When someone is ready to buy your art, the last thing you want to do is make them jump through hoops.
Yet too often, that’s exactly what happens: a broken link, missing prices, or a confusing checkout process that sends eager buyers away empty-handed.
In this week’s episode of The Art Biz, I dig into the places where friction shows up and how to remove it. Because while you can’t control the economy, trends, or even the weather, you can control how easy—or difficult—it is for someone to give you money for your art.
Buying Barriers Create Doubt
Anyone who has sold directly to a collector knows that collectors are buying into you as an artist. They’re not just buying art.
[ James Corwin discusses this and how he thinks of collectors as family in episode 232 of The Art Biz. ]
This is why once someone is ready to buy, your systems have to support that decision without delay.
Relationships and trust take time, but the mechanics of making a purchase should be immediate and obvious. Every unnecessary click plants a seed of doubt. Every missing detail or unanswered question is a chance for someone to close the tab and move on.
Barriers pop up everywhere: on websites, in emails, even on wall labels and QR codes. Your job is to spot those barriers and clear them away.
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Three Keys to a Seamless Buying Experience
1. Clarity
People need a clear path to purchase. If your homepage is a dead end or sizes and prices are too hard to find, you’ve already lost momentum.
Make sure every finished piece—whether on a wall label, on your website, or in a social media post—is seen with a full credit line so potential buyers can picture it in their lives.
[ See Checklist for Crediting Your Art ]
2. Ease
Once someone decides they want your art, the process should feel seamless.
Offer straightforward payment options, professional communication, and timely delivery. Payment plans can help, but be smart about how you structure them to protect both you and the buyer. This means:
- You draw up a written agreement outlining details and signed by both parties.
- You limit the duration of payments to a tight window, hopefully within 6 months.
- You don’t turn over the artwork until the final payment is made.
3. Trust
Buying art is a vulnerable decision because it’s as personal to the buyer as it is to you.
People want to feel safe with their investment. Be transparent about policies, respond quickly, and follow up after the sale. Consistency and clarity build the kind of confidence that turns first-time buyers into loyal collectors.
Put yourself in the shoes of a stranger who just discovered your work. Try to buy a piece from yourself. Where do you land? How clear are the steps?
Write down every point of friction in the buying process—and commit to fixing at least one major barrier this week.
Related Topics
This episode is part of a series leading into my Followers to Collectors planning workshop on September 9–10. In the workshop, we’ll map the entire journey that transforms casual followers into committed collectors. We’ll talk not just about the buying process, but also about building relationships, showing up consistently, and creating trust over time.
Because making the sale is only one part of a bigger picture: the ongoing connection between you and the people who love your art.
See also:
