Should I Lower My Art Prices If My Art Isn’t Selling?

Should you lower your price if your art isn’t selling? In most cases, NO. It feels like the obvious thing to do right…. No sales? Drop the price. Sell more pieces… grab some quick cash, break even on your stall costs… Whatever’s behind the thought process it’s usually not the best idea. In reality, it can create more problems than it solves… long term.

Why Lowering Your Art Prices Can Hurt Sales

The question of whether to lower art prices is one almost every artist faces at some point. Many artists search for answers when their art isn’t selling and consider lowering their prices first.

Every time you lower your price, you’re not just changing a number, you’re changing perception, lowering how your work is valued, and shifting who shows up in front of it - the art lover potentially just became the bargain hunter. We all love a bargain, but who would you rather be selling your work to?

When you discount heavily or repeatedly, perception shifts fast. Someone who first saw your work at full price starts to wait for the 'cheaper version,' and new buyers begin to assume the lower price is the real value, not the original one.

Real Example Of Raising Art Prices And What Happened

Have you ever tried doing the opposite? .

I’ve seen this play out many times over the years selling at art markets, but one moment always stands out. Going back to an art market in Scotland, 2011 - a two-day event. I had with me the largest piece I’d ever painted - 32” x 32” acrylics on canvas which only just squeezed in my car. I proudly positioned it at the front of my stall and priced it at £800. Great, I thought. 

All day people walked past it, no one ever really stopped to look closer. I sold smaller canvases that day, but deep down, I was a bit pissed that my ‘main piece’ was not getting the attention I thought it deserved. ‘Artist’ ego right there! 

The next day I did something flippant. I replaced the price tag. I wrote £1000 and moved it behind the table. Within the 1st hour it sold. Was this a complete fluke? Random burst of luck, or had the Gods’ favoured me that day? Who knows!

But here’s what I’ve never forgotten. The exact same piece that had sat mainly unnoticed the day before suddenly became desirable the moment the price increased. Nothing about the artwork changed, only the perceived value and how people interacted with it. Before, they walked past it. Now, they had to step towards it and engage with it.

It’s worth testing, you might be surprised what changes

What To Do Instead Of Lowering Your Art Prices When Nothing Sells

If your work isn’t selling, lowering your art prices isn’t the only option. From experience, a lower price does not automatically mean more sales. In crowded markets, it often just means you attract more price-sensitive buyers, not more buyers overall. And those are rarely the people who come back, recommend your work, or grow with you.

If your work isn’t selling, instead, look at:

• Changing where you are selling - different markets, galleries, or online platforms attract different buyers

• Improving presentation - lighting, framing, and display positioning affect perceived value more than most artists realise

• Testing engagement - notice whether people stop, look, or walk past without interacting

• Comparing how buyers react at different price points, tracking engagement can reveal more than sales numbers alone

  
  

Sometimes the issue isn’t pricing artwork to sell - it’s visibility and context. Truth is, your work doesn’t need to be for everyone. It just needs to be in front of the right people, at the right time, and in the right place.

And here’s the thing I always come back to. Every time you lower your price, you might be changing who you attract, not how many you sell. Pricing doesn’t just affect whether something sells, it shapes how seriously people take it before they’ve even decided if they like it.

Price should be a reflection of value, not pressure. If your work isn’t selling, don’t assume it’s too expensive, make sure it’s being seen, understood, and valued in the right context first.

Because the right people don’t need a cheaper price, they need a clearer reason to care.

If you’re serious about pricing your art in a way that reflects your skill, supports your time, and actually sells without second-guessing yourself, read our guide How To Price Your Art it will change the way you value your work, and how others value it too.