ArtFire’s frequently asked questions is great place to find answers to the common questions about ArtFire. If you can’t find the answer to your’re question here please contact us via any of our customer service channels.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you can find answers to basic questions about the site and troubleshoot some common issues.
About Us
What is ArtFire?
ArtFire is an interactive online community designed to bring together buyers and sellers of artistic goods; we currently provide a home for handmade goods, fine art, vintage, designed items, supplies and media. ArtFire was built as a marketplace for artisans by artisans to celebrate the unique individuality of artists and crafters around the globe. ArtFire is the fee-free e-commerce solution for all artists looking to sell their wares online.
Is ArtFire a US company?
Yes! We are headquartered right here in the US. We have facilities in sunny Tucson, AZ which happens to be one of the greatest burgeoning art communities in the US (but we're not biased)!
What Fees Does ArtFire Charge?
We don't charge any fees to any of our members. That means no listing or relisting fees and no final valuation fees. In fact, if you choose to use the Basic (free) account you can list and sell your items without ever paying us a dime.
How Does ArtFire Make Money?
Some of our members choose to upgrade their account to our Verified account level for more selling features and tools. The upgrade is a no-contract monthly subscription that can be canceled at any time. Currently the cost to upgrade is $12 a month and comes with a host of features outlined here.
What's the Catch?
There is no catch. We provide Basic accounts for free because we know that if you give us a chance we can prove to you why upgrading to Verified is worth it. If we can't, you're welcome to sell as many items as you want as a Basic account holder without any obligation to upgrade in the future.
How can I get more information or updates?
If you're interested in updates we invite you to checkout Art Daily, your source for ArtFire news and updates! Here you'll find ArtFire's Behind the Beta Blog, which summarizes daily changes on the site. You can also find updates in the Admin Announcements section of your MyArtFire, in addition to the Staff Announcements forum in our Chatterbox. We even send out a weekly newsletter to all current members on the site, so there are lots of ways to stay in the know!
Why should I sign up for ArtFire? What makes ArtFire special?
Our verified status is a great deal at the normal price of US $20.00/month. But right now, for just US $12.00/month, you will have access to great features such as the Facebook Kiosk, coupon codes and gift certificates, Global Product Editor, craft guilds, artifact recognition awards, increased search exposure, and more!
Not only do you get all of those features, but we spend money to advertise this site to buyers. How much? Well, we are budgeting 7-10 million dollars on advertising in the next 12 months.
In addition, there are no listing fees or commissions charged to you. You can list as much as you want for just $12 a month. We think that's pretty special.
What kinds of accounts do you offer?
ArtFire offers 3 types of accounts: Buyer Only, Basic Seller and Verified Seller.
As a registered Buyer Only account, checkout is quick and easy, and you will have the ability to leave Karma and Kudos for sellers.
Our free Basic Seller account allows you to list unlimited items (for a limited time), with up to 4 images on each item. You may also participate in the forums and enjoy a few of the perks on the site, such as automatic Google Base submission of your products and Google Analytics stats on your listings.
The Verified Membership allows you unlimited listings with up to 10 images on each listing. You are also able to participate in Guilds, Artisan Councils, and utilize the Market Hub tool. Additionally, you will be able to customize your shop template, use the Facebook kiosk, create coupon codes and gift certificates, edit all your products easily with our Global Product Editor, earn artifacts and much more!
How do I sign up for an ArtFire account?
To join this fine community of talented artisans, simply click the Join Now link in the upper right corner of the ArtFire homepage. There you will be able to choose between the Buyer account, Basic account and the Verified account. Remember, your user name will be your shop name and cannot duplicate another shop name on the site. Your username may not have spaces or non-alphanumeric characters as this will cause the URL for your shop to break.
Your ArtFire Account
How do I activate my account?
Shortly after registering, you will receive a confirmation email with an activation link. Please click the link to activate your account.
If you cannot locate your confirmation email and are still on Step Two of your registration page, you can click the "click here and we'll resend the e-mail" link to resend the confirmation email to your registered email address. You can also click the "click here and you can login using an alternate verification process" link to activate your account with our alternate method.
