Stumbled on a stat that threw me about digital art prints

I was reading some marketplace report and found out that over 60% of digital art sales now happen through direct social media DMs instead of actual storefronts. That blew my mind honestly because I still think of Etsy or something as the main place people browse. Has anyone else noticed buyers just sliding into your messages like that more often?

3 comments

3 Comments

robin_roberts842mo ago

Direct DMs became my main sales channel about eight months ago. Started noticing buyers would message me after seeing a WIP or sketch I posted, not even a finished piece. Sold more prints that way than I ever did on my Etsy shop. The key for me was just being responsive and sending them a clear photo of the print in natural light. People like the personal connection of a DM, feels less like buying from a robot.

faith6842mo ago

Honestly that's so true about the personal connection thing. I've had the same experience where people just start messaging me after seeing something half finished in my stories or on my feed and it leads to a sale way more often than a polished listing ever did. It feels less pressure too, like you're just having a normal conversation and then bam they want to buy something. The natural light tip is huge, I do the same thing and it makes a world of difference versus a studio shot that looks too fake or staged.

alexc931mo ago

Set up a simple folder on your phone labeled "ready to share" so when someone asks about a piece, you can send them a good natural light shot in under 30 seconds without scrambling. I also started jotting down a quick one liner about what inspired the piece before I hit send, makes the message feel more personal and less like a copy paste. It took me a while to realize people buy the story behind the thing just as much as the thing itself.