Stay Your Hand…

Sometimes art sites sound absolutely fantastic.  The service that’s delivered sounds perfect.  It’s just what you were looking for.  The company has already established a wonderful list to market your art to.  You will be taken good care of…

Three pages into the site, you find the FAQ or additions to the Terms or Service (TOS).  At first the FAQ or TOS sounds great…that is until you keep reading.  About 7/8ths of the way down the page, you find out that artists are only allowed to have 25% of the income – the company will receive 75%.

I do not know of any other business where the person is requested to supply the creation and product that someone else will sell and take the majority of the money. 

Here’s some examples of other companies confronted with the same offer:
> A food truck that makes delicious, fresh and healthy food is allowed to participate in a auto show.  In order to do so, the food truck company has to pay the show producers 75% of the income. 
> A seamstress creates beautiful, one-of-a-kind, handmade dresses but to be in a show that will give her exposure to new clients, she has to pay 75% of the sales.
> A car dealer has brand new cars he wants to show off at a huge fair.  He also has to pay 75% of any sales made.

Do you think any of the owners of the businesses above would settle for such a high price to pay?  No!  Creative and talented folks shouldn’t have to either.

When visiting  a new site, to read the accomplishments and service are good.  But please stay your hand and don’t sign up until you find and read the fine print.  Be sure you know what you are getting into before proceeding forward.