If you are no longer on the registration page, you can attempt to log in to your account. When the "Account Not Active" message appears, you will be able to click the "Activate Account Now" link to continue with your account activation.
I can't find my confirmation email. Where is it?
Because we are new friends, your email filtering system may not recognize us. Your confirmation email may have been routed to a junk email folder or caught in your spam filter. You should check these folders to see if the confirmation email is there.
If you are unable to locate your confirmation email, your email provider may have rejected our email. In this case, you can follow the steps to activate your account as shown here.
I signed up as a Buyer and would now like to become a Seller. How do I do this?
If, when you first signed up, you created a Buyer Only account, you can activate your seller's account by logging in to your account and clicking any "Must Be A Seller" link. This will walk you through the seller registration. Once you have registered as a seller, you will be able to list items.
How do I upgrade my account to the Verified membership?
If you have already signed up as a Basic member, please log in to your account and click the Upgrade to Verified Artisan link on the right side of the screen. This will take you through the upgrade process.
How am I billed for my verified membership?
When you signed up for your Verified membership, you chose to either use PayPal or your credit card as your method of payment. If you used PayPal, you have created a subscription that will automatically draw your membership payment out of your account on the same day every month. This day will be the day you signed up. So, if you signed up on the 4th of the month, your account will be debited on the 4th of every month.
If, at any time, you change any information on your PayPal account (i.e. card number or address), PayPal will automatically cancel your subscription. If this happens, we will contact you to set up a new method of payment or re-enter your PayPal information.
If you have paid with a credit card, the process is generally the same. Your membership fee will be debited from your account on the same day of every month. If your card expires or is declined, we will contact you to assist you in setting up another card or updating your credit card information.
Where is my billing information located?
For your security, we process all financial transactions offsite through PayPal or Authorize.net. We do not record or store any of your financial information. Because of this security measure, we do not provide financial information on your account. If you need to find out your billing date or need to change the method of payment you are using, you will need to contact service@artfire.com and we'll get that quickly changed for you.
Where can I find my studio URL?
You have two URLs available to you. You can use either http://myshopname.artfire.com or http://www.artfire.com/users/myshopname, where "myshopname" is your user name.
How do I change my password?
It is a good idea to change your password from time to time. You can do this as often as you would like. Simply log in to your ArtFire account and click on Edit My Profile under the My Account header on the right side of the screen. There you will see the Change Password section where you will need to enter your new password twice and then click the Save button.
How do I set up my security question?
To set up your security question, please log in to your account and click Edit My Profile. There, on the lower right side of the screen, you will be able to set up your security question in the event you forget your password in the future.
How do I change my other information, such as my address?
To change any other editable account information, please click on Edit My Profile on the right side of your My ArtFire account page. There you will be able to change your password, address, full name, gender, email address, birth date, accepted methods of payment and set up your security question.
Can I close one account to open another account?
Yes, but we can't transfer any of the information from one account to another. You will lose all of your feedback, sales and purchase information, listings, etc. You will have to start from scratch on your new account.
Also, you will need to provide a new email address for your new account as email addresses can be used only once on the site. We have worked hard to limit the ability for disreputable sellers and buyers. For this reason it is not possible to reuse an email account if it was used on a previous ArtFire account.
Can I sign up for multiple accounts?
Each member is allowed only one free Basic account, though members may have as many Verified accounts as they wish.
Once your account has been downgraded, you will be able to operate as a Basic member. Please note: Once downgraded, all of your verified account features will be removed.
How do I cancel my account?
Though we hope you are happy with ArtFire, if you would like to cancel your account, please log in to your account and click the Downgrade Account link. If you choose to downgrade to a Basic account, please note there are no refunds for partial months. You will keep your Pro account features until the date of your next billing cycle. Please note, downgrades can take up to 72 hours to process; if you wish to downgrade your account please do so a minimum of 72 hours prior to your next billing date.
If you would prefer to delete your account, please send an email to service@artfire.com with the subject line DELETE ACCOUNT. Be sure to include your username in the email body and send the email from the email address you used to register with ArtFire.
If you are a Basic member, your account will be immediately inactivated upon receipt of your request.
Why am I not receiving emails from ArtFire?
