I Tried Selling AI Art For 30 Days (Realistic Results)

Mark on Business
21 Jun 202307:46

TLDRThe video shares the journey of selling AI-generated wall art on Etsy, highlighting the challenges and learnings from the first month of operation. The creator discusses the process of generating art from a text-to-image AI, the initial suspension of the shop, and the subsequent strategies to optimize listings and workflow. Despite the initial loss, the creator remains optimistic about turning the shop into a profitable print-on-demand business, emphasizing the importance of regular uploads and expanding product offerings.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 The art pieces are AI-generated and sold digitally on Etsy.
  • 💰 The creator made $27 in 30 days but incurred a net loss of $15 after fees.
  • 🚀 The shop was initially suspended but reactivated after three weeks.
  • 📈 The creator used mid-journey AI for text-to-image generation at a monthly cost of $10 for commercial rights.
  • 🖼️ Art is sold as digital files in five sizes, allowing customers to print and frame them locally.
  • 🔄 The creator faced challenges with manual processes for upscaling and mock-up placement.
  • 🛠️ Three tools were identified to streamline the workflow: Topaz AI for upscaling, Mock City for mock-ups, and X and Convert for resizing.
  • 📉 The creator initially overestimated the value of their products, leading to a focus on expanding offerings.
  • 💸 The creator spent $18 on abstract shapes and faced a loss due to Etsy fees and the cost of the tools.
  • 🔄 The creator plans to pivot to a print-on-demand business model to target a larger audience and generate more sales.
  • 🚦 Continuous listing and product diversification are key to maintaining momentum and attracting a wider audience.

Q & A

  • What is the main product being sold in the Etsy shop mentioned in the transcript?

    -The main product being sold is AI-generated digital artwork, specifically printable wall art generated from a text-to-image AI called mid-journey.

  • How does the artist obtain the rights to sell the AI-generated artwork?

    -The artist pays ten dollars a month for a subscription to mid-journey, which grants commercial rights to the generated images.

  • What format are the digital artworks sold in?

    -The digital artworks are sold as digital files in five different sizes, allowing buyers to take them to a local printing service for printing and framing.

  • What was the initial challenge the artist faced after opening the Etsy shop?

    -The initial challenge was that the shop was immediately suspended after opening, without any violation of Etsy's policies or a specific reason provided.

  • What was the artist's first mistake after the shop was reactivated?

    -The artist's first mistake was not using the time during the shop suspension to create products and prepare listings, resulting in a delayed start to listing products.

  • How did the artist underestimate the value of their first products?

    -The artist underestimated the value of their first products by overestimating the demand for pop art posters, which did not sell as well as expected.

  • What tools did the artist find to improve their workflow?

    -The artist found three tools: Topaz AI for upscaling images, mockcity.com for automatic mock-up generation, and XnConvert for resizing images into different aspect ratios.

  • What was the final outcome of the artist's efforts in the first month of selling AI-generated artwork?

    -The artist made $27 in 30 days, but after deducting fees, they were at a $15 loss.

  • What changes does the artist plan to make to improve the business?

    -The artist plans to transition the shop to a print-on-demand business, regularly upload new listings, and expand the product offerings to target a wider audience.

  • What was the artist's overall conclusion about selling AI art?

    -The artist concluded that selling AI art is not a fluke or a complete waste of time, but it is a lot of work and requires strategic improvements to be profitable.

  • How does the artist plan to turn the shop into a profitable business by the end of the year?

    -The artist intends to achieve profitability by focusing on physical products, consistent listing uploads, and expanding the variety of products to attract a broader customer base.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Launching an AI Art Etsy Shop

The creator discusses their experience of launching an Etsy shop to sell AI-generated artwork, specifically digital prints of wall art generated from a text-to-image AI called mid-journey. They share their earnings and the challenges faced, including the shop's initial suspension, the learning curve of pricing digital products, and the time-consuming process of manual listing creation. The creator also highlights their use of three tools that significantly improved their workflow, allowing them to list 75 items in just a few days.

