How to Get Paid at Art Markets – Artist Resource Guide
By Amy Dokken
Selling your art at a market should feel easy for both you and your customer. Once someone decides they want your work, the last thing you want is friction at checkout.
This guide covers payment methods, sales tax, processing fees, QR codes, checkout setup, safety, and a simple market-day routine.
Why This Matters
Art markets are often built around impulse purchases. If paying feels complicated, a customer may walk away.
You have already done the hard part: creating the art and attracting the buyer. Now make purchasing it easy.
Offer a few convenient payment options, keep your checkout process simple, and be ready before the market opens.
Just Starting Out?
Keep it simple.
You do not need an LLC just to begin selling your artwork. If you are required to collect North Carolina sales tax, however, you do need to register to do so.
A basic market setup can be as simple as:
Square OR PayPal POS for credit/debit cards and Apple Pay/Google Pay
Venmo Business QR code for customers who prefer Venmo
A little cash and change
One POS system where you record all your sales
Correct sales-tax settings
You do not need six different payment apps. You simply need a few easy ways for a customer to say yes.
Your Payment Options
1. Cash
Yes, people still use cash.
Advantages
No processing fees
No payment delays
Good for small, quick purchases
Things to Consider
Fewer customers carry cash than they once did, and you will need to manage change and keep the money secure.
What to Bring
A cash box, zippered apron, or waist bag works well. Start with approximately $50 to $100 in small bills, and have a way to record cash transactions.
Pro Tip: Price items in whole dollars when possible. It makes cash transactions much easier and eliminates the need for coins.
2. Credit & Debit Cards
Cards are one of the most important payment options to offer at an art market.
Square and PayPal support Tap to Pay, allowing compatible smartphones to accept contactless credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay without a separate reader. Venmo Business also offers Tap to Pay.
Popular Options
Square
Easy to set up and widely used.
PayPal POS
A convenient choice if you already use PayPal.
What You’ll Need
Compatible smartphone or tablet
Payment app
Tap to Pay or a Bluetooth card reader
Reliable cellular data or Wi-Fi
Your inventory, pricing, and account information set up in advance
Before your first market, practice by running a test transaction so you know exactly what checkout will look like.
Many POS apps also allow you to record cash and mobile payments, which makes it easier to track all your sales in one place.
3. Mobile Payments
Many customers will simply ask, “Can I Venmo you?”
If you are accepting payment for artwork or products, use a Venmo Business profile rather than a personal account.
Set Yourself Up Properly
Create a business profile, generate your payment QR code, and display it clearly at your booth.
When someone pays, verify the transaction in your own payment app before giving them the artwork.
Do not rely on a screenshot on the customer’s phone as proof of payment.
It can also help to ask customers to include the artwork title or item name in the payment description.
Payment Fees
Plan for roughly 2 to 3%
Payment Method Fee Listed in This Guide
Square card 2.6% + 15¢
Venmo Business QR 1.9% + 10¢
PayPal POS 2.29% + 9¢
Cash $0
Processing fees are part of doing business. Consider them when setting your prices so you are not surprised afterward.
Whenever possible, use tap or dip transactions rather than manually entering a card number, which generally costs more.
Important: Payment-processing fees change periodically. Check your provider’s current rates before each market.
North Carolina Sales Tax
Registration & Rates
If you sell tangible goods such as original artwork, prints, or handmade items, you are considered a retailer for North Carolina sales-tax purposes.
You must have a North Carolina Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Registration when required to collect sales tax. Registration is available through the North Carolina Department of Revenue and is free.
North Carolina has a state sales-tax rate, with additional local taxes depending on where the sale occurs.
Charlotte / Mecklenburg County
8.25%
According to this guide, Mecklenburg County’s sales-tax rate increased to 8.25% effective July 1, 2026.
Make sure the tax rate in your Square, PayPal, or other POS system is correct before your market.
The tax rate is based on where the sale takes place, not where your home or studio is located.
