Marketing Arts and Crafts: Exploring the Connection Between Hedonic Consumption, Distribution Channels, and Tourism

The purpose of this study was to explore marketing strategies for arts and crafts sales and, in particular, retail operations versus e-commence. The Craft Organization Development Association craft group cases examined suggest that although e-commerce as an emerging sales channel has been considered by most craft groups, only limited sales are occurring through it. This may be attributed to the hedonic nature of arts and crafts consumption. The results also indicate there is a strong connection between retail craft galleries and shops in tourism destinations, which suggests that an effective marketing strategy for craft sales should be locating retail shops in tourist areas and using marketing tactics linked to tourists.