There are a few possible reasons you may not be receiving emails from ArtFire. First, you will need to make sure you have selected the option in your Message Center to receive notifications from ArtFire. To do so, please log in to your account and click Message Center in the upper left corner of the screen. Then click the OPTIONS tab at the far right side of the screen. Select to receive notifications for "All Incoming Messages" and any other settings you wish to set up.
You should also check to make sure you have the correct email address listed under your account information. If your email address was entered correctly, please check your spam and junk mail folders to see if our emails are being routed there.
Finally, if you are still not receiving our emails, you can contact service@artfire.com and we will try to assist you.
Editing Your ArtFire Studio
What studio elements do I need to complete in order to sell?
As part of the ongoing process to increase the appeal of ArtFire to buyers, we are asking that you fill out your studio by completing certain steps before listing products. Our market research has shown that sellers who complete these key elements are more successful. Market research also indicates that without these elements buyers have a high degree of uncertainty when deciding whether or not to purchase from a seller.
Before you can list items, you will need to enter your address, choose an accepted payment method, upload an avatar, upload a banner, and complete your bio information and shop policies.
Click on each of these requirements located in the red bar at the top of your My ArtFire page to complete them.
How do I edit my studio?
To learn more about changing templates, adding banners and shop information to your studio, please visit our Editing My Studio help guide.
How do I set up my bio?
Public profiles are very important because they help buyers and other artisans get to know you. ArtFire is working to build a community, and a community is made up of many diverse and fascinating individuals. We want to know about you!
To set up your studio bio, please navigate to your My ArtFire page and click the Edit My Bio link on the right side of the page. All members should upload an image for their Artisan Bio Pic. (Your bio pic does not necessarily have to be an image of yourself, though buyers do like connecting to the artist.)
You will also need to fill out the Short Intro, Interest Keywords and the About the Artisan section. If you are verified, you can fill in the gallery images and captions along with links to your other sites.
How do I set up my profile?
To set up your profile, please navigate to your My ArtFire page and click the Edit My Profile link on the right side of the page. On your Edit My Profile page, you can update your password, address, email address, accepted methods of payment and security question.
How do I upload my shop image (avatar)?
Your shop image is commonly called an avatar. Think of it as your face on the internet. The best part is that you can choose it yourself and it can be anything, as long as it complies with ArtFire policies and terms of use (nothing vulgar, obscene, illegal, offensive, etc.). You can add an avatar by logging in to your account and clicking Edit My Studio. Once there, click Studio Avatar and you will find an upload field for your avatar. Click Browse and select the image you would like to upload to your profile. Avatars are resized to a square shape, with a maximum size of 140 pixels by 140 pixels. To ensure that your avatar is not distorted, you may want to upload an image that is square as well.
Selling Questions
What am I allowed to sell on ArtFire?
You can sell a variety of creations on the Artfire website. Artfire can easily be your one stop shop for handmade creations and supplies! First and foremost, there are prohibited items. Here's our PROHIBITED ITEMS list:
- Firearms
- Explosives
- Dangerous Chemicals
- Any item that, which in whole or in part, is subject to a recall.
- Stolen Items
- Fireworks
- Adult material, erotica, or pornography inclusive of any material unsuitable for children under the age of 18.
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Mass produced electronics
- Protected antiquities
- Real estate
- Ivory or animal products from endangered species collected illegally
- Motor vehicles, or parts for motor vehicles or recreational vehicles
- Items that violates Terms of Service or Terms of Use
- Any item or service that violates applicable local, state, federal, or international law in regard to manufacturing, distributing, advertising, or transporting said item.
- Items not in your possession or items you don't intend to deliver.
- Illegal, counterfeit or contraband items of any sort.
- Items, materials or products which are copyrighted, trademarked or patented by another party.
- Pirated materials.
- Replica items, including designer items.
- Personal data or information.
- Items or products that carry or transmit hidden code or signals with the intention of causing harm or tracking personal or transactional information of any sort.
- Misrepresented items or products.
- Harmful, harassing, intimidating or defamatory materials, products or items.
- Hazardous materials, products, or items.
- Prostitution or other similar services.
