Nameplates?

I like the idea, but I'm not sure how effectively (cost and time-wise) it could be implemented.
The option would be cool, though.
I'd settle for being able to stuff a business card in with each order, but since I'm lazy and have FAA do everything, I don't have that option. ;D

I'm not a fan....I find them presumptuous.
Logistically, the frame would have to be thick enough to accommodate them..

More presumptuous than a digital "signature" Marlene?

April even a business card can get lost or thrown away. It would cost more but I think it would help FAA as well as the artist because there would be a permanent affixed reminder of who the artist was and searching for the artist would, hopefully, lead people back to FAA.

But maybe a sticker on the back that list the artist could be an option. SOMETHING that can help a buyer (or their friend) find the artist and maybe buy something else in the future.

I wouldn't purchase art with a plate like that, and I don't think many buyers would either, but I like the sticker on the back idea.

far more .
John, you are assuming that the customer cares. I'd venture a guess that most buyers only care if it will look good in the space they have in mind.

I used to work part time at a gallery offered custom framing. Often when customers came in with prints to be frame and they asked to cut off or cover up the artists' name on the bottom. They don't care for the name only how the framed image look on the walls

I don't care for nameplates or digital signatures. Not because they're presumptuous -- just because I don't find them aesthetically pleasing. I do, however, love to see the artist's signature on the face of the work -- but, we don't have the option for that here.

In the real world, I sign everything, and slap a neat, self-adhesive label on the back of all framed work. The label includes artist, title, and contact information. For unframed work, I print that info on the back. I include an artist's statement and two business cards with each sale.

I do wish our work, when sold through FAA, was clearly attributed to the artist.

Along those lines, I'd love to even see a sticker on the reverse of the image ... with Fine Art America's name and our own plus web address to our pages ... I think that would be a great idea and could easily lead us to repeat sales.

Wendy ... just read your comment ... gmta

: ))

You said it, sister! :-)

I own a frame shop and I can say that although many people don't care about the signatures on the front of the art in the case of reproductions, they DO care about having the artist's documentation/certificate of authenticity in a pocket on the back. I think it would be a great idea to add a sticker to the back with title and name.

No I am not assuming the customer cares. I am just thinking about an easy way they can remember WHO the artist is if they, or their friends, want to order another work from that artist in the future.

A nameplate would help but it might be something the buyer doesn't want. A sticker on the back could do the same thing and not take away from the work.

I don't know if it is ever an issue where someone says "where did you get that piece?" or "I would like another piece from that artist" but not have any way to remember WHERE they got the work or who the artist is.

Sure, you can use a "digital signature" on your work but if it is a signature that can't be read or, like Alfred said, covered up. What good does it do?

It didn't even dawn on me that the nameplate would go on the front.
I was thinking it would be on the back. (I should probably start getting more than 2 hours of sleep a night)
I wouldn't like it on the front. It would look cheesy to me. But then it wouldn't be a nameplate.
Ok, off to take a nap. EEK.

John, to give the customer an easy way to remember who the artist is, is assuming that they care...;)

When you order cards from FAA, the back contains the FAA logo along with the artist's name and AW. I've never ordered a framed print, but it didn't occur to me that it wouldn't have some such label on the back. Are you saying it does not? That seems like a missed opportunity for both FAA and the artist. But possibly it's not an easy thing to do, and they certainly couldn't slap a label on the back of an unframed print.

Brass name plates were a huge point of purchase for us in the galleries.

All of my people were trained to ask every single customer if they wanted a custom made name plate.

Back in those days there were about $12-$25 per plate, depending on how many letters and what size plates they bought.

That was a lot of plus business for us in three stores if we just sold two or three a day per store. Picture frame lights were also big point of purchase items for us. I sold a ton of picture frame lights. Back in them days there was no good battery operated lights. Today those would be killer. No suggesting FAA does lights... .bu then again... maybe?

So, yes John, it is a good idea and I think it would add revenuers to FAA. The commission would not add that much to the artists' take but the name recondition would be cool.

But like everything, the cost of doing it, writhing the code and answering the questions, which will come up, and other unforeseen issues, may make it cost prohibited.

Edited: I wanted to add that it would be my guess that more then half of the people that I sold plates to didn't care about the name of the piece or the artist. They just liked the plate because they think it added class to an otherwise just plain old paper or canvas print.

