For businesses and persons in the art, craft and related industries, Shopify can provide a versatile and robust solution for building a user-friendly online art store.
It is especially important for such stores given the important role visuals and experiences play in driving their customers to convert.
While Shopify does have the tools needed for the job, first-time online art store founders may have a difficult time envisaging the best way to get things to work.
Fortunately, there are at least dozens of stores that model best practices on using the Shopify platform to build successful art-related ecommerce.
In this article we take a look at some of the best Shopify art stores, including a brief explanation of what makes them stand out from their peers.
They are not in any particular ranking but are rather arranged in alphabetical order.
Best Examples of Successful Shopify Art Stores in 2024
1. Andy Okay
Created by an artist that works with leading aid organizations such as the UN, WWF and PETA, Andy Okay is a Shopify art store that works to improve quality of life and raise awareness on environmental challenges by selling accessible art. Visitors can buy certified, limited-edition art pieces and at the same time donate to a charity of their choice.
Andy Okay is built on Shopify’s Prestige theme which from the get-go gives it a memorable visual impact. The hero banner makes a strong statement on the store’s mission, prominently features logos of the charity’s it works with, and prominently displays the statistics validating the impact of each order thus demonstrating a commitment to driving positive change.
It uses a number of sales and marketing tactics but none is as prominent as the use of stock counters under each product to evoke a sense of looming scarcity. This is complemented by the ‘Almost Gone’, ‘Lost Forever’, and other strategically placed headings that subtly influence buy decisions by triggering the fear of missing out (FOMO).
Andy Okay also has sections showing reviews by customers and the press, pops offering discounts and a large catalog carefully organized into collections.
2. Artze Wall Art
Artze is a Shopify store that sells unique wall art. The printing is done in the UK but shipping is worldwide. It has an extensive product catalog focused on framed posters, gallery art and matching pieces. Despite the sizable inventory, Artze has a clean design focused on emphasizing the products and steering clear of unnecessary distractions.
For ease of visitor shopping, it has a mega menu with a broad selection of categories, nested links dropdowns and direct navigation via collection pages. ‘Quick buy’ buttons and intuitive sub-collection pickers enhance the user experience by allowing buyers to add products without having to break up the purchase journey.
Artze drives cross-selling by showcasing related products in sub-collections. Product pages have a large selection of size and frame options. Artworks are grouped in customer-oriented categories by subject and color.
3. Artxzay
Artxzay was founded by an African American Muslim artist raised in Philadelphia, PA. Her creations aim to represent her roots, culture and voice in the art world. The Shopify store offers original paintings, apparel, prints and accessories.
Small and well-optimized, it makes elegant and bold design decisions. The color schemes are consistent with the colors the artist most often uses in her creations. Artxzay’s hero banner is a carousel that introduces art categories while the compact menu towards the top is meant to ease visitor navigation.
It has a robust lead generation and engagement strategy. For example, first time visitors get a 20% discount in exchange for signing up for a text promo.
Such list building has been proven effective for stores that want a quick and low cost means for notifying current and potential buyers about sales, special offers or new pieces.
Artxzay has a prominent yet unobtrusive rewards program promotion, a balanced social media presence and diverse freebies for lead generation.
4. Grace Digital Art
Founded by a London-based Australian artist more than a decade ago, Grace Digital Art is a Shopify store that sells the artist’s own graphic designs and photography as prints and framed art. Built on Shopify’s Dawn theme, it loads unusually fast for an art store. Grace Digital Art intentionally combines the beauty of aesthetics with the essence of good performance.
It’s a clean design on a monochrome scheme that tastefully complements the displayed artwork. There is a seamless customer journey starting from the home page to product pages to collections. The thoughtfully designed size guide ensures customers can confidently and quickly choose the pieces that will best fit into their planned spaces.
Grace Digital Art’s hero banner employs an art collage that is a good representation of the artist’s work. A carousel of testimonials is placed at the website’s footer to independently reinforce the store’s stated capabilities. The product pages are compact and all the information is packed on a single screen.
5. James Niehues Ski Map Artist
James Niehues has been hand painting trail maps and ski resorts for more than three decades. His works cover mountains from various countries including the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Japan. Visitors to his Shopify store can order prints or hand painted works.
The store’s driving concept is simplicity. Visitors first run into a hero banner that is elaborate enough to set the right tone but is thin enough not to pull down the website’s loading speed. In line with James’ artwork, a combination of natural colors blends well with the pieces.
Product pages feature clean design where details are by default collapsed so visitors can focus on the most important specifics. The artwork backstory under product images cultivates a deeper bond between the piece and the buyer.
James Niehues offers product recommendations under ‘Related Pieces’, publishes social proof on a separate page and includes videos in the About section for that personal touch.
6. Olivia Serrill Art
Olivia Serrill creates oil paintings based on satellite images from around the world. She seeks to capture diverse landscapes from the point of view of her artistic lens. Her Shopify store is on Studio, a free theme.
The design is product-centered and minimalistic thereby creating a striking contrast between the deep blue and white color schemes.
A hero banner on the homepage serves as a memorable introduction to her painting style. To enhance the customer’s overall experience, product pages have essential information on each order as well as details on shipping and returns.
One of the website’s more notable features is the inclusion of a reference photo and description of the location shown in the painting. Option values are arranged as buttons to present available variants in a single glance. The store has time lapse of the painting process, elaborate FAQs as well as embedded feed of her Instagram profile.
7. Riverry Studio
As a customized watercolor art studio, Riverry specializes in pet portraits. Its international team of artists use unique portraits to depict the distinct characters of different pets.
Built on Shopify’s Aurora theme, not only does the Riverry store stand out for its adorable artworks but also the smart marketing and design tactics tailored to drive conversion.
The pastel color scheme and minimalist layout almost immediately draws attention to the art. It tactfully employs a captivating hero banner photo and text that shows users the kind of art quality and creativity they can expect when they make their order.
Riverry Studio sticks to best practice in the organization and layout of product pages. On the home page, the call-to-action (CTA) button kickstarts the customer journey. Variant pickers ease the order process. A pop-up offering a 10% discount on the first order could boost conversions.
All pages are loaded with an abundance of social proof elements such as unboxing videos, testimonials and ratings. The store provides exhaustive guides and FAQs covering order placement, framing and shipping.
Conclusion
Shopify allows art stores to merge the beauty of creativity with the power of technology. From innovative marketing strategies to effective design elements, the best Shopify art stores have claimed their space in a highly competitive business environment.
By drawing inspiration from these ecommerce success stories, new art stores would have a crucial head start in avoiding common mistakes and tapping into tried-and-tested strategies.
Choose a Shopify store theme that resonates with your store’s vision, determine the most suitable navigation logic and develop a design that can best bring it all together.
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