WordPress is an excellent platform to sell your indie designs. With over 10,000 plugins available, you can get the look and feel of a custom website without learning programming languages or extensive web development research. Setting up your website quickly means you can spend more time creating new products for sale.
WP e-Commerce Plugin
ArtPal
ArtPal is also a free plugin, but it was made especially for independent artists. It works with both WordPress and Paypal to allow artists to sell on their own website. Since most of the artist’s work is one of a kind, there is no need for inventory control. ArtPal does not let you track inventory for prints or other items. As soon as an item sells, the plugin will disable it so it can’t be sold again.
WordPress Gallery Plugin
This plugin lets you create an online gallery of your work. It automatically resizes images with your predetermined dimensions. This is especially useful for artists who want to showcase previous work or work that may not be available on the website because it has sold or is available on another venue.
Affiliates
The Affiliates plugin helps you create your own affiliate program so others can sell your work. It helps create referral links and tracks visits from these links. Using an affiliate program helps you increase sales, and your affiliates earn a portion of the sale. Since they don’t get paid unless an item sells, you don’t have extra expenses without sales.
Social Networks
Social networking is undoubtedly a large part of your marketing campaign as an indie designer. The Social Networks plug in lets you add your social media website links and an RSS feed to your site so visitors can follow you. Includes support for Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace.
Social Network Share
Social Network Share lets you easily share new products and blog posts with your social networks. It supports StumbleUpon, Facebook, Twitter, Digg, RSS and Friendfeed.
Pinterest Pin It Button
This plugin lets you create a Pin It button with each product so visitors can pin the item to their Pinterest. Since Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social networking sites, this can mean a large increase in traffic.
WP Etsy Feedback
If you sell on Etsy, this plugin will display your recent feedback on your sidebar. Having feedback helps potential customers know that you are legitimate and helps them feel safer buying from you.
Custom Etsy Widget
The Custom Etsy Widget allows you to create an Etsy Mini to display your work on Etsy. Although you created your site to get sales off of Etsy, some buyers may be more comfortable buying through Etsy since it is well known.
Blurb
Blurb helps you create a book or e-book from your blog content or other content. Create your book in a number of ways and choose from a paper book delivered to your customer or an e-book available to read on an e-reader, iPad or computer.
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