The Artist Who Stopped Underpaying International Platform Fees
Sipho Molefe paints contemporary African art that tells stories. For years, he sold through international art platforms that took 30% commission plus charged him in dollars.
"I'd sell a R5,000 painting, pay $150 in fees, lose money on currency conversion, and wait 30 days for payment. It was killing my margins and my passion."
Sipho tried building his own website. It cost R1,800 for setup, R650/month for hosting, and he still couldn't process payments without additional integrations.
"I'm an artist, not a developer. I just wanted people to see my work and buy it without me losing half the money to fees."
Cazual PRO became his online gallery for R99/month.
cazual.co.za/artbysipho now features:
- Instagram portfolio of his completed works
- YouTube speed painting videos (that have gone viral)
- Direct Etsy shop link for prints
- Custom canvas commissions at R1,200 via PayFast (in Rands, no conversion fees)
- Cross-promotion with Jenna Visuals and Style by Zanele
"First month on Cazual, I sold 8 custom canvases. That's R9,600 with only 5% PayFast fees — not 30% platform commission. I kept R8,640 instead of R5,600. That's a R3,000+ difference."
The cross-promotion created an unexpected art ecosystem. Jenna books Sipho for wedding reception art installations. Zanele collaborates on fashion-meets-art events. Everyone shares audiences.
"Cazual isn't just cheaper. It's built for South African creators who are tired of being squeezed by international platforms. We get paid in Rands. We keep our money. We support each other."
Sipho's now working on his first solo exhibition in Pretoria, with all bookings and ticket sales running through his Cazual page.
"International platforms took my money. Cazual helped me keep it."