Print-on-demand sounds easy on paper—upload a design, make sales, right? But anyone who’s tried it knows the reality’s a bit more complex. For Harry Stone, it started with a love of art and turned into StoneOfArts, a low-key but successful Etsy store selling carefully chosen reproductions of classic, modern, and abstract artwork.
We caught up with Harry to hear how it all came together—no fluff, just real insights.
Q: How did StoneOfArts even become a thing?
Honestly, it was kind of random at first. I’ve always been into art, not in a super academic way, but I’d scroll for hours looking at everything from renaissance stuff to weird modern abstracts. At some point, I realized a lot of people would probably buy these prints if they were framed right and easy to get.
I always had print on demand sitting at the back of my head. I figured I’d test it out with a few designs, and it just went from there. I called it StoneOfArts because I couldn’t think of anything better, and it sounded kind of serious. It stuck.
Q: What challenges did you face in the early days of your Etsy store?
Etsy’s tough. You think you’ll post a few nice prints and people will buy them, but then nothing happens. I quickly realized there’s a lot more to it—SEO, product photography, pricing, dealing with buyers asking if something can be resized for their "oddly shaped hallway.
Also, finding the right production partner took some trial and error. I had prints show up too dark, frames that felt cheap… you learn fast when people start leaving reviews.
Q: How did you actually break through all of that and start getting consistent sales?
I stopped trying to do too much. Instead of adding hundreds of random designs, I focused on a smaller, more curated catalog. Stuff that looked good together, that I’d actually hang in my own place.
Then I just made the listings better—clean mockups, real room settings, titles that people actually search for. I also started using a supplier (Printseekers) that didn’t mess up the quality. Once I didn’t have to worry about printing issues, I could focus on the stuff that actually brings in sales.
And honestly? Replying to messages quickly helped more than I expected. A lot of stores ignore buyers—so just being available and helpful made a difference.
Q: What’s your take on print-on-demand now that you’ve been doing it for a while?
It’s great if you don’t want to deal with inventory or storage. I couldn’t have started this if I needed to buy stock upfront—I don’t have a garage full of mailing tubes. But it’s not passive. You still have to work on the store, test things, deal with customer questions.
The best part is the flexibility. If a design doesn’t work, I can replace it. If I want to try a new theme or format, it’s just a few clicks. That kind of freedom is super underrated.
Q: Any advice for someone who’s just starting their own Etsy POD store?
Start small. People rush to add a hundred listings but don’t spend enough time making one really solid one. Pick a niche you actually care about—it’ll show in your store.
Also: your mockups matter. Way more than most people think. If your product photo looks like it was made in MS Paint, people won’t buy, no matter how good the art is.
And be ready to adjust. You’re not going to get it perfect from day one, and that’s fine. Just keep improving.
Q: What’s next for StoneOfArts?
Right now I’m adding a few more niche collections and testing some limited-edition stuff. I’m also starting to think about launching on other platforms—maybe even building my own site eventually. I’m not in a rush, though. As long as it keeps growing, I’m happy.
Harry’s approach is straightforward: make something good, listen to your customers, and don’t overcomplicate it. His success with StoneOfArts didn’t come from chasing trends or faking a brand voice—it came from keeping things real, both with himself and with his buyers.