The difference was on the very expensive signed and numbered prints. The they like the name for bragging rights.

And yes, the certificates were important. We had our own certificates printed up for edition prints so all we had to do was write in the name of the of the piece and the name of the artist. After we went to computers, this became easy to do.

Even if 2% of the people that bought framed pieces from FAA bought a plate, I bet that would generate more revenue than the $30 a year premium fee does.

Of course I have no way in the world of really knowing that but I do think it is a good idea assuming it can be done in a cost effective manner.

Even a sticker would be good. (on the back) As it is the art is delivered devoid of any thing that could be used to trace the work back to the artist. Other PODs put a sticker on the back with the artists name and title of the piece.

Really this is a very basic thing that should have been done from the start.

@Ed -- Agreed.

I was completely surprised with my first order. Before that moment, it had never occurred to me that my name wouldn't somehow be on the print, or on a packing list. Something!.

I do think that's why I've had repeat orders everywhere else I sell online -- but not here.

It seems to me a sticker would be a lot easier than a nameplate. All the information a sticker would need has to be somewhere in the process of making a print.

The scenario I see in my mind is someone buys a print from FAA and hangs it on the wall. Their friend or relative comes over 6 months later and says "Wow! That is great. How can I get one?" at which point they say "um, I don't remember." End of story. A nameplate or sticker should solve that problem. Like Wendy said, more repeat orders. That seems like something FAA would want.

I have no problem with the sticker. But I don't ever see that happening.

It is an added expense with no offsetting revenues.

I also understand the more repeat order thing too, but I don't think that is a big area of focus for FAA. I mead this with all due respect to FAA but I don't repeat orders for the individual artist as a priority. I think a direct link to additional revenues is much more of an incentive when you are talking about a business with significant cash flow and profits.

Keep in mind, FAA already has somewhere between 10,000 and 100,000 people doing advertising for him. The stickers with no immediate direct off setting revenues would not be much of an incentive to me if I was in his shoes.

Look at it this way. Who is going to do the stickers? It would have to be the framer, no one at FAA is going to them. How much is the framer going to want to do it, if he will do it all. Now give the chance to make more money by selling a plate, which I think is better for the artist and will enhance the finished product. The sticker does no enhance anything.

John, have you submitted the idea to the suggestion thread?

If you think about this: Has anyone ever seen a nameplate or the artist's name scribbled or otherwise on a museum picture ? I haven't... that doesn't mean it's the gospel but I just assume famous artists only want their signature on the front..... like me (haha joking)

Like others, I'd settle for a sticker on the back!

Sure there is a cost of adding a sticker. But there are ways to keep cost down. They could simply have pre-printed labels with a blank space for artist name and Fineartamerica.com.

I wouldn't even care if someone just wrote the name of the artist on the sticker and then slapped it on the back. I am betting it could be done for less than a buck. Hell, I would have that cost deducted from my commission.

It can be this simple...



I can get 1,000 of these stickers printed from got print for .07 cents each. That's just little old me, FAA should be able to buy in larger quantities. I am sure someone, somewhere, in the process of shipping our stuff would be willing to write the artist name on a sticker and slap it on the back if you paid them .50 or even a $1.00 to do so.

All I can tell you is I sell art work with name plates on the front every month and as I already stated, they were big sellers in the galleries.

I had a piece framed at a gallery years ago Floyd and I paid to have a nameplate added. I don't think they look bad at all. I think they add to a piece because most signatures can't be read and it also has the title of the piece. I have thought about adding them to my framed work and think I will look into it over the winter.

I'm quite shocked reading a lot of the discussions on FAA, and how people are conducting their art business.There are a lot of good ideas, but based around horrible business planning. You have to think of FAA, and similar sites as secondary tool, or just as a supplier, or fulfillment house. You should be selling your work in person, and on your own site so you can control the process and information. When someone orders my work it's from me, or my site, not FAA. I take the order and charge them. So I have a record of all my customers, including physical address, email, and phone number. I then order it from FAA and direct ship it to the customer. I simultaneously send them a thank you card at the same time the print ships with the art they ordered on the card with all of my personal info, description of the work, and my bio. I sign the card by hand so they have a real signature they can keep with the art. Now they have a nice set to keep together and something to remember me by. Since I have their info I can periodically send out a catalog of new work to their home, or ask if I can add them to my email list.

