how many compliments I've been getting I don't think other people think so either. It can't possibly be prices, considering it's a BRIBE shop, therefore having no prices. Do people on Gaia honestly hate traditional art that much? It can't be that either, because I've seen other people sell traditional too and do fine...

Help?

PS. Once I figure out what I've been doing wrong and I return to my shop, would it be fine to go back to the same old thread or would the 280+ pages deter people from buying anything, presenting a need for a new thread?  

[Vena]

it could be that it is a bribe based shop, and I find people are generally a bit wary of that (well, when I ran a shop in the stone ages). You have a unique style and unfortunately Gaia loves their super anime commissions so sometimes that is stunting too. Don't feel discouraged... just keep on bumping and you will get some people that stick to you. If it makes you feel any better, I held an auction recently over a whole month, and I had a grand total of 4 bids. I bumped probably 50 pages by myself. Chyeah.  

[Reynbowz]

Thanks for the comment Vena, it's really encouraging. I just can't help but think of all those other shops that seem to be doing fine without any effort though...

When you say people are wary of bribe shops, do you mean because they have to price themselves or because they assume this means "very very expensive"?

Also didn't forsee the style thing... I would have thought having a unique style would be an asset, rather than a liability...  

[Syrella]

Yeah, don't be discouraged. smile It's really frustrating to never get customers, but keep at it. It's probably got nothing to do with your artistic abilities. (though it may be related to your art style etc etc... as Vena already said. )

I've found that anime related work, no matter how crappy it is sometimes, garners attention better than anything else on Gaia. It's sad when you're one of the few that don't fall into that category. You'll eventually find folks who are interested in your traditional art, so just keep at it. Having a unique style is useful later down the line anyhow. wink You have something different to offer everyone, rather than just more of the same.

Also, try advertising on your sig if you aren't already (I can't tell). And, while this may sound kind of defeating, you could also maybe turn your shop into a gold shop. I dunno, that could be what's deterring customers. They don't have the items you want and they're too lazy to go buy them at market.

As far as starting a new thread goes, that could work for you. Sometimes I find larger threads are more intimidating and I tend to look through shops that are newer/smaller. That's just me personally, though.

Good luck!! I hope you get some customers soon!!  

[Ligre Di Cieli]

I love your art by the way x3.

Personally I've found that people tend to go to bigger threads just because they might be thinking "theres like 5million posts here it must be a good shop" or something like that.

I've tried running a shop before, and I got my first customer after bumping 10 page. But that was the only one customer I got. xD

You can try asking friends to come to your shop and just chat. I've found that it helps in getting customers.

Good luck on your art shop biggrin .  

[Reynbowz]

Thanks guys!
Does it really seem like I'm only accepting those items? I wote that I also accept pure... I changed the thing over the items to "ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT" just in case.

PS I have been advertising in my sig, it's in there right now.  

[clocktock]

Too many posts, too much text. Put your samples in your first post, and try and limit yourself to three posts. If I were looking through the Shops and Requests, I would get annoyed by all of the .. fairly unimportant details you put in between the viewer and The Important Stuff: samples, prices, availability.

I also suggest AGAINST the thumbnails you are currently using. You should either crop around the faces, showing whole faces, or you should not crop and just resize some images to a fixed height (150 or 200px).  

[Reynbowz]

That's really helpful clocktock, I'll try doing that. I had no idea my shop format was so irritating --- I made it following Djubre's guide so I thought it would be fine... guess not.  

[Errol McGillivray]

I think you'd be better off having auctions and using items you want as the autobuy. If anything, put the estimated pure value in thread.

It's a bad idea to let the client price your artwork. Even in an auction you set the starting bid. They have no idea what it's worth. You ask for what YOU want. Someone will give it to you as long as you do the work to find out who and present yourself in a way that appeals to them.

Keep a sample in your sig and link back to your shop. Also, brand names cost more. You're not a brand. For some reason on gaia, less quality gets higher prices due to the name behind it quite a bit of the time. You have to earn your way up by making yourself known.

To expound on Clocktock's advice:

Your thumbnails should follow the same design/layout theories you use for the art. People should be able to judge your abilities without looking at the full views. Clicking is an extra step. If they aren't interested by the thumbnails, they won't look at the full views. They'll just move on.

Choose your cropping based on:

Interesting contrasts - Choose an area that is has some contrast in value, colour, or shape.

Rule of Thirds - Choose an area that's got a distinct focal point and use the rule of thirds to place that point. (We have info on that in the tutorial thread.)

Also, don't forget that you can crop it bigger and resize. Making a decent thumbnail doesn't come in one step.  

[clocktock]

As an example of how I would build an art shop if I were doing it again (which apparently I tenuously am),

http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/t.56462001_1/

Or, an even more slimmed-down approach:

http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/t.41380071/  

[Reynbowz]

Errol and Clocktock, the advice you've given me is extremely helpful!
Might I ask, when you are making an auction thread, is the price you put as the starting price the price you would normally accept in a regular gold shop, or slightly less? And if I want to put a minimum bribe price in a bribe shop, would I be using the "gold shop price" as well, or again slightly less?

I will go to all those links you guys left along with the tutorial thread, it was very generous of you to go out of your ways leave those. Thanks for that too!  

[Errol McGillivray]

Nah, you usually start low. That's the pull of an auction. The starting bidder get a discount. But then it becomes an issue of people not wanting to lose until someone runs out of money. And you tend to make a lot more on an auction because it's a one time "gotta have it" situation. There is exclusivity in an auction.

Play on people's innate desire for status and the desire to be a winner.  

[clocktock]

It's totally possible to "win big" on an auction, but I've never had any luck with them. I find that a lot of what's necessary is less the quality art and more the .. quality name? You need to draw people into the thread, and the only way to get people in the thread to start with is via
1. Really, really solid advertising, and
2. Having a popular, hot shot name that will draw people in to your auction over the others when they survey the list.

I always make significantly less on an auction, if anyone bids at all ;)  

[Syrella]

Gaia Online... teaching capitalism and marketing to the world's youth. wink

I don't have too much to add since most of the good stuff has already been said. Suffice to say... just keep trying and don't get discouraged! You'll figure out what works for you eventually (be it auctions or a dedicated shop). Just takes some time and patience.  

[tirbutt]

Wow, some really good advice here~!

I just have to add that you need to be wary of auctions - USUALLY you can get higher prices there - but not always. I've had regular commissioners or bribes pay more than auction prices and vice versa.

Being well-known on Gaia does get you somewhere, but people are always willing to shell out for quality too, so don't let that get you down~

As to your earlier question:
Yes, the word "bribe" usually makes people think expensive - it usually refers to paying more than one usually would for art because the buyer just has to have it and can't wait for regular slots or needs to out - offer the other takers... I think nowadays people just use it for any shop with no set prices. The connotation of expense is still there though dramallama