Scamming...
So, sometime last year I signed up for a DA prints account. I think, since then, they've changed the way they handle the accounts or else I wasn't paying particularly good attention to their terms of service. Anyway, today I read through them while uploading some items.
You agree to pay deviantART a non-refundable one-time payment of $24.95 as a set-up fee for participation in the PrintProgram. The set-up fee is to be paid before posting your first Work. Prints of your Work will be made available at the Base Prices posted here. The Base Price reflects the fair retail market price of manufacturing the print. You will have an opportunity when posting a Work to the PrintProgram to select a sales price higher than the Base Price. If you choose to select a higher price, then
1. Company will charge the higher price to the end consumer and
2. deviantART will pay you an Artist's Share equal to 50% of the amount received by deviantART from the Company for final sales of the Work in excess of the Base Price.
By way of example only, if the Base Price is $14.00 and you elect to set a higher price of $20.00, Deviant Art will pay you 50% of the excess over the Base Price -- that is, $3.00 (which is one-half of the $6.00 in excess of the Base Price). deviantART can change Base Prices at any time in its sole discretion and will advise you when changes are made and you will have an opportunity to revise the prices you selected for your Works.
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So, it looks like if any profit's made, I get only a tiny portion of that. Plus, DA gets to keep the sign-up fee for the DA print account as it stands. Excuse me, where is my motivation to continue using this service? I thought I might be able to make enough sales to support my annual subscription charges, but at this rate, I'd have to sell a buttload of prints (because I won't mark-up to insanely high prices, especially if I can't see the quality for myself!) to hope to break even!
General consensus is 'FORGET THAT!'
Like thehorde said, DA might be great exposure but their extra services suck.
I feel bad that I'm out that money for the Prints service, but I suppose it's just one of those things to chalk up to experience. I could swear that artists got a better cut of the profits when I signed up. Also, it seems the whole system is set up to benefit photographers more than illustrators.
I'm so disheartened.
But, I have a prints feature available on my online store. I just don't know how many people would by directly from the artist or go with the corporation.
The business part of small business is a pain in the ass.
You agree to pay deviantART a non-refundable one-time payment of $24.95 as a set-up fee for participation in the PrintProgram. The set-up fee is to be paid before posting your first Work. Prints of your Work will be made available at the Base Prices posted here. The Base Price reflects the fair retail market price of manufacturing the print. You will have an opportunity when posting a Work to the PrintProgram to select a sales price higher than the Base Price. If you choose to select a higher price, then
1. Company will charge the higher price to the end consumer and
2. deviantART will pay you an Artist's Share equal to 50% of the amount received by deviantART from the Company for final sales of the Work in excess of the Base Price.
By way of example only, if the Base Price is $14.00 and you elect to set a higher price of $20.00, Deviant Art will pay you 50% of the excess over the Base Price -- that is, $3.00 (which is one-half of the $6.00 in excess of the Base Price). deviantART can change Base Prices at any time in its sole discretion and will advise you when changes are made and you will have an opportunity to revise the prices you selected for your Works.
--
So, it looks like if any profit's made, I get only a tiny portion of that. Plus, DA gets to keep the sign-up fee for the DA print account as it stands. Excuse me, where is my motivation to continue using this service? I thought I might be able to make enough sales to support my annual subscription charges, but at this rate, I'd have to sell a buttload of prints (because I won't mark-up to insanely high prices, especially if I can't see the quality for myself!) to hope to break even!
General consensus is 'FORGET THAT!'
Like thehorde said, DA might be great exposure but their extra services suck.
I feel bad that I'm out that money for the Prints service, but I suppose it's just one of those things to chalk up to experience. I could swear that artists got a better cut of the profits when I signed up. Also, it seems the whole system is set up to benefit photographers more than illustrators.
I'm so disheartened.
But, I have a prints feature available on my online store. I just don't know how many people would by directly from the artist or go with the corporation.
The business part of small business is a pain in the ass.