Please note: This guide provides a general overview and is not tax advice. Tax situations vary. Consult the North Carolina Department of Revenue or a tax professional regarding your specific circumstances.
How Should You Charge Sales Tax?
There are two common approaches.
Option A: Add Tax at Checkout
If your artwork is priced at $100 and the applicable sales-tax rate is 8.25%:
Artwork: $100.00
Sales tax: $8.25
Customer pays: $108.25
You made a $100 sale and collected $8.25 in tax.
This is generally the easiest system for a new seller to understand and track.
Option B: Include Tax in Your Price
If your displayed price is $100, tax included, the tax is already contained within that amount.
At an 8.25% rate, the guide’s example breaks that approximately into:
Sale before tax: $92.38
Sales tax: $7.62
Customer pays: $100
Either approach works, but your POS must be configured correctly if your prices include tax.
Remember
The sales tax you collect is not additional income.
You collect it from the buyer and later report and remit it to North Carolina through your sales-tax return.
Filing Sales Tax
Registered sellers must file sales-tax returns according to the schedule assigned by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.
Depending on your tax liability, that may be monthly or quarterly.
If you are registered but have no sales during a filing period, you may still need to file a zero return.
Keep records of what you sell, where the sale occurred, and how much tax you collected. A POS system such as Square can make this substantially easier.
QR Codes
QR codes make payment and contact sharing much easier at a market.
For payment QR codes, generate them directly through your payment provider, such as Venmo or PayPal.
You can also create one general QR code that links customers to several destinations, including your:
Website
Instagram
Newsletter
Online shop
Payment links
The guide suggests HiHello or a similar digital business-card service for creating a single shareable QR code.
Pro Tip: Print your QR code, laminate it, or place it in a small frame so customers can easily scan it from your table.
Create a Simple Checkout Station
Make it immediately obvious how customers can pay.
A small framed or laminated sign might say:
We Accept
Credit Cards | Cash | Venmo | PayPal
Use your POS system to track inventory, see total sales, and send receipts by email or text.
Bring Technology Backups
Have a portable charger or power bank with you.
If reception at the market is questionable, consider a hotspot or another backup connection.
And keep the low-tech essentials nearby too: a notebook and pen.
Tip: Take a screenshot or photo of your inventory list before the event so you have access to it even if technology fails.
Keep Payments Secure
Your artwork and your money both deserve protection.
Keep cash out of sight and stored securely.
Enable two-factor authentication on your payment accounts.
Use established payment processors rather than unfamiliar apps or QR codes.
Record every transaction so you can reconcile your sales, inventory, and taxes afterward.
And most importantly:
Do not hand over artwork until you have personally verified that payment was received.
A Simple Market Setup
A dependable setup might include:
Smartphone with Square, PayPal, or another POS app
Card reader or Tap to Pay
Cash box with approximately $100 in small bills
Venmo and PayPal QR codes
Clearly marked prices
“We Accept” payment sign
Phone charger and portable battery
Inventory checklist
Pen and backup notebook
Using essentially the same setup at every market makes preparation easier and reduces stress on event day.
Before Market Day
Your Checkout Checklist
☐ Check the sales-tax rate for the market location
☐ Make sure tax is turned on in your POS
☐ Test Tap to Pay or your card reader
☐ Charge your phone, reader, and power bank
☐ Test your Venmo and PayPal QR codes
☐ Run a small test transaction
☐ Confirm that POS prices match your price tags
☐ Decide how you will record cash sales
A few minutes of preparation can prevent a checkout problem when a buyer is standing in front of you.
Final Tips
You have already done the hard work of creating the art. The checkout process is simply the final step in getting it into someone’s hands.
Test your technology before the market.
Bring a checklist.
If something goes wrong, another experienced vendor may be able to help.
Talk about your artwork, make the buying process easy, and give customers a checkout experience that feels organized and professional.
Questions or Need Help?
Guild of Charlotte Artists
For current North Carolina sales and use tax information, visit the North Carolina Department of Revenue.