Who are your customers? Do you primarily deal with galleries? Will the buyers be offended that you are offering your products to the public? If so, you might not want to sell directly online. However, keep in mind that if you choose not to sell online, you should beware of selling by any other direct method including shows, catalogs, in-house, to friends, etc. Basically, you will be giving your galleries a worldwide exclusive.
If you currently offer your products for sale through other venues you should not have too many concerns with your wholesale clients, unless your online pricing is less expensive than the retail price in shops. No buyer in their right mind would want an artist selling their products somewhere else at wholesale cost when they must mark prices up to retail. The bottom line: never undersell your wholesale customers!
Alternative Options
If you choose not to sell your work directly online, this does not mean you cannot have an online presence that compliments your existing business without endangering it. The great thing about online technology is that it is diverse enough to be changed to suit your needs.
For instance, try displaying pieces only to current wholesale buyers. Using a password-protected login screen, you can ensure that only certain people can see your catalog. You could even solicit new buyers by providing a contact form where potential buyers send you the required information to purchase your work to resell.
You could also use your site to promote the galleries that sell your work. By linking to their Web sites, providing driving directions, phone numbers and such, you can help sell your products through an indirect, but effective, method.
Another great alternative is an idea I learned from another artist. Whenever that artist makes an online sale in a city where a gallery exclusively carries their line, they notify the gallery owner of the sale. The gallery gets the choice of either a credit for the wholesale price of that item or a check for that amount. A great compromise that should keep most of your wholesale customers happy!
