Craig's List

[Dave]

Below is a part of a post I put in another thread and I realize now that this was frankenthreading a bit and should have been put to a new thread. My apologize to the other thread starter.



... I have several thousand prints in stock from the days when it was the norm to have them on site. Most of them are unsigned reproductions, bookplates, Currier & Ives, Cries of London and the sort from the 50's and forward. Quite different than what you find in the market now.

I also have quite a few (maybe 50 or so) signed LE, high quality stone lithos, woodcuts, serigraphs, etchings, etc. that would retail in a $100.00 to over $ 1000.00 price range. In addition I have maybe two dozen original oils, acrylics and watercolors I've collected over the years ranging from a couple hundred to about 10K most of which I'm ready to sell.

Unfortunately my space is such that I can't effectively show much of my unusual inventory but have found when I take someone and personally show them images I'll often sell them and the resulting custom framing.

I think there is a market for the unusual but they have to obviously be shown, both framed and unframed in order to sell them. I've explored the eBay market but found items being sold there usually go at fire sale prices.

When I spoke recently to a brick & mortar eBay store owner about the artwork they suggested Craig's List as a viable outlet since these are items that are not really a commodity and need to be seen and touched to sell.

What do you think? Has anyone had success with Craig's List selling mid range art?

I've been told by several gallery owners that the mid-range art market is extremely soft right now.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

__________________

 

[Richard Darling]

Craig's List has the potential to do what you are describing. The downside with it is that there are no safeguards, period. It is like a bulletin board in the hallway. So sales to people who do not eventually come to your storefront will be extremely difficult to process - and this is for both parties. There is no mechanism to know who you are dealing with.

I have bought and sold through Craig's List, but you need to have your antennae up the whole time. It helps to have a few well-placed uncles or friends where you want to do business, as well.

 

[RParrish]

I recently took on consignment several old opera poster a client posted on Craigs list and had no luck with, I would think Ebay a better solution if you don't care about how much they sell for. Maybe it time to get rid of all those corner samples

CL is good if your lookin to hook up with ___________, and that's all I'll say because I don't want to get booted. Not that I ever wood, it's just what I've seen on there.

I could also see it as a poteintial haunt for scam artists.

 

[TessaE]

I have had luck on Craigs list with giving away stuff, that goes in a hot minute. I have only tried (and sold) a cash register never art on craigs list.

 

[PaulSF]

I've hired employees from Craigslist, I've sold and donated furniture, and I've hooked up with __________ and _____________ and _____________, but I don't know if Craigslist is a good venue for buying art of any value. For one thing, people have to be looking for it there, and I think that's unlikely.

Also, the ads on Craigslist "scroll down." As new ads are placed each day, your ad will appear lower and lower on the list, unless you re-post it every day or so.

I think if you are going to try to sell your inventory on CL, you would have your best luck selling it as a big lot, no buyers' choice, buy 100 for $10 or something like that.

For the same amount of labor (posting photos of each image), you might consider having an e-commerce section of your website. Again, I don't know whether you'll make any money. At the very least, you'd probably be a great help to fellow framers in search of particular items on behalf of clients. But you have to have catalogued your inventory.

One random idea that popped into my head from your description is that many of these items would be useful for store displays of various framing techniques and materials. This might be their greatest value, and maybe that's a service you could offer to fellow framers (not the framing, but the thing to frame).

 

[DLB]

I heard on the radio yesterday that the new trend to get back at an ex-boy/girlfriend is to post on Craigslist that everything at such and such address is available for taking due to a move.

This guy came home one day after work, and there were 30 people on his property carting his #### away off his porch, from his barn, all the over the place. Someone even took his horse! When he approached, they showed him a print out of the CL ad. He called the cops, and they're trying to track down his stuff -- to no avail of course.

The lengths people go to hurt one another. I kinda laugh, because there are idiots like that, but in actuality, it's kinda sad!

dave.

 

[Dave]

Dave ...sounds like a very good reason to never try to meet anyone through Craig's List!!!