What's up with $6 mini's on eBay???

[samhill]

I was checking out ACEO miniatures on ebay, and see many of them are going for the 5 to 10 dollar range....and I'm talking about some NICE work too!

What am I missing here? Is there some marketing strategy to this? Is it a way to build up a customer base? I see that a lot of these are done with color pencil or acrylic paint on paper. Do you think that there would be a higher perceived value if one was to do them, say, with oil paint on hard board (massonite)? The auctual cost to the artist would be just about the same really.

I guess it just saddens me to see good artists having to sell their beautiful little gems so cheaply. :(

[Bertoni]

rock:
I agree with you re: pricing of some of these truly wonderful pieces of art!
So much talent goes in to them and when one is sold they then have to be packed up, mailed out, payment etc, etc and all in that low price structure!
Maybe someone can explain it?:confused: :confused:

[Rob Hendriks]

Hi rock,

Mini's are easy to transport,try to sell the mini's door-to-door.

Rob

[Printmakerguy]

I think that one of the problems is the sheer volume of work on there- At any given time, there are hundreds if not thousands of aceos... Prices are kept low because of it.

Perhaps people are doing these small works as practice, and then just selling for whatever they can get to make back a little of the supply investment rather than having them lay around all over the house gathering dust (as my experiments seem to do :) )...

I do run across some interesting work from time to time, but a lot that I see on there isn't really too outstanding- Perhaps worth the $6.00 or so, but certainly not masterpieces...

-Andrew

[Flame Lily]

Hi :wave: Hope you don't mind me popping in, I came by to follow Rettakat's thread and noticed this one.

You're all right and thought you might like to hear from someone who's selling cheap. :) (For now)

It is a shame to see some really good ones go for so cheap. For me, I'm just breaking in... have only my 5th aceo up and trying to get a feel for how things work and just getting my name out there. It takes far too long for me to get one card finished and selling under $30 makes me cringe because anything below that is really cheap. There are very few colored pencil pieces compared to the volume of other media represented, some of these are doing really well... one cp artist who sells mainly cat aceo's has made hundred's of $ on some of her cards and she really deserves that, but I'm sure it took some time to build up to that.

[samhill]

Hi all, and thanks for the replies.

Andrew, I agree that most of this probably is practice work, and yeah, paying for supplies is no little deal, expecially when starting out. So ok, that makes sense in that regard. And yes, there were well over 1000 ACEO's when I punched that in.

Best of luck to you, Lily. By the looks of those little thumbnails in your sig line, you dont need much luck though. Very nice work!
Say, do you happen to have the URL or ebay name for that cat artist? I would love to see their work. Also, do you have a site yet?

Last thought.....building a collector base by saving names and emails from buyers is probably no little deal, and perhaps worth the effort and time to sell cheap at first....and least for awhile.

[Flame Lily]

Thanks rock :) Working on a website, it'll be a while.

The artist I was referring to is gabycat74 (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgabycat74QQhtZ-1) . I'm surprised to see some of her cards going for much less than usual, but some of them - especially the black ones frequently exceed $100.

[samhill]

Thanks rock :) Working on a website, it'll be a while.

The artist I was referring to is gabycat74 (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgabycat74QQhtZ-1) . I'm surprised to see some of her cards going for much less than usual, but some of them - especially the black ones frequently exceed $100.


yes, she is indeed good, Lily....and I see one of ACEO's at $83 right now with a few days left on it. I wonder how much it affects her bids with her being in Mexico? I imagine there are many potential bidders who are scared of dealing with their postal system (I know I've had trouble in the past with it).

Also, Lily, do you think that the media has much to do with the sales of these ACEO's? Wouldn't oil on gessoed hardboard have a higher perceived value than colored pencil on paper?
Just trying to figure out a bit how the thing works.
Thanks much.......
rockchuk

[Flame Lily]

yes, she is indeed good, Lily....and I see one of ACEO's at $83 right now with a few days left on it. I wonder how much it affects her bids with her being in Mexico? I imagine there are many potential bidders who are scared of dealing with their postal system (I know I've had trouble in the past with it).She has 100% positive feedback, so I would guess none of her buyers have had problems. I've just started my own collection and sure would love to have one of her cards.

Also, Lily, do you think that the media has much to do with the sales of these ACEO's? Wouldn't oil on gessoed hardboard have a higher perceived value than colored pencil on paper?
Just trying to figure out a bit how the thing works.
Thanks much.......
rockchukYes, for many folks I guess it would.

There are several artists doing really well with ACEO's - see alabama_artist (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZalabamaQ5fartist) (someone tell me if I'm not allowed to post these links) for example... oils.

Though I think (when it comes to aceo's) if the work is well executed no matter the medium there is always the potential for it to reach high prices.

[janine9620]

I'm going to chime in as another selling cheap! I am a new artist (one year) and have lots of paintings laying around my house! I Work and raise 3 kids, it is hard enough to find time to paint let alone figure out the whole marketing side of this art world. I had never really tried marketing except to friends and family, until the ACEO forum turned me on to these cards! They allow me to work in short bursts, and oh my gosh....people actually will buy them! Since I'm new, have no art ed or experience behind me this is like a total high! I'm hoping that with each very nicely packaged card I send out, along with my business card and links to my gallery site at art agent, that I may drum up some future business of my larger work. Or a pass on of my name. I have just begun on Ebay, I feel like I'm doing okay! (as in most are selling) They are great practice for me, fun to do... and the repeat customers and positive feedback about my art make it feel worthwhile!
But I have to admit! Oh to be the artist from Alabama!:lol:
For now I will enjoy, my new foot in the door, it gives a push to consider that next step! janine

[samhill]

I'm going to chime in as another selling cheap! I am a new artist (one year) and have lots of paintings laying around my house! I Work and raise 3 kids, it is hard enough to find time to paint let alone figure out the whole marketing side of this art world. I had never really tried marketing except to friends and family, until the ACEO forum turned me on to these cards! They allow me to work in short bursts, and oh my gosh....people actually will buy them! Since I'm new, have no art ed or experience behind me this is like a total high! I'm hoping that with each very nicely packaged card I send out, along with my business card and links to my gallery site at art agent, that I may drum up some future business of my larger work. Or a pass on of my name. I have just begun on Ebay, I feel like I'm doing okay! (as in most are selling) They are great practice for me, fun to do... and the repeat customers and positive feedback about my art make it feel worthwhile!
But I have to admit! Oh to be the artist from Alabama!:lol:
For now I will enjoy, my new foot in the door, it gives a push to consider that next step! janine


Those are all really good points, Janine. It seems like a great way to get paid while building up 'brush mileage'....and a nice way to build up a collector base....and fun to boot! I checked out your site, you are very good! :)

[janine9620]

Thank you! :o

[janine9620]

Talking bout that Alabama artist!!!!! Oh to be the artist from Alabama! Ck out the ACEO site which will take you to his ebay site....He's starting the bidding at 1,000,000.00. janine