- Any product or service that Artfire.com determines to be inappropriate, harmful, fraudulent, or illegal.
- Mature items intended for adults due to language or imagery that falls outside of the traditional acceptable standards for broadcast television that are not properly identified as mature in the listing process.
If you need assistance in finding an appropriate category for your listings, please review our Terms of Use item decision tree, located in section #15 of our Terms of Service.
Where should I list my item? Handmade/Fine Art, Design/Media or Supplies/Vintage?
Our Item Decision Tree (section #15) will usually clear up any confusion as to which main category your item belongs in, but here's a basic run down:
- Your item may fall in the "HANDMADE" category so long as the finished product is Hand Altered or Handmade
- Your item may fall in the "DESIGN/MEDIA" category if you have designed the item and had it fabricated in a limited run (less than 500)
- Your item may fall in the "SUPPLIES/VINTAGE" if the item you are selling is a traditional craft supply, or an item that can be repurposed to be used in an artistic manner.
- Your item may be considered "VINTAGE" if the item you are selling is more than 20 years old and have collectible or artistic value.
How do I edit a product I've already listed?
To edit one of your products, please log in to your account and click on My Products on the left or View My Listings on the right. Both links will show you the list of all your items. Click Active Items and navigate to the product you wish to edit. Click the Edit Product link for the listing you would like to edit. Be sure to click Save Product when you are done editing your listing.
How do I change my accepted methods of payment?
To change your accepted methods of payment, please log in to your account and click Edit My Profile. There, on the right side of the screen, you will be able to update the payment methods you accept. If you choose to use PayPal, make sure you enter your PayPal email address and then click SAVE.
How do I create a shipping profile?
To learn more about creating shipping profiles, please read through our Creating Shipping Profiles guide.
Once I list, where will my items appear on the site?
The Home Page
On the home page, the newest items are listed. As more items are listed, older items will drop off the page. However, the item of the hour is a random selection. Each hour a random new item will be featured on the home page.
Browsing Categories
When browsing categories, you will receive a randomized search result. It does not matter if a listing is old or new. Items will be displayed randomly in order to give everyone a fair chance to be on the first few pages of search results. Additionally, subcategories can be very specific. If you are looking for a specific item, it would be best to narrow down your results by choosing additional available subcategories.
Searching for Items
If you are searching for a specific item in the search bar, your search results will be determined by those whose product names and keyword tags best fit your search term. The results will be shown in order of relevancy.
What is Rapid Cart? How do I use it?
To learn more about Rapid Cart, please read through our Using ArtFire's Rapid Cart: Remote Checkout Technology guide.
How do I relist my items?
You can relist your items once they have been sold. To relist a sold item, please click Sold Items, locate the sold items you would like to relist and click the Relist Item link. This will automatically relist your item on the site.
On ArtFire, regular relisting of unsold items is unnecessary. Category views on ArtFire are randomized, so your item may appear on the first page in your category for one buyer and subsequent pages for another. This gives everyone a chance to be seen on the first few pages of any category and removes the necessity for you, the seller, to constantly relist your items.
Buying Questions
How do I make an offer on an item?
If the seller of the product you have chosen accepts offers, you can enter your offer in the Make An Offer field to the right of the product listing, then click Send Offer. Once you send your offer price, the seller can choose to accept, decline or counter your offer. You will then receive either an "accept" or "decline" email from the seller. If accepted, you will need to click on the link in the email you received and then click Buy to check out.
What is the Hotlist?
While browsing ArtFire, you will likely find many items of interest, but don't have the ability to buy right now. This is why we have provided the Hot List, or favorites list. Hot Listing allows you to add your favorite items to your Hot List while shopping. This saves each of your favorite items in one location, enabling you to easily locate that item again. To add an item to your Hot List, simply click on ADD TO MY HOTLIST on the lower right side of your favorite product listings.
When an item is Hot Listed, the seller of the item will receive a notification that lets them know which item was Hot Listed and who Hot Listed the item.
What is My Market?
One of the benefits of being a registered buyer on ArtFire is the "My Market" resource. Using the "My Market" feature, a buyer can easily mark their favorite sellers on ArtFire and be able to access their shops quickly. Each artisan's store and individual item's have an "Add to My Market" feature located on the left hand side.