05:00

📉 Trials and Tribulations of Selling Digital Art

The narrative continues with the creator's struggles in selling digital art, including the lack of initial sales and the realization that digital products may not be the best fit for their target audience. They discuss their attempts to boost sales through discounts and Etsy ads, ultimately revealing a net loss after a month of operation. The creator reflects on their experience, identifying areas for improvement and their plans to pivot the business model to print-on-demand, increase product variety, and maintain a regular upload schedule to achieve profitability by the end of the year.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI-generated artwork

AI-generated artwork refers to pieces of visual art that are created using artificial intelligence, often through specific AI platforms that can convert text descriptions into images. In the video, the creator uses a text-to-image AI called 'mid-journey' to generate the wall art they sell in their Etsy shop. This process involves paying a monthly fee for commercial rights, which allows the creator to sell the digital files of the AI-generated art.

💡Etsy shop

An Etsy shop is an online store on the Etsy platform, which is a marketplace for handmade or vintage items and craft supplies. The video's creator opened an Etsy shop to sell digital files of AI-generated wall art. The shop faced initial suspension and subsequent challenges in making sales, leading to a reevaluation of the business model.

💡Digital format

Digital format refers to a type of product that is delivered electronically, as opposed to physically. In the context of the video, the creator sells digital files of wall art, allowing customers to print and frame the art themselves. This format has the advantage of not requiring the creator to manage physical printing, shipping, and storage, but it also means lower profit margins compared to physical products.

💡Printable wall art

Printable wall art is a type of digital art that is designed to be printed out and displayed on walls. It is typically sold as digital files with high-resolution images that can be taken to a local printing service for physical production. The video's creator focuses on selling AI-generated art in this category, facing challenges such as the need for specific sizing and resolution to ensure proper printing.

💡Commercial rights

Commercial rights refer to the legal permissions granted to use a piece of work for commercial purposes, such as selling it or using it in advertising. In the video, the creator pays for a subscription to mid-journey to obtain commercial rights for the AI-generated images, which allows them to sell these images as digital products in their Etsy shop.

💡Mock-ups

Mock-ups are visual representations or templates that are used to display how a design or product might look in a real-world context. In the video, the creator uses mock-ups to showcase their AI-generated art in a framed setting, which helps potential customers visualize how the digital wall art would appear if printed and displayed in their homes.

💡Upscaler

An upscaler is a tool or software that increases the resolution of an image without losing quality. In the context of the video, the creator uses an upscaler to enhance the low-resolution art generated by mid-journey, making it suitable for high-quality printing. The creator switches from one upscaler to another in search of a more efficient process for upscaling multiple images at once.

💡Print-on-demand

Print-on-demand is a business model where products, often personalized or customized, are printed only when an order is received. This model eliminates the need for the seller to manage inventory and shipping, as the printing and delivery are handled by a third party. The video's creator plans to transition their shop to a print-on-demand model to target a larger audience and potentially increase sales.

💡Etsy ads

Etsy ads is a paid advertising service offered by Etsy that allows shop owners to promote their products on the platform and reach potential buyers. In the video, the creator uses Etsy ads as a last-ditch effort to generate sales, investing a small amount per day to attract potential customers to their shop.

💡X and convert

X and convert is a free online tool mentioned in the video that is used to resize images into multiple different aspect ratios without distorting the image. This tool is particularly useful for preparing digital art for sale by ensuring that the images are correctly formatted for printing in various sizes.

Highlights

The art piece was created by AI and sold on Etsy in digital format.

The creator opened an Etsy shop on April 4th but faced an immediate suspension.

The shop suspension was appealed and resolved after three weeks.

The creator used mid-journey AI for text to image generation, paying $10/month for commercial rights.

Art was sold as digital files, allowing buyers to print and frame them locally.

The creator kept a 90% profit margin but faced lower earnings compared to physical prints.

Initial sales expectations for pop art posters were overestimated and did not meet the actual performance.

After expanding product offerings to include abstract art and oil paintings, the first sale was made for $3.

Investment in abstract shapes from Creative Market led to an initial financial loss.

The creator discovered and utilized three tools to streamline the listing process, significantly improving efficiency.

Topaz AI was used for upscaling low-resolution art, though it was a paid tool.

Mock City, an online mock-up generator, was a game-changer for placing art into mock-ups automatically.

X and Convert was a free tool that helped resize images into multiple sizes without distorting the art.

Despite efforts, the shop initially struggled with attracting sales and had to resort to Etsy ads.

The creator made $27 in 30 days but ended up at a $15 loss after deducting fees.

The creator plans to transition the shop to a print-on-demand business model for a wider audience.

Regular listing uploads are emphasized as crucial for maintaining momentum in the business.

The goal is to turn the shop into a profitable business by the end of the year.