There are thousands of sellers on Etsy who chose to make their living through handmade wall art. But what makes a good seller? Do you have to search for a long time before you find a good one?

To help you with your research, here are 11 questions that I would recommend you ask all the sellers (new or experienced) before hiring them for your project:

1. What are your business hours?

This will help you decide if the working hours will be convenient for you or not. And if they are during business hours, at least you know they will respond quickly in case of any problems. In my experience, I have been more satisfied with shops that were open during normal business hours and more dissatisfied with those that were not.

2. How far in advance do I need to place my order?

The earlier the better, of course! If you know how much time you need to prepare your home for the painting, then this information will save both of you time and energy. The seller will already be aware of your deadline and can plan accordingly. Also, if she receives an order well in advance, she can buy necessary supplies and save some money on shipping costs as well as paint it sooner than expected.

3. Are there any discounts available

My wife and I were looking to buy some new wall art (hanging on the wall) for our living room. We had an idea of what we wanted but couldn’t find exactly what we wanted in any store. I came across an etsy seller that offered handmade vintage map canvases. They were beautiful, but it was a custom order and we wanted to make sure we were going to get what we wanted before we ordered. So, I asked the seller 11 questions about the process and received a response from the seller within 30 minutes!

Email Questioning Tips:

-Try to email in the evening (if possible). Most of these sellers are running their own businesses so you may have better luck reaching them at night.

-Make sure you know what you’re looking for before you try to contact the seller. Providing as much detail as possible will help the seller quickly understand your needs and concerns.

-Use short sentences with no unnecessary fluff. Try to avoid questions that start with “What,” “How,” or “Why.” These questions tend to be broad and vague leaving room for unnecessary back-and-forth communication.

-Proofread your email before sending it out! Double check for spelling errors and typos. A messy email is more

How to buy wall art online from an Etsy seller and be happy with your purchase.

These are some of the questions that you should ask yourself, before buying a wall art piece from an Etsy seller.

1. The seller accepts returns?

2. Does the seller provide a list of materials used in production?

3. Does the seller have customer reviews?

4. Is the seller’s shop active, updated, and filled with original art?

5. Is there customer service support?

6. Is shipping free and fast?

7. Are shipping costs reasonable?

9. What are the material specifications for the wall art you’re buying? Is it framed or unframed, canvas or wood, and so on?

10. How much does it weigh, and does that package size limit what you can ship via UPS or USPS?

11. Does the shop offer a warranty that protects you if there are any issues with the wall art during shipment or installation?’

I’ll admit it. I’m an etsy junkie. I love buying hand-crafted items on the site. And because I buy a lot, I’ve had many interactions with sellers.

If you’re thinking about buying an item from an etsy seller, you might find this helpful:

1) Do they have good feedback?

2) How long have they been selling on etsy?

3) What do other customers say about their work?

4) Are they easy to work with?

5) Can they provide you with samples?

6) What kind of guarantees do they offer?

7) Are they transparent in their business practices?

8) What colors are available? Can you get a color swatch or a sample? (very important!)

9) What is the turnaround time to create the product?

10) Is the shipping price fair? (if the item is small and light enough, consider asking the seller if he/she can ship via media mail so your shipping cost won’t be as high) 11) How does their packaging look? If there isn’t any (or it looks bad), ask for a picture of how it would look if you were to receive it. Or…consider purchasing from another seller

Make sure you are dealing with the actual artist

If you buy a digital file, make sure you have access to all the formats available.

Make sure there is a good variety of sizes available for each piece of art.

Ask about shipping options and delivery times.

Ask about materials and methods used to create the wall art.

Ask about return policies. Ask about refunds. Ask about a guarantee/warranty for your purchase.

Asking these questions will help ensure that you are happy with your purchase and that your expectations are met. If there are no guarantees or refunds offered for the work give it some thought before buying.

It costs nothing to ask questions and can save you from buyer’s remorse later on down the road.

“What is your return policy?” The answer you get to this question will determine how easy it is to work with a seller. Some sellers offer limited or no return policies, some sellers offer a refund only and some sellers offer full or partial replacements. Some sellers are willing to work with you if you are not satisfied with your purchase, others will quickly send you a refund.

The best Etsy sellers will offer you a return policy and will be flexible about it. If a seller does not have a return policy, ask them about it. If the seller refuses to give an answer or makes excuses for their policy, do not buy from that seller.

Always remember that the best way to make sure the seller will treat you fairly is to provide them with clear and detailed specifications of what you want. This is why my first tip is: Ask questions!