This is how you should be selling your art. You should always be the first point of contact, not FAA, or any other site.You should always control the customers info, not a third party. What if FAA went out of business? Where do your customers go to see and buy your art, and how do you contact them?

Hopefully this will enlighten some of you as to how to better control your business, and customer relations.

I would not argue against anything you said.

What you described is one way to sell art.

Selling on FAA or any POD site is another.

But neither one is the only way.

I will ask you one question about this statement:

" I take the order and charge them. So I have a record of all my customers, including physical address, email, and phone number. I then order it from FAA and direct ship it to the customer. I simultaneously send them a thank you card at the same time the print ships with the art they ordered on the card with all of my personal info, description of the work, and my bio. I sign the card by hand so they have a real signature they can keep with the art."

Just how do you get that done when you sell something on FAA where they do not give you that information?

Edited: I'm sorry. I have 2 questions. How many prospective art buyers can one artist meet in one day to sell to them in person?

Stickers could easily print out as the order comes in.

Think about it....if your name is labeled on the back, the customer may come to you directly next time, figuring they can eliminate the middleman......and where will that leave faa?
Don't bother answering that question..it was hypothetical.

Buyers can already come to you directly. They see something they like on FAA and Google the artist, message him or her through FAA, go to the Facebook or Twitter account the artist probably mentions in their bio.... any number of ways. At least with Marlene's scenario, they bought from FAA initially. I'm for the name on the back. Greeting cards already come with the URL printed on the back.

Yes, Joseph they can, but why in the world would faa encourage that?Don't bother answering that question either ;)
I've been in dozens of galleries...I am NEVER told who purchases my work, with good reason. Those clients can contact me directly...they rarely do.

It just gives folks the option if they want to.

"Stickers could easily print out as the order comes in."

The orders goes into the FAA but they have to be applied by the framer. As I understand it, the FAA framer is not an FAA company. I think the work is outsourced. I may be wrong.

Those are the logistics that would have to be worked out. But no matter how easy it will be, there will be time and costs involved with no direct revenue stream.

Don't get me wrong, I am not against the sticker. I am just trying to look at it from the point of view that if it was me having to make the decision. I'd go for the plates because I can make money direct money off it. That is always better then differed revenues.

Remember the three most important words in the business dictionary are "get the money".

"What you described is one way to sell art.

Selling on FAA or any POD site is another."

No one said it was the only way. Online works once you do the work, but skipping the work and going strait to online almost never works. Ask any tech startup with an innovative idea and millions to back them why their startup fell flat on it's face? It's very simple, you can't skip the work of building a real following and go strait to the pay off.

"Just how do you get that done when you sell something on FAA where they do not give you that information?"

This is exactly my point, and why it is a bad business model to work that way. Why would anyone wanting to start a business do that? I wouldn't consider the buyer my customer, I would consider them FAA's customer because FAA is in control of the buyers information. It's perfectly acceptable to work that way if you want to rely on a third party for the rest of your life, or until they go out of business, but as I said that's really not a good long term plan for a business.

"Edited: I'm sorry. I have 2 questions. How many prospective art buyers can one artist meet in one day to sell to them in person?"

I don't know ask any company that succeeded before the internet? Let me give you a personal example: I sold three painting to my doctor for his office. Four other doctors in the building bought paintings. The hospital they are connected to purchased several. From that countless patients have contacted me for commission, or prints. One interaction is all you need if it is the good one. This is just business 101 stuff guys you should know this if you want to be a working artist. 80% of your job is the business!

FAA is looking out for their best interest as they should, so asking them to do extra things that might eliminate them from the process will never happen. BUT, I ma sure they don't mind you taking your own initiative to sell you work, build your fan base and have them print and ship it for you. It's a win-win for everyone.

Floyd,

Can I ask what you mean by "But no matter how easy it will be, there will be time and costs involved with no direct revenue stream."

Do you mean for the artist or FAA? While a repeat order because of the stickers may not be a DIRECT revenue stream it is a branch of the stream.

The plates would only be revenue if someone opted to pay for one. The stickers could be on the back of EVERYTHING sold.

Buyers go with what they know. They would return to FAA if they could remember where the heck the bought that print last year.

