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

Summary

The video script details the journey of an AI-generated art Etsy shop owner who shares their first month's analytics, revealing a loss of $15 after expenses. They discuss the challenges of selling digital wall art, including initial shop suspension, underestimating the manual labor involved in upscaling and mock-up creation, and the ineffectiveness of initial marketing efforts. Despite setbacks, the owner remains optimistic, planning to pivot to a print-on-demand business, increase product variety, and maintain a consistent listing schedule to achieve profitability by year-end.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The creator opened an Etsy shop to sell AI-generated digital artwork, facing initial suspension and challenges in sales.
• 💰 They pay $10 a month for commercial rights to use mid-journey AI for creating images, selling them as digital files for printing.
• 📈 Despite the high initial costs and low profit margins on digital sales, the creator aims to maintain a 90% profit by avoiding physical printing and shipping.
• 🚫 The shop faced an unexplained suspension right after opening, which delayed the listing of products and initial momentum.
• 🔄 The creator underestimated the time and effort required to manually upscale and prepare artwork for listings, leading to inefficiency.
• 🛠️ They discovered and utilized tools like Topaz AI for upscaling and mockcity.com for mock-up generation to streamline their workflow.
• 📊 The use of XnConvert helped automate the resizing of images into specific pixel sizes required for different print formats.
• 📉 After uploading 75 listings, there was an initial lack of sales, leading to the implementation of discounts and eventually, Etsy ads.
• 📈 The creator made $27 in 30 days, but after deducting fees, they were at a $15 loss, highlighting the financial challenges of the venture.
• 🔄 The creator plans to pivot to a print-on-demand business model to reach a larger audience and potentially increase sales.
• 🔑 Key lessons learned include the importance of regular listing updates, offering a diverse range of products, and the need for continuous momentum in the business.

Q & A

What type of artwork is being discussed in the video?

The video discusses AI-generated artwork, specifically digital format wall art created using mid-journey, a text to image AI.

What platform is the artist using to sell their AI-generated artwork?

The artist is using Etsy to sell their AI-generated artwork.

Why was the artist's Etsy shop initially suspended?

The exact reason for the suspension is not provided in the script, but it is mentioned that the artist did not violate any of Etsy's policies and the shop was reactivated after an appeal.

What was the artist's first mistake after opening the Etsy shop?

The artist's first mistake was not creating and preparing product listings while the shop was suspended, which led to a delay in starting sales.

What was the artist's second mistake regarding their product offerings?

The artist's second mistake was overestimating the value and potential sales of their initial product offerings, which were pop art posters.

What tools did the artist find to help speed up their workflow?

The artist found three tools to speed up their workflow: Topaz AI for upscaling images, an online mock-up generator called Mock City, and a tool called XnConvert for resizing images into different aspect ratios.

What challenges did the artist face with the initial manual process of preparing their artwork for listings?

The artist faced challenges such as manually upscaling the art, resizing, and placing it into mock-ups, which was time-consuming and inefficient.

How did the artist attempt to increase sales after uploading 75 listings with no initial success?

The artist attempted to increase sales by setting up summer sale discounts and eventually running Etsy ads for one dollar a day.

What was the artist's total revenue after 30 days of selling AI-generated artwork on Etsy?

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

What is the artist's plan to improve their business model moving forward?

The artist plans to turn the shop into a print-on-demand business, upload regularly to maintain momentum, and expand their product offerings to target a wider audience.

What is the artist's ultimate goal for their Etsy shop by the end of the year?

The artist's ultimate goal is to turn the Etsy shop into a profitable business and a stable source of income.