How to Start an Online Art Gallery

Creating a professional art gallery does not require any advanced technical skill, excessive upfront cash or the headaches of constantly changing your stock. It is very simple and anybody can do it. Become an independent dealer by having your gallery on-line and providing a service in the world of art.

Start by seeking out artists who will allow you to display their work on your site. This is known as consignment. Plan to include a brief bio for each artist and at least 5 pieces of their work in a JPEG format photo.

Choose and purchase a domain name for your site that will be easy to remember. Look at other websites (non-gallery or gallery related) for design ideas. Portions of a particular style you like can be incorporated into your own. The providers and developers used are normally listed by name or web address. You can them contact them for information and fees.

Look for features that meet your needs. See that the provider includes or can develop them into your site. To have a successful gallery, you must consider both development and support of your website, whether by you or a third party source.

Your art gallery website should allow you to maintain separate displays of works. Break up the site by artist portfolio, on-line catalogue, web art show, commercial art gallery or private art community.

Promote your site on Google, Yahoo! and other search engines. Strategically add keywords so others can find you. Advertise your gallery on free on-line classifieds and local papers. As you become more successful, advertise in high-profile areas.

Configure your on-line gallery to accept PayPal and Google Checkout. It is easy and safe and you are protected.

Open a bank account exclusively for the on-line gallery. The monies received from your clients can then be deposited to the account. It will make it easier when tax time comes to keep all financial records in a separate account.

Decide who ships out the art work. You may be representing an artist who is long distance; and in that case they will have to ship the package directly to your customer. Have them package, weigh and measure the item and then reimburse them. Buyers feel much more comfortable purchasing items if they know the shipping charges. Look for an e-commerce provider that can supply a shipping cost calculator for UPS, FedEx and USPS.

Be an independent gallery owner and have your gallery completely directed by you. With your own website, the gallery will have a unique address, search and browse techniques in place and opens up new artists in the world of art. The versatility of your gallery will obtain a personality of its own and you will be considered an art gallery owner.