LC Bailey - why use a POD? You can order right from the source.

"No one said it was the only way."

Excuse me, I guess I got that impression when you said: "You should always be the first point of contact, not FAA, or any other site."

"I don't know ask any company that succeeded before the internet? '

I have been in the business for 40 years. I owned three brick and mortar galleries dating back before the Internet. Hell, it was before computers and we still actually had to know how to make changes. lol

I also did 25 art shows and fairs a year for 4-5 years. I think I get that "before the Internet' and "You should be selling your work in person" thing. I get it really well in fact.

Then after I retired, I built 12 successful Internet galleries and never seen one of those buyers in person. So it can be done. The fact is face to face is very limited. Even before the Internet people have been hanging art in galleries for someone else to sell for them where were the artist never took the order. I have worked with artist, very successful artists, that rarely ever sold in person. They hated talking about their owe work.

I do totally agree with you that NOT getting the private information from FAA sales is less then desirable.

I also agree that no one should put their eggs in one basket. I got that when bought out my second gallery and opened my third. And I got it when I opened my second of 12 online gallery.

So, like I said it can be done.

The thing here is a lot of these people on FAA are not accomplished and they age just starting out and they either don't have the resources or don't want to invest the resources, in putting up their own web page. Most of them ARE doing local one on one sales and working the face to face art shows and fairs.

Then there are some hugely, successful artist here that this is just another one of those many baskets the are putting eggs.

Speaking of eggs, I got to go crack some eggs for lunch.... lol

I'm going to wade in here again ... I sell from a lot of different places and one of the places I'm under contract with just sort of switched up the rules a bit. Turns out the signature on one of my pieces got clipped when they did a "framed" version (and yes, I'll be following up on that, and yes, my sig on that particular image was way too far to one side).

Anyhow. Really, not a huge deal, but I wasn't happy to find out about it when the purchaser actually tracked me down via a sweet, hand-written note mailed to me at my home address last week. Seriously. Not a clue how she did that, but she did. Basically, the image (one of my cardinal in the snow images) was to be a gift for her sister in law whose husband, my purchaser's brother, passed away. He loved cardinals. Since my signature was missing, she asked if I could write up a short bio and sign it, so she could affix it to the back of the image.

So.

There ya go.

It IS important to our purchasers.

I came to see if my change in my line box.

Sure hope the page doesn't blow up!




Sorry wrong discussion. LOL Thanks

Keep in mind that there is a contact button on your portfolio....ANYONE has the ability to contact you, if the so choose.

“they DO care about having the artist's documentation/certificate of authenticity in a pocket on the back. I think it would be a great idea to add a sticker to the back with title and name.”

Excellent point. I would think that a paper sticker on the back of a frame, or mat, would not be difficult or expensive.

It may even prove to be a selling point for FAA.

I wouldn't want my name on something I didn't do, unless I could approve it first.

Kevin,

See my "sticker" image above. That is what we are talking about. Your name on the back of your work sold on FAA.

Ideally, the sticker could link to a website but having our name SOMEWHERE on the image, even the back should help people reorder or find an artist again.

A question...

If you like the sticker on the back idea would you be willing to give up fifty cents of your commission for each sale if it had that sticker?

I understand John
If I don't see a finished product to approve it, i don't want my name on it.

@Edward, I'm may be missing your point on " Why use a POD, go to the source" Are you saying artists should run their own print business, and bypass the POD services all together? I wouldn't advise that because the equipment and upkeep is expensive, and it will cut in to your productivity. I am very happy to use FAA to handle all my work. They do an excellent job.

@Floyd I think you and I both know why you might not want the artist to be the first line of contact. I've been around the real gallery scene for a long time.;) I do understand where you are coming from but my first concern is for the artist, their work, and their future. I am more concerned with teaching artist how to run their business so they don't need to rely on third parties to make it. I realize that a lot of them are beginners and didn't have a formal art education which is why I am offering them my business knowledge. I retired at 40 so I do know a thing or two about business, and middle men. ;)

Kevin,

You don't want your name on anything FAA creates? If you are worried about quality why are you selling here? Do you see every product before the customer?

I is kinda confused.

For the record I do agree that FAA should put at the very least the name of the piece and the artists name on the back in some form regardless of how you choose to use their services.

