Why don't artists list prices for their work? (& some unrelated scans from my notebook)
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🌸 Good morning/afternoon/evening, depending on where you are in the world. : )
A question I’ve pondered for a while and want to put to you, readers.
Why do so many artists not list their individual works for sale with prices?
I know that there are certain industry standards in the commercial gallery world that just "aren't done."
But why do individual unrepresented artists not list their work online with prices?
Not everyone wants to sell their work, but there are plenty of people who do and advertise this online.
In 2025, I wonder if “email for prices” is still an effective way of doing things.
It adds an awkward and largely unnecessary hurdle to purchasing by adding social friction to an already shaky transaction:
Art is not a “necessity”, so if you take away the option of an impulse buy, you take away a huge opportunity for the sale.
(More time for a buyer to talk themselves out of writing an email that has more social risk than one with no social risk, such as asking about store hours or sizing.)
How many people are discouraged from inquiring about an artist’s work because they have no idea they should expect $500 or $5,000 or $15,000 for a piece?
Pricing is especially subjective when it comes to artwork, so this fear of not even being in the same ballpark adds to the immense social friction of having to inquire.
If the price comes back way, way higher than expected, one fears having to say, "Oh, I'm okay…bit out of my price range. Thank you!" This is cringe for everyone, even though everyone is right.
There’s a huge disparity in what someone may be able to to spend versus the value an artist might assign to the piece, meaning the social risk of feeling as though you are insulting the artist by not buying in end is very high. And it’s common for artists to feel uncomfortable coming in too high or feel impostor syndrome, so they take sell themselves short.
This is an interaction that both parties hate.
So my guess is that less people ask?
I wonder if more artists wanting to sell their work would be able to better make sales with price tag on each piece.
No judgment if it’s high.
Some people will buy, some people will not. But that was always the case.
At least buyers could know and could decide for themselves at a distance with no added social friction.
I’d love to know if anyone has had experience or thoughts or counterpoints to add.
Completely unrelated…
Below are some scans I made of my notebook the other day.
Thanks for reading.
Cait 🌸
p.s. 2 photos I have saved on my computer:
Ok have a great day!
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📸 High Thought is written by Cait Oppermann, a creative laborer in the world of art, advertising, & what falls between.
@flowersfullservice & @caitoppermann
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That's actually a really great idea to list prices for art. It would be shown on any other website that sells a product. Think I might try it.
I ran into this exact conundrum for the zillionth time yesterday and you’re totally right, it usually feels like a huge space for a lose-lose transaction.
i don’t list my rates because my work can usually vary depending on the type of request, whether it’s e-commerce flat lay on white or a fully propped and stylized lifestyle shoot, i try to charge honestly depending on the difficulty and time spent on the project.
that being said, as someone working in a smaller market, it’s SUPER common for our work to be constantly undervalued. half of what someone might charge in New York for a day rate is still considered too high, even for a 100 image shoot with models and prop/food styling.
who knows what the best solution is…. 🥲