Frequently
Asked Questions [FAQ]
What
Kind of Sales Can You Expect?
Getting
Started and Logistics Questions
Customer
Satisfaction Questions
Process
Related Questions
Remove
Art from FolkArt.com™ Questions
What's the best way to speak with a live
person at FolkArt.com?
Question: Will I make
my fortune on the FolkArt.com™?
In the last
couple of years millions and millions of people have flocked
to the Internet. Like the days of the California and Alaska
Gold Rush everybody wants to get rich quick. There is an
anticipation that the web will open the flood gates of
success to those who participate. No one wants to be left
out.
The whole concept of selling
goods and services on the world wide web is new and promising.
At Latitude International we want you to set reasonable
expectations. We feel the FolkArt.com™ will
certainly increase the potential exposure of your art.
However, selling your art on the Internet, in our opinion,
is not where you will make your fortune.
Question: What's the
history of selling on FolkArt.com™?
FolkArt.com™ has been operating on the World
Wide Web since early 1995. As of August 2003 approximately
4,500 daily unique visitors hit our web pages. Some art
sells and, frankly, some art does not sell. The most popular
items are
Molas and
Molitas made by the Kuna Indians of Panama and the
Alebrije Wood Carvings from Oaxaca, Mexico.
As you might expect items
priced less than $100 sell more frequently than higher
priced items. However, we have sold jewelry, wood carvings,
weavings and other art for higher prices. The single most
expensive item sold was a Navajo weaving for just over
$10,000.
Question: What kind
of sales should you expect on the FolkArt.com™?
There is no
way to determine what your sales will be on the FolkArt.com™. That's the plain truth. There are no guarantees.
We do not want to sugar coat your expectations. Your art
may sell or it may not sell. You should consider exhibiting
your art on the FolkArt.com™ (and
other web sites) as another way to draw attention to your
artistic creations. Consider promoting your art on the
FolkArt.com™ and the World Wide
Web to be experimental. Do not let your expectations be
unrealistic.
Question: Without guaranteed
sales, why should I place my art on the FolkArt.com™?
Each artist
must decide how to best promote his or her art. The FolkArt.com™ offers several options
to promote your art on the internet. We feel these
options give the artist an easy and affordable way to evaluate
the effectiveness of the Internet to sell his or her specific
art. Artist may select from several affordable options
with and without commission. Non-profit foundations, museums,
and private collectors pay only a commission if their art
is sold; no set-up or annual fees.
Question: Why
don't you publish formal statistics such as the number
of artists currently on the FolkArt.com™ or
how long have they been on the Exchange; or what
are the artist's average monthly or annual sales,
in number of pieces and in dollars?
This is a great question
and our competitors ask us same questions each month. (Ha, ha, ha...) But
truthfully, we haven't stopped to count the number of artists on the FolkArt.com™. Besides how do you count artists? We sell
Tagua Nut Carvings from
hundreds of
Indian families in Panama. We sell
Voodoo Dolls made by
a cooperative of over 50 Voodoo
practitioners in Louisiana. Do we count the
Panamanian Indians or the
cooperative as one or hundreds. We're
a small operation. If we were to formally gather, audit and publish statistics
we'd need to increase our modest commission, which is only 30%, to cover
the additional cost. Beside the real important question is, "How will YOUR art
sell?" Read the answers above.
Return to Exhibit and Sell Your Art
Question: What electronic
format is best?
We want and
need the best picture resolution possible on the disk you
provide us. All things being equal we prefer to receive
pictures in *.JPG format but *.GIF or *.TIF will work just
fine. Use Microsoft DOS extensions when naming your files.
Ask your Latitude International representative if you have
questions about electronic formats.
Question: How does
artist get photo in electronic format?
There are many
correct ways to get your art into electronic format. Here
are some suggestions for your consideration. Ask your Latitude
International representative if you have questions about
electronic formats.
(1) Do you have a
digital camera? Perhaps you have a friend that can photograph
you art. The digital cameras today provide the quickest and
easiest way to get your art into electronic format. Email the
images as file attachments.
(2) If you
have negatives or slides, you can
have the images placed onto
a PhotoCD. Cost for this service will vary.
(3) Most copy stores (i.e.,
Kinko's, RiteAid, Walgrens, Photo DriveIn, etc.) will scan your
photographs (or negatives) and place the files onto a
CD for you. Cost for this
service will vary.
