This time, I’ll bring you Part 1 of my challenge to register on “Fine Art America (FAA),” one of the world’s largest art-selling platforms. To give you the conclusion first: completing the account registration took, believe it or not, “about two weeks”…!
This is exactly the wall of going overseas!?
Why did it take so long? Because there was a battle with the “baptism of overseas sites,” where Japanese common sense doesn’t apply…
Previous: 3 Points for Improving My Fiverr Gig
What Is Fine Art America (FAA)?
First, a brief introduction to the “Fine Art America (FAA)” https://fineartamerica.com/ that I chose as my next target this time.
FAA is a huge art-selling platform from America. It’s a “print-on-demand (POD)” system: creators upload their work, and each time an order comes in, the site prints it as a canvas print, framed poster, metal print, etc., frames it, and ships it to the buyer.
There were three reasons I set my sights on FAA.
- No review — anyone who registers can start selling to the world immediately
- Probably a blue ocean — Japanese experience reports and guides barely exist (= few competitors)
- A passionate buying layer — direct reach to serious art lovers in the West
Intending a joyful dash at the start, I opened the registration form saying “this is the only way!” But instead, I was about to taste my first despair.
The First Wall: The Phone That Doesn’t Ring. The (Verification) Code That Never Arrives
Proceeding through FAA’s artist registration form, what appeared on screen was the familiar “SMS verification.” Enter your phone number, then enter the code that arrives on your phone — the two-factor authentication that’s now completely ordinary.
I selected Japan’s country code (+81), entered my mobile number, and tapped the send button.
“…”
“…………”
My phone didn’t so much as twitch. Wait 5 minutes, wait 10 minutes — the screen stayed silent. “Did I get the number wrong?” I checked and resent — still nothing.
On overseas sites, there are occasional troubles where SMS messages get blocked due to compatibility with Japanese carriers. “Then, what about the usual sign-in linked with a Google account…?” I searched the screen together with the AI, but in FAA’s case, that option didn’t exist. SMS verification only.
Already about an hour at this stage. Far from uploading works — it was like the key breaking the moment I grabbed the doorknob.
Charging at Support. The Hope Named “Ticket Number”
The old me would honestly have been stuck right here. But the current me has the AI forces, starting with Claude, my (? ) English expert!
When I consulted Claude right away, he told me about a “customer inquiry support form” hidden deep in the homepage. This is absolutely a pattern I never would have found on my own (laughs).
However, chatting (inquiries) directly in English was a first in my 50 years of life. But as I showed the AI screenshots of the screen and asked “please turn this reply into English and send it,” it produced English like the following “in seconds.”
“I am an artist living in Japan. The SMS verification code never arrives, so I am unable to complete my registration. Please help me.”
And when I pressed the chat’s send button, an automated reply email in English arrived immediately.
“We have received your support request. Your ticket number is #13314xx. A representative will contact you shortly.”
The ticket number (reference number) was safely issued! There’s a time difference with America, and if they say “shortly,” then in 2–3 days a kind support staff member should email me saying “I removed it manually for you!”
I could inquire in English, and I received a reply. With that one sense of achievement, the day ended. About 2 hours to reach this point, by the way (laughs).
One Week of Silence. The Feeling of Being “Left Out”
Then a day passed. No email.
Three days passed. Huh, still nothing.
Is it the time difference because it’s America!? Even so, it’s strange. Maybe it’s in the spam folder? …It wasn’t.
I had the AI check, and searched my mailbox for “from:fineartamerica.com.” Only that one automated reply hit. …Or so I thought.
“30% off, limited time! Shop here!”
“A special feature of art recommended for you!”
Hey! Hey!
For some reason, only the “sales announcement newsletters” from FAA kept arriving faithfully every day after that, as if nothing were wrong. “So you CAN send emails!” I couldn’t help retorting at the screen.
And the crucial reply from support — not a millimeter of it. When a week had passed, I felt both sad — “are Japanese people just not welcome…?” — and, at the same time, I felt in my skin what an overseas site is like.
The Day-10 Reminder, and a “Soulful Direct Appeal”
Before I knew it, 10 days had passed since I tried to register. If I just kept waiting, I’d vanish into the depths of an American server. I held a strategy meeting with the AI and sent a second email.
In the subject line, following the AI’s advice, I quoted “Ticket #1331xx” and business-likely urged: “There is still no reply. Please check.”
But even then, no miracle happened. Several more days passed. When I asked the AI “does this kind of thing happen?”, the carefree answer was “it happens often with overseas support~ (note: it wasn’t said this casually).” An American-born AI, after all — its sensibilities really are different from a Japanese person’s (laughs).
So I charged once more into the inquiry field (chat room) and decided to make a direct “appeal” in person. With the AI backing me up, of course!!
In addition to the practical demand — there’s still no reply, please respond urgently! — I put the following “passionate feelings” into the message.
- That I am a genuine Japanese artist, through and through.
- That I draw with themes of Japan’s rich history, romance, and retro world view.
- Through my work, I want to deliver the beauty of Japan to art lovers around the world. That’s why I absolutely want to become a member of FAA!!
I had the AI turn that soulful message into English and sent it to the chat! Then this time there was immediate movement — a reply came from FAA saying “we will send you a temporary registration password within a few days.”
The Moment of Joy. “Welcome, Ran Mori”
—And it was the very next day. On my phone’s notifications, a familiar email from FAA. Half-resigned that it would be another sales announcement, I opened it… and the subject was different.
“Your Fine Art America Account Information”
Reading the body with wide eyes, this is what was written there.
Username: xxxx@xxxx (my email address)
Temporary Password: fineart
“……It’s here!!!”
I couldn’t help exclaiming out loud in my room. It was the moment the wall that had completely ignored me for two weeks finally crumbled.
I immediately flew to FAA’s login page and entered the username and temporary password. With a prayer-like feeling, I clicked the “Sign In” button.
And the screen changed, and what was displayed there was —
“Welcome, Ran Mori” (!!!)
— those words. Finally, finally, the door to the world had opened! My passion had moved the heart of the American support representative (or so I’d like to believe).
The big comparison of 5 overseas platforms is here
Part 1 Summary: For Comrades Registering on FAA from Japan
Here are the lessons about FAA registration that I learned through this roughly two-week quagmire of a battle.
- The SMS verification code very likely won’t arrive!
From a Japanese phone, there’s a high probability it gets blocked. If it doesn’t arrive, don’t fret — charge straight into the support form. - Absolutely keep the automated reply’s “ticket number”!
Without it, you can’t track or follow up afterward. - Even if no reply comes, don’t give up! In the end, “passion” wins
If businesslike reminders don’t work, speak passionately about what kind of artist you are and why you want to sell on FAA. Overseas support is sometimes surprisingly weak to emotional appeals like this. Probably (laughs). - Do not expect Japan’s attentive support!
Overseas, the basic rule is “if you don’t move, they won’t move either.”
If you’re thinking “I’ll take on an overseas side business with Fine Art America!”, please don’t give up at the first SMS. If you keep contacting them patiently, the way will surely open!
Now, having safely logged in, “morirancru.” Next time, in Part 2, I’ll explain the story from setting up the English profile to publishing 12 works to the overseas market all at once!
Please look forward to it!
Next time: [Part 2] Fine Art America — The Full Process of Publishing 12 Works at Once [Overseas Side-Job Journal, Vol. 11]
Also recommended: “FAA — Publishing 12 Works at Once! (Part 2)”
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