The pros and cons of buying printable art

Digital_Download

In this blog post, I just wanted to address a topic that might have crossed your mind as well. I am thinking of the pros and cons of buying printable art. There are naturally pros and cons of any product. But in this blog post, I want to share my insights as an art printable seller regarding the digital download format.

Being a business owner means that you need to have an understanding of the products you make and sell. The pros are naturally important to know since it is usually the argument for selling. The cons are equally important because that is what you need to improve and overcome on behalf of your customers.

This is what I have learned so far!

The pros and cons of printable art:

The pros with printable art:
  1. Lower prices
    One of the most obvious pros with the digital download format is that it has a lower price than a physical print. Since it requires the customer to solve printing at their end, it means that sellers can keep their prices down. This ultimately means that customers can get printable art at bargain prices.
  2. The convenience
    It is called an instant download for a reason, the convenience is a major pro with a digital download. If you ever have felt stuck finding the perfect motive for a room or for a gift, imagine you finally find it! But then have to wait a month for shipping… With digital downloads, you can get what you want, exactly when you want it, without having to leave your couch.
  3. More options
    There are so many options with digital downloads in terms of colors, sizes, and customization. Customization and offering variations of printable art can usually be made in a day or two. Compared to making changes in a physical product that usually takes weeks to make available. The option to make a design that fits the customer perfectly is a huge pro with the digitally downloadable format.
The cons with printable art:
  1. Technical knowledge
    Printables and digital downloads are not products that have been around for very long. One of the biggest cons is the fact that the product format requires the customer to have a certain level of technical knowledge. It means that a whole potential group of customers who may like my designs might be lost to me for this reason alone. For me, as a creator, it means that I really need to make sure that my customers know that I will be holding their hand all the way through a purchase. I will also have to do my very best to provide useful technical guidance in every step of the purchase.
  2. Printing
    A lot of people might be turned down by the idea to buy a digital print that you then have to print yourself. Part of the idea with digital downloads is for the customers to take action themselves, but is definitely not in everybody’s interest. I think a lot of people expect a finished product. This is why I am starting to provide my customer’s whit dropshipping and printing options in my shop.
  3. Quality
    There is an ocean of art printables and digital downloads out there, as amazing that might be in terms of diversity, there’s also A LOT OF TRASH out there. It can be very difficult to separate the trash from the treasures. Some products are in a poor resolution that prints like crap, while other so-called “handmade” or “original” items are not even made by the person that sells them. I decided way before I made my very first printable, which kind of creator I wanted to be. It is very important for me to make 100% of my design myself and that the quality should be so good that they exceed my customer’s expectations.
Finally thoughts:

With art printables and digital downloads, it all comes down to knowing who your buying from. As easy as that sounds it can actually be quite difficult when buying on marketplace sites. I know a lot about this as an Etsy seller and I call it the “marketplace dilemma”. I genuinely believe that most people want to know the person they are spending their precious money on. Although customers are not always aware of who their buying from. That’s not always an issue, at least not until you buy from someone who sells crap quality. When asked the question “where did you get that?”, for better or worse, most customers will simply answer “On Etsy”.

For an Etsy seller that is devastating when a customer comes across low-quality design because that customer might never consider buying an art printable again. Or even worse they might stop using the marketplace entierly.

So I just want to finish with a quick takeaway, to make sure you got everything you need to navigate the jungle of digital downloads.

When buying digital downloads:
  • Look for PDF-files that prints in at least 300 DPI.
  • When buying clip-art get PNG’s as separate elements, with transparent backgrounds.
  • Read the product descriptions, a caring seller will provide you with all the information you need and want.

Do you agree about the things I have pointed out? If you have any thoughts about this topic feel free to reach out!

You will find my designs on Etsy in the SelectedCraftsStore!
Or here on my blog in the shop section.

Have a great day superstar!