Question: How should
artist get description and photo to Latitude International?
Email works
best for us. When you use email, please send only one
attachment per email. Email:
Artist@folkart.com
If you want to send CD regular mail works okay.
Ask your Latitude International representative if you need
help.
Question: What is the
best way to handle shipping, handling and insurance
cost?
Each artist
determines how they wish to handle the shipping and the
related charges. However, WE STRONGLY URGE THAT ALL SHIPMENTS
BE INSURED AND SENT WITH "RETURN RECEIPT REQUEST".
Depending on the size and value of your art you may wish
to consider the following.
- Include
your shipping, handling and insurance cost in the price
of your art. For example in your product's description
you might state: "Price $100 includes shipping,
handling and insurance". This is simple for the
customer to understand. Please remember that Latitude
collects 30% of your total price including the shipping,
handling, and insurance. Be certain to consider this
when calculating out how much to charge for your product
and shipping, handling and insurance.
If you wish to consider handling
s&h in another way, discuss your wishes with your
Latitude International representative.
Return to Exhibit and Sell Your Art
Question: What happens
if customer does not receive the art?
This problem
must be resolved by the artist. Postal insurance and the
return receipt should help the artist deal effectively
with this type of problem. This situation is no different
than if the artist had sold the art directly to the customer.
Question: What happens
if art is damaged in shipment?
This problem
must be resolved by the artist. Postal insurance and the
return receipt should help the artist deal effectively
with this type of problem. This situation is no different
than if the artist had sold the art directly to the customer.
Question: What happens
if the customer receives wrong product by mistake?
This can happen.
Maybe the wrong size or wrong color or the wrong product
was sent, etc. This problem must be resolved by the artist.
This situation is no different than if the artist had sold
the art directly to the customer.
Question: What happens
if the customer asks for a refund?
Process the
refund! This can happen. We try to prevent this from happening
by making the description and the picture of the art accurately
depict the art. But from time to time a customer will ask
to return the art for a full refund. Assuming that customer
has not damaged the art and that the customer has requested
the refund within a reasonable amount of time, we grant
the refund. The customer will return the art to the
artist and a refund will be processed by Latitude International
upon receipt of the art. Artist returns the 70% payment
to Latitude. We all want a happy, satisfied customer.
Return to Exhibit and Sell Your Art
Question: What happens
if customer's VISA, MasterCard, or American Express
is overdrawn or otherwise bad?
Latitude International
will coordinate payment with customer. Latitude International
will not convey order to artist until the credit card payment
has been confirmed.
Question: What happens
if customer's personal check does not clear the bank?
Latitude International
will coordinate payment with customer. Latitude International
will not convey order to artist until the customer's check
clears the bank.
Question: Why doesn't
Latitude International handle the entire transaction
including shipping to the customer?
We have studied
the logistics of handling inventories from artist all over
the World. Attempting to maintain reasonable quantities
of art from so many artist becomes immediately ineffective.
In behalf of the artist we are most effective by creating
and maintaining a professional web site that becomes the "electronic" catalog
for millions of potential buyers throughout the world.
We simple cannot handle the delivery function as effectively
as the artist. Please share with your Latitude International
representatives any suggestions you feel can make this
process more effective for you.
Return to Exhibit and Sell Your Art
Question: Can art be
marked as "sold"?
Art can be
marked with an electronic "sold" sign and remain
for exhibition only. Depending on the situation, it may
be appropriate to place a "sold" sign on the
art. This gives exposure to the artist's work while giving
visitors to the FolkArt.com™ a change
to experience the art. Each artist working with their Latitude
International representative will determine what is most
appropriate in their situation.
Question: Suppose the
artist wants to pull art off the Internet. How is
that done and how long does it take?
Art can be
easily and quickly removed. The artist may have depleted
his or her inventory of a particular piece of art and wants
to pull it from the Internet. The artist simply instructs
Latitude International to remove any art from the FolkArt.com™. Technically it only takes a few seconds,
however, from a practical point of view, we request a one
week notice. The Latitude International representative
will do everything possible to accommodate the artist's
wishes.
Contact FolkArt.com [top]
Email
Artist@folkart.com or
Call 1.408.255.7518. Please give us a brief
description of your art and give us your full name, address,
and telephone number; we will call you within 24 hours.
Return to How to Exhibit & Sell
Your Art
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