Where do you buy prints to sell

[shepherdn]

I am hoping to attend some craft fairs at Christmas to promote my framing business but also to sell prints. Can anyone recommend a good supplier that I could approach to get prints.

[prospero]

I'm a bit out of touch with the print market nowadays. I ditched all my stock a few years ago. You have to be very careful or you can end up with a lot of dead stock lying about tying up your capital. The print market is very fickle. Some prints sell like hot cakes for a while and then you can't give'em away.

A few words of wisdom....

If you are selling stuff at a craft fair you have to hit the right price bracket. No use having high-end stuff on sale. People generally won't pay big money at a craft fair. And it's no use trying to compete with chainstore framed prints. They can buy them framed cheaper than you can make them. Try an find your own niche. Get things that no-one else sells. It may be worth searching out a few good artists locally and offering to publish some of their stuff. Today's technology means this doesn't have to involve an enormous outlay of cash.

[Roboframer]

I'd try EBay, it's where a hec of a lot of the stuff I get in for framing comes from, just today for example, a Rosenstiels limited edition print that would cost me about £25 +VAT - cost the customer a fiver!

[Gesso&Bole]

I work with local professional artists. Mainly originals, but numbered signed prints too. Artwork on sale or return, framed at my expense..

[barefaced framer]

We find that the best print sales in terms of volume are 30 x 40 local scene prints by local artist, so I would echo the previous comments.

[Not your average framer]

While I do sell some prints, I find that framing customers orders accounts for most of my sales.

There are those who generate a lot of business from selling prints, but generally they know a lot about what they are doing and how to do it. Good instincts help a lot.

Good knowledge and good presentation are important factors. You can learn a lot looking at successful independant print selling businesses to see how they do it.

Like everything else, it's a learning curve, so exercise some caution when starting out. It's not always obvious what will sell and what will not.

[topbrand]

Over 30 years in the business and believe me local prints still sell the best.Photo's Signed prints etc.If you want general prints you could try Winn Devon prints. Ecellent choice and 50% off RRP. Good luck Dougie

[Jonny2morsos]

I often get in small "prints" mounted up at 8" x10" which people have obviously bought on impluse at craft fairs and the like and popular subjects around here are game birds (pheasants, partridges). old maps etc.

On inspection they are most often book plates. Now I am not condoning the practice of butchering old books but if you were to look around 2nd hand bookshops...

You can get sixteen 8 x 10 mounts from a single sheet.........

After last year's Forum event in Stratford on Avon we looked around the town and one frame shop was stuffed full of them.

[valpendleton]

My husband Chris & I are both artists & have been successfully selling our work to the trade as well as the public for over 30 years.
All our Limited Edition prints can be purchased either mounted or 'paper only' . Trade prices are 50% off our web prices.
Particularly good sellers are Chris's 'British Birds Collection' & my 'Fizzogs'.
Although we are framers ourselves, we find that prints will always sell more readily if they are mounted to fit standard-sized frames.
Our work can be seen on our websites:
www.valpendleton.com
www.pendleton.co.uk