Clicking the text "Add to My Market" will result in that seller's studio being added to your "My Market" page.
To see who you have added to your My Market, go to your "My Artfire" account page and click on "My Market" under "My Account" on the right hand side.
Can I make a purchase without an ArtFire account?
Buying on ArtFire has never been easier! No account is needed to check out and several payment options are available. Simply add the items you wish to purchase to your cart. Then, click on your cart to begin the checkout process. Make sure to select a shipping location and fill in all of the required information.
On the final page of check out, buyers are able to choose which method of payment they wish to use. By clicking on any of the "CHOOSE" buttons, shoppers will be taken directly to those services' secure payment websites and asked to log in to pay for the order. The seller address is also displayed for check or money order payment if that has been designated by the seller as an accepted payment method.
After you have paid, you will receive an order confirmation email with the seller's contact information included. If you have any questions or need assistance, you can email the seller directly with the email address provided.
NOTE: Individuals using the "No Account Checkout" feature will be unable to leave Karma or Kudos. Likewise, sellers will be unable to give buyers Kudos in return. Sellers are encouraged to email the buyer directly after a sale is completed if they wish to personally thank them.
Promotion Questions
What sort of promotional tools are available on ArtFire?
ArtFire wants to see every member succeed in making their online handmade business successful. To help you expand your online presence, we have provided a wealth of information under your Promote/Learn section in your My ArtFire account section. You will find everything from how to set up Featured Studio Spots to "Improving Your SEO" to promotional buttons and badges for your blogs and websites.
How do I apply to be a featured artisan?
The Featured Artisan spotlight is a great way for Verified members to share their craft and a bit about themselves to the ArtFire community. This is an excellent way to get exposure on ArtFire.
In order to become a Featured Artisan, you need to submit a survey to ArtDaily. Please log in to your account and click on the Promote/Learn link, then click the Featured Artisan Application link under the Promotional Tools heading. Email the required information to artdaily@artfire.com. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a notification stating when you will be featured on ArtFire's homepage.
What is My Market Hub?
Market Hub is available to both Basic and Verified members. This promotional tool allows you to link to your social networking sites and online venues, such as your blog, Flickr, Etsy, and Facebook sites. You can set up your Market Hub by clicking the Market Hub link on your My ArtFire page.
Community Questions
How do I earn the Artisan Artifacts?
An artifact is a symbol of your participation on the ArtFire website. Our Artifacts can be earned in a variety of ways and there's no limit on how many artifacts you can earn. Some artifacts are awarded by staff or administration, some are automatically awarded, and some will be awarded by a committee of artisans and staff.
Not all of the Artifacts are currently available to be earned at this time.
How do I flag a prohibited item?
If you find that a product is listed on the site in the wrong category or should not be on the site, you can flag the item to bring it to our attention and resolve the issue. To do so, please click the Flag this Item link on the left side of the listing. Select the reason you are flagging the item or enter in your own explanation. The seller will receive a flag notification which will include your explanation but not other identifying information.
We will review the flag and help the seller adjust their listing or remove it. If you feel an entire shop should not be listed on ArtFire, please email us at service@artfire.com instead of flagging the entire shop.
I believe I was flagged unfairly. How do I appeal?
If you feel your item has been flagged in error, please email us at service@artfire.com and include "APPEALED FLAG" in the subject line. Please include a description of your item, and include details as to why you feel your item should not be flagged.
If you have any questions regarding allowed content on Artfire, please view the decision tree located in the Terms of Use Agreement on the Artfire website.
How do I leave feedback?
If you have purchased an item, are registered with ArtFire, and would like to leave Karma and Kudos for your seller, please log in to your ArtFire account and click My Purchases. Locate the order you wish to leave feedback for and click the Leave Karma and Kudos link. You will be able to rate the seller's cooperation, shipping, and quality of their product. You can also leave Kudos, which are notes directly to the seller regarding your purchase which will be displayed on their account.
