Today, we have something a little unusual- a PSA about a new website that we think you should check out. It’s not strictly zootopia-based, but rather a platform for all fandoms! The site? ArtistAlley.org!
Before you ask, this is not sponsored- it’s just a very cool platform that just started up, and I think would be a great resource for the artists in this community.
Why? Because it is the only marketplace I know of on the internet that DOESN’T CHARGE THE ARTIST TO SELL THERE.
That’s right- they charge 0% to set up a shop on the platform. How, you might ask? We thought the same, so we interviewed the website’s creator, who goes by 15!
Andy: Could you briefly introduce yourself so our readers can have a bit of an idea of who you are and what you’ve done before?
15: You can call me 15. You might know me as the guy who created 15.ai, a free speech synthesis website that became popular in a lot of fandom spaces in the early 2020s. Before that, I studied physics, mathematics, and computer science at MIT, and spent a lot of time around startups and engineering-heavy work.
Andy: What sorts of goods and services are you picturing being sold on here? What sorts of limits are in place?
15: Artist Alley is for merch and commissions that artists make, both digital and physical. That includes not only standard artist alley fare like prints and stickers, but also a variety of options, such as adoptables, YCHs, auctions, and raffles. The general rule is that you can sell pretty much anything you make or design. However, dropshipping, resale, stolen art, counterfeit goods, illegal goods, and AI art are banned. NSFW isn’t allowed right now because of payment processor reasons, but I’m actively working on supporting that in the future.
Andy: You’ve obviously spent a lot of time and effort putting this together. What was the impetus for this? Why did you make it? (I mean this in a positive way- I’m very impressed, and curious)
15: I travel very frequently to go to conventions, so I’ve naturally become friends with a lot of artists and vendors. I talked to hundreds of artists and vendors at cons, and one thing was plainly obvious: artists were not happy with the platforms they had to use. Etsy came up constantly, and I genuinely don’t think a single artist I spoke to said they had a good time selling on Etsy. So many people were frustrated by the listing fees, the percentage cuts, the dropshipping, the AI spam, the scams, the stolen work, and the possibility of being banned without any clear way to appeal. Since I’m a software developer, and so many of my friends are artists and vendors, I thought it would be a good way to use my skills to help people I care about.
Andy: How do you plan to protect the market from being flooded with dropshipping and AI slop, like Etsy has been?
15: Every artist is manually approved by an admin before they can sell. We look at history and previous artwork posted on your social media and portfolios. (Basically, our admins are chronically online enough to instantly know when an applicant looks suspicious.) Plus, stores and listings can be reported by the community, which are then reviewed by real humans. If someone gets approved as a seller and then abuses that trust, they risk being banned and not being allowed back on the platform.
Andy: The inspiration is clearly in the name, artists alley, but even artists alleys typically charge vendors to be able to sell there. You’re charging them nothing. While this is a great deal, how do you plan to keep it going long-term so artists can be confident they can set up a shop and keep it?
15: The promise of 0% platform fees is definitely audacious. I know a lot of artists are used to every platform taking a percentage whether they like it or not. But how are we supposed to know whether a 0% platform fee model can work unless someone actually tries to make it work?
Right now, Artist Alley is sustainable because I built the whole thing myself and I’m personally funding it. Thankfully, that means I don’t need to pay a team of engineers or answer to investors or shareholders who expect the platform to extract more money from artists over time.
One of the founding tenets of Artist Alley is that its core features will always remain free, and I’ll do my best to keep it that way. But first, I want to prove that this 0% fee model is indeed sustainable, and it all comes down to our monthly supporters; right now we only have about $185 a month coming in from our supporters, and I’d like to get that number to at least $1,000 within the next few months. As an incentive, I plan to introduce optional perks and features in the future, though I’ll never force anyone to pay up to use the platform.
Andy: Is there anything else you would like artists to know about the site?
15: Artist Alley is still brand new, and I’m still figuring out whether this model can be fully self-sustaining. Any amount of support helps, whether that means becoming a monthly supporter or simply telling people in your circle about Artist Alley. And finally, if you’ve ever been frustrated with other platforms like Etsy, whether as a seller or as a customer, I’d love for you to try Artist Alley and give us feedback! Our Discord server is quite active and I try to personally answer every question and feature request.
Thank you so much to 15 for giving us the scoop on what Artist Alley is all about! I personally joined the first day it was open, and over the past month have been watching it steadily grow into something seriously cool. It’s currently the most indie marketplace on the internet, with one of the most responsive developers I’ve ever seen. I even set up a shop of my own on there, where I am, as of right now, the only voice actor on the platform (and I do take commissions). The setup process was super simple and user-friendly. Genuinely, if we weren’t already selling the Andy figurines on ZNN itself, we would be selling them here- that’s how confident I am in this platform.
If you are an artist in this fandom, no matter how big or small, and you want to sell either digital or physical goods based on your art, I highly recommend you check this site out. It’s only going to grow, and will remain one of the few platforms free of AI slop and not flooded with dropshipping, like Amazon and Etsy.
But don’t take my word for it- check it out for yourself at ArtistAlley.org, and chat with fellow artists and shopkeeps over on their Discord.
I’m Andy Lagopus, giving this my personal endorsement, and reminding you, as always…
Try Everything!
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