Small businesses have been booming on Instagram ever since the onset of the pandemic. From thrift clothes to phone charms, all kinds of enterprises have surfaced on the social media platform. But it is resin art stores that have found a unique chemistry with Instagram users. A host of artists have taken to creating a variety of things — jewellery, bookmarks, clocks and photo frames – using epoxy resins and met with success.

Take Neha Patel, the owner of @resinartspace, says, “During the pandemic, I was introduced to resin art and watched videos online, which rekindled my long-forgotten love of art and my desire to launch my own small business.”

The business studies student majoring in finance says she has applied the strategies she learnt on her Insta page and it has helped her hone her marketing abilities.

Visual appeal and the ability to customise products have played a major role in the growth of resin pages.

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Reeling in customers

However, artists feel the competition is cut-throat, given the rapid rise in the number of resin art stores. Simple aesthetics is not enough of a differentiator to boost sales of a page. The ability to launch unique pieces also plays a part in gaining an edge.

But a marketing push is needed as well and this is where Instagram Reels comes in, though some of the artists confide they find it intimidating. “Reels are not something I like. Why isