After many LinkedIn messages, Reddit discussions, and conversations with people in the art world, I’ve started to rethink the market for art collection software.
Many collectors still use spreadsheets, folders, or even their memory to manage their collections. It may not be perfect, but they are used to it. Moving everything into a new system takes time, and the problem may not be painful enough for them to make the switch. Privacy is another concern, especially when they put valuable collection records online.
Selling software to collectors is also different from selling to businesses. Most people collect art because they love it, not because they want to make their work more efficient. Many artists also have small budgets and don’t need much software until their careers grow.
The more I learn, the more I think the real market is smaller than I expected. The strongest need seems to be with galleries, art advisors, estates, and collection managers who deal with more complex work every day. This has made me rethink ArteraQ and who I should really be building it for.