In my last post, the affiliate program fired — but what about the crucial part, the art? This time I’ll dig deep into that story.
I registered on four overseas platforms and lined up my works.
I also wrote the English descriptions (that part was left entirely to AI! laughs).
So, once again — what was the result?
It’s zero yen.
I’ll tell you, all honestly, the reality of a man in his 50s who tried to sell art overseas for one month.
All the Platforms I Registered in One Month
| Platform | Status | Works |
|---|---|---|
| INPRNT | ✅ Live | 11 works |
| Fiverr | ✅ Active | 2 gigs |
| Redbubble | ✅ Live | 12 works |
| FAA (Fine Art America) | ✅ Live | 12 works |
*At the time of registration, Redbubble’s payment settings were incomplete, so it stayed unpublished for about a month and a half. I wrote the details in Vol. 16 (https://www.himemarumo.com/en/redbubble-shop-unpublished/).
Registered on four overseas sites so far. In terms of registration speed alone, I think it’s a pace I can be proud of.
They’re just not selling (laughs).
Looking Back at This Month’s Drama
In one word: naturally, it was a series of walls.
On Fiverr, scam messages arrived.
On INPRNT, I failed the review once and somehow passed the revenge review.
On FAA, the SMS verification didn’t arrive for two weeks, and I kept emailing support.
I never thought that just “registering” on overseas sites would be this hard.
However, thanks to AI, I got through it. This is something I absolutely could not have achieved without AI.
Honestly, this alone is a considerable self-satisfaction.
Because, because, look.
The art of a middle-aged guy from the countryside who can’t speak English at all is listed, in English, on English sites!! (laughs)
The Reality of Revenue. Thinking About the Meaning of Zero
However, the reality thrust upon me was…
Sales: ¥0
What do you think when you see this?
I think the majority opinion is “well, of course,” and honestly I think so myself.
It’s not a sweet world where things sell suddenly after just about a month. Unless I had a super-idol-like cute look and fashionable art — but I’m an ordinary, unremarkable middle-aged man drawing old-fashioned pictures, so of course.
Naturally, I don’t get caught in searches, and of course there’s no recognition either.
I’m conveniently interpreting this month’s zero not as “failure” but as a “preparation period.”
I sowed the seeds. I watered them. I think it’s still just that phase.
The Only Thing That Moved Was the Blog
Art sales were zero.
But there is one thing that moved.
That is: from the blog’s affiliate links, a result of ¥1,147 was generated.
(I wrote the details in the Vol. 12 article)
Not an overseas platform — a domestic blog. And not from art, but from an article.
That in itself made me purely happy, though!!
Maybe I have more talent for affiliate marketing than for art (laughs).
…is a joke.
Toward Month Two: 4 Things to Do
It ended at zero, but well, in a sense it was within expectations.
However, having registered on a total of four overseas sites — that was an unexpected result.
And I decided what to do in month two.
- Solve the login problem on the new overseas site “Displate” and register my works
- Complete Zazzle’s email verification, and next aim not at America but at the European market
- Increase the number of works
- Quietly, my art sells…!
Just registering won’t sell anything. But without registering, nothing begins.
I’ll keep “conquering” other overseas sites, too.
True worldwide risk diversification (is that the right use of the term??).
In Closing
What I learned from one month of doing this.
An overseas side business starts from zero. Obvious, but I felt it with my whole body.
But there are things that aren’t zero, too.
The experience of registering, the record of the struggle, the blog numbers that moved just a little. I consider those this month’s assets.
I’ll continue the monthly fixed-point observations. Next month might still be zero, though (laughs).
The big comparison of 5 overseas platforms is here
Next: Toward a New Market (Europe)
Comments