If you are a seller and wish to leave one of your buyers Kudos, please log in to your account and click My Sold Items. Navigate to the order you wish to leave feedback for and click the Give Kudos button to leave a note for your buyer. If your buyer is not a registered member on ArtFire, the Give Kudos button will not appear on that order. NOTE: Unregistered members cannot give or receive feedback.
How do I post an image in forum?
While creating your post, to insert an image, click the icon that looks like a mountain with a sun. A pop-up will appear. You will need to copy the link to the image you are attempting to post and paste the link into the URL field. (Please do not click Browse Serve.) Once you have pasted your link, click OK and your image will post to your forum message. NOTE: The image you want to post must live somewhere on the internet. You cannot upload images to forum.
How do I join a guild?
There are two ways to join guilds on ArtFire. You can either request to become a member of a specific guild or be invited to join a guild. To request to join a guild, simply navigate to the guild section and click on the guild name of the guild you wish to join. Once there, and click Request Membership on the right side of the page. The guild master will either accept or decline your request and you will receive notification of their decision in your ArtFire message center.
Guild masters may also choose to invite you to their guild. They will send you an invite email notification. Clicking the link provided in the email will add you to the guild roster.
How many guilds can I join?
Verified members can join a maximum of 5 guilds. Guild membership is a feature available only to verified members.
How do I create a guild?
To create a guild, navigate to the ArtFire Guild page and click the Create a New Guild button. You will need to enter a guild name, description of your proposed guild, your guild's mission, country your guild is located in and the image that represents your guild. You will also need to invite other members of the site to join your guild. Once 5 members have joined your guild, your guild status will change from PENDING to ACTIVE.
Can I be the guild master of more than one guild?
Verified members may be the guild master of one guild.
How do I edit my guild forum?
ArtFire Guild forums are currently being reworked. If you need edits made to your guild forum, please email us at service@artfire.com with your detailed request.
How do I edit my guild's product image gallery?
ArtFire Guild sections are currently being reworked. If you need edits made to your guild product gallery, please email us at service@artfire.com with your detailed request.
How do I remove myself from a guild?
If you would like to remove yourself from a guild, please navigate to your guild's membership roster and browse through the members in the guild. Your guild avatar will show a red "Remove X" beneath it. Click that link to remove yourself from the guild.
Troubleshooting
I recently signed up for an ArtFire account, but am unable to log in.
There are a few things that may be giving you trouble.
First, in order to log in, you must have activated your account by clicking on the activation link in the confirmation email you received. If you have not yet done so, this will need to be done to activate your account.
Second, double check your username and password to make sure you are typing them in correctly. Remember, passwords are case sensitive. Please ensure you do not have caps lock on.
Third, if you have included non-alphanumeric characters in your username or password, the system may not recognize these and will not allow you to log in. Please contact customer service at service@artfire.com, if this is the case.
What do I do if forgot my username and/or password?
If you forget your password, it's no problem! This happens to all of us. Simply go to the login page and click the Forgot Password link. Enter your email address and we will email you a confirmation code that you will need to enter into the system to retrieve your password. Once you enter the confirmation code, you will be asked for the answer to your security question. However, if you have yet to set up your security question, please forward your password confirmation email to customer service at service@artfire.com to have your password retrieved for you.
I put in the wrong username/misspelled my username. Can I change my username?
In the event that you enter the wrong username or misspell your user name, please contact customer service at service@artfire.com. We will evaluate your request and let you know if your username can be changed.
I edited my images by uploading new ones. Now I cannot see my newly uploaded images. What do I do?
In order to see your new images, you may have to clear your cookies and cache. The old images are still stored on your browser, so your browser is not pulling the new images from the server. To speed the propagation process up, press F5 or go into your browser's internet options and clear your cache and cookies there.
I cannot see my newly uploaded banner.
In order to see your new banner, you may have to clear your cookies and cache. The old banner is still stored on your browser, so your browser is not pulling the new banner from the server. To speed the propagation process, press F5 or go into your browser's internet options and clear your cache and cookies there.
My Studio information will not save correctly. Why?
You must use only alphanumeric characters in your bio and policies sections. Using non-alphanumeric characters, such as the ampersand (&), will disable the JavaScript, causing your entry to be shortened.
