Are People Selling Prints on Ebay at a Loss?

[PaulieWalnuts]

I've been looking into other ways of selling prints. I've researched for weeks trying to find the cheapest print lab here in the US. Even looked into labs in China but after shipping the cost isn't much different.

Most of the stuff that's on Ebay is listed at a price lower than what it costs me to buy the print. And I mean true cost. Costs for the print plus shipping, taxes, Ebay listing fee, Ebay 10% sale fee, and Paypal fee. If a cheapo print lab lists the price at $20, by the time you add in all of the fees the cost is really $40. And I see similar stuff on Ebay for $15. I cant see how these people are making a profit. Even if they found an ultra cheap supplier, for say $7, the true cost is still probably $15.

Anybody here selling prints profitably on Ebay?

[old crow]

Look at this,  U.S.  $  21.99

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Abstract-Art-Landscape-Picture-Photo-Print-on-Canvas-Wall-Decor-Modern-Painting-/201543151737

 three 12 x 16 canvas (split)  prints framed with stretchers, hooks and shipped.  how is this possible ??

[stockastic]

I wonder how much of the print imagery on Ebay is stolen.

[ShadySue]

I've seen prints in a local, small, independent gift shop for a lower price than I've been able to find frames, even at huge bulk, and they don't  seen to be from huge companies

[stockastic]

If the Ebay seller is legit, and owns rights to the image, he might invest in inventory, and order a bunch ahead of time to cut costs.  I've never checked it out but I'm sure you can get quantity discounts on prints.

[Mantis]

Another possibility is that they purchased a large format printer to self-print. Upfront investment, at least for regular prints. Not sure how canvas is done.

[mtilghma]

What price? How big?  Anything special about them (canvas, acrylic, framed, etc.)?  Cheapest I used to ever do was costco, who can get you a 16x20 for $7 or a 20x30 for $10.  Obvious unframed and standard paper.  I used to do this a bit, you can actually get really good results because costco uses good printers and will actually make their printer's color profile available to you if you ask.  So you can massage the results much like you would if you had your own printer.  I was very happy with my results and sold quite a few.  Too much work for me though, now if I ever dabble on eBay I just list it at the same price it would be on FAA and just order it on FAA shipped to the buyer.

Anyways, not sure if those prices are as low as what you were seeing.  I looked at the one posted by old crow, and yes, I have no idea how they could get it that cheap with canvas.

[mtilghma]

Hah.  The one old crow posted listed "weico art" as the brand.  I googled them and went to their website, and tried to find the pricing.  Check out their FAQ section: http://www.wiecoart.com/?page_id=100 .  Look at the questions under the different categories.  I got a pretty good laugh haha.  Not too confident in their legitimacy. 

[stockastic]

I'll bet if we actually bought one of those 'canvas' prints on Ebay, their woudn't be any more mystery about the price - it would be the cheapest cr@p imaginable.

[Justanotherphotographer]

Hah.  The one old crow posted listed "weico art" as the brand.  I googled them and went to their website, and tried to find the pricing.  Check out their FAQ section: http://www.wiecoart.com/?page_id=100 .  Look at the questions under the different categories.  I got a pretty good laugh haha.  Not too confident in their legitimacy.

 guess that explains it. They are a Chinese outfit with their own printing factory. The ebay seller is an affiliate getting a dollar or two on each sale while the company prints and ships.

[Difydave]

I can't get that site to do anything. All the links on there seem to loop back around.


Looks to me that anyone thinking of selling prints might be better off selling on quality and exclusivity rather than price. Good local printer, and make a selling point out of that.

[Pauws99]

I can't get that site to do anything. All the links on there seem to loop back around.


Looks to me that anyone thinking of selling prints might be better off selling on quality and exclusivity rather than price. Good local printer, and make a selling point out of that.

Think you are right....In the UK there are still people who sell via craft fairs and the like......there is some very good work. I'm not sure it works as a business model as there are big start up costs in having a decent number of prints on the other hand they tend also to offer photo tuition and the like which I suspect may be more lucrative. You can get "generic" low quality wall art for next to nothing.

[Difydave]

I can't get that site to do anything. All the links on there seem to loop back around.


Looks to me that anyone thinking of selling prints might be better off selling on quality and exclusivity rather than price. Good local printer, and make a selling point out of that.

Think you are right....In the UK there are still people who sell via craft fairs and the like......there is some very good work. I'm not sure it works as a business model as there are big start up costs in having a decent number of prints on the other hand they tend also to offer photo tuition and the like which I suspect may be more lucrative. You can get "generic" low quality wall art for next to nothing.

I'm in the UK as well. I've never tried selling prints, but people I know who have, haven't had that much success. The type of craft fair disparagingly known as a "wooly knitted animal fair" seems to be a complete waste of time, as are craft shops of similar type.


Putting prints out on consignment or "Sale or return" is a bad business model IMHO, unless (and it's a big unless) you can get work into a high quality gallery with prices and clientele to match. You are still carrying the price of stock though.


I'm not going to try selling prints, but if I was there's no way I'd want to get involved in some sort of "race to the bottom" on price. We have seen too much of that already. . .


I don't know the US market at all, but it seems to me that there is more of a market for prints there than there is here in the UK.


It also seems to me that there are always people around who have money, and want something that is better quality, has some exclusivity and is more expensive.

[Fudio]

Another possibility is that they purchased a large format printer to self-print. Upfront investment, at least for regular prints. Not sure how canvas is done.

I  have a couple of 44 inch printers in studio here and take my word for it, those prices barely cover the cost for media alone using large format inkjet. The way these folks are producing and shipping at those prices is most likely as follows:

1. Large scale offshore production
2. Bulk shipping with onshore logistics, warehousing, and distribution.

A familiar formula.

So called canvas prints at those price points are rarely true canvas prints or giclee prints as we call them, but canvas transfers using super cheap to produce offset litho prints gang printed on light stock, trimmed, and then laminated to a canvas/polyester substrate for texture. Extra texture (even brush strokes) can then be added with another layer of laminate if desired. In bulk these are still far less costly to produce than inkjet, even in China.