Excellent idea of some means of attaching the title and name of the artist to the work - I would especially appreciate it on my fine art digital abstracts

Admin can correct me if I am wrong, but when I've ordered my own work, my receipt has the info and an image....lemme go see if I still have one available....
If this is the case, the buyer can siply attach it to the back of his purchase ASSUMING HE CARES.

Marlene, you are right -- I had forgotten about that. I just looked at one of my receipts from some cards I ordered. It is a printout with images showing, along with my name and size of image. I suppose a buyer could cut it out and tape it to the back of an order.

or keep it in their files, for future reference....and again, assuming it matters to the customers.
Perhaps, that is the real issue...the artist's opinion and the reality of how much the customer cares, is not in sync.

Wait a minute LC, you are confusing me. Earlier you were saying you the artist should be the first point of contact. Now you are saying “you and I both know why you might not want the artist to be the first line of contact.”

I am having trouble keeping up here with the flip-flopping… are you in politics? lol

Then you make this comment: “I retired at 40 so I do know a thing or two about business, and middle men”. Really?

Then you should know that POD sites ARE the middleman you need to eliminate. POD sites are NOT wholesale to the trade printers. They are full retail.

To be fair to your customers you should be using a wholesale to the trade printer that also does fulfillment.

Here is an example that I have posted here several time. I sold three 18 x 24 stretched Giclee canvass of the same image to the same guy. If I had used FAA for fulfillment I would have cost me well over $300. You can check that out for yourself.

I had my own, wholesale to the trade, printer/fulfillment center full the order and it cost me $150 including shipping.

No one should be using FAA for fulfillment when the sell directly to the retail market. You are the publisher (self publishing). You are not a retailer. You are a wholesale distributor. You have to buy at wholesale or you are either short changing yourself or overcharging the buyer, one or the other.

I wonder where Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet had ended up if they felt they never needed to use third parties or if they were buying at retail and selling at retail.

I was using three fulfillment centers at one time when I was running at full speed. But not because I was selling so much work. It just ended up that way by going to trade shows and meeting different people and seeing their work. I was able to get my shipping down this way and then I also had back up for when my guy was buried.

One was in Washing DC, the same guy that does the Giclees for the Smithsonian. He did everything East of the Mississippi river. Then I had a guy in Denver that did between the Mississippi and the coastal states. And then a guy in Los Angeles that did the entire west coast.

It is best if you can find a guy locally that can do it because it is easier to get the quality control handled. But if you live in a smaller area you can not always find those sources.

But the distance from you doesn't really matter once you find a guy that does the quality you need. It is no different then using FAA. You email them the file and the shipping address and they fill the order.

I have has zero problems doing it this way.

Yes John, I don't sell here. Had no idea what a POD was. The best way to learn is from your mistakes.

LC - Yes you missed the point.

We are selling decorator art here, not originals or signed and numbered prints of prints that are going to appreciate in value.

I don't think the buyer cares what is on the back of piece. Most buyers have a difficult time just hanging a picture on their wall, if it is of any size at all. Once it is there they are not going to be pulling if off to see what is on the back. I don't care what kind of sticker or paper you put back there.

And anything with the artist's signature on it, other then the piece itself, adds zero value to the piece. Same thing with a certificate of authenticity for an open edition unsigned piece. It is a nice point of purchase, value added, selling tool, but really adds not value. (Keep in mind that in retailing or selling in any selling, the term "value added" basically means giving the buyer something that has "perceived value" but really has no value at all.) Of course there is the rare exception. Any piece of paper with the artist's signature is going to valuable if the artist goes on and reaches the levels of Picasso and his piers. But that is not the art market.

Myself, I want the plate on the front. Everyone that sees the piece sees the artist's name. The sticker on the back, no one ever sees once it hung on the wall. Also keep in mind, those stickers will fall off over time. The plate is there for ever.

I do agree that the plates would be the best option.

Maybe some buyers don't care. But I don't think it is as many as people think. I think if someone just wanted "something" to go on their wall they would go to Wal-Mart or Target and buy something cheap.

The people that buy here care enough to pay more than art cost at these stores and they are willing to wait to get it.

I know that I won't keep the material that comes with my order. Not because I don't care but because I have enough paper in my house, I don't need more. Anyway, if this stuff is included with the order why can't someone at FAA just tape it to the back of the image instead of throwing it in the box?