ArtistBe.com launched a redesign of its website earlier this month. ArtistBe.com is a social commerce site for artists and art connoisseurs.
According to Amitai Sasson, VP of Marketing and Development for overstockArt.com, the parent company of ArtistBe.com, the redesign was done so that the website was more focused on the art and artist and less on shopping.
“It’s more geared toward conversation and the social environment and less on price tiers,” said Sasson.
Sasson said the redesign brings the artist and the artwork front and center. Those visiting the site will find a biography of the artist, any upcoming shows, and any influences for the artist.
The redesign also features more social tools including Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter along with the ability to comment between artists within the art community.
Sasson said ArtistBe.com was born out of the need for contemporary art. OverstockArt.com is known to showcase traditional artwork from artists like Monet and Van Gogh and this website offers its clientele original contemporary art.
“Initially, it was a way for us to give them that option, to show them artists of our time,” said Sasson.
Sasson said this gives contemporary artists the platform to showcase their art. Sasson added, artists get commission because the company makes canvas prints out of their art every time their artwork is sold.
“It is a very social platform, it really sparks a conversation among the artists,” said Sasson.
Sasson said overstockArt.com does not advertise ArtistBe.com at all, other than social media. It is still very much organic growth and since its inception in 2011, it has been able to accumulate 1,500 artists.
OverstockArt.com hand-picks the artists from ArtistBe.com that it thinks are the most sought after and trendiest and they are taken over to overstockArt.com and their art is reproduced by hand and added to its contemporary art line.
“It gives the clientele a chance to decorate with contemporary art,” said Sasson.
Sasson said while it is too early to tell what kind of results there are from the redesign, he said the artists are ecstatic and they have garnered much more art and artists since the redesign.
“The customers have a great way to see art now, we haven’t seen a lift in shoppers as much as we like to see, but I think it has to do with the advertising part, that is the next step,” said Sasson.
Sasson added that conversions have increased by 15% and the amount of page views increased close to 75%.
Plans going forward include integrating ArtistBe.com and overstockArt.com. The two platforms will be integrated with their search. In addition, both sites will be moved to Amazon Web Services so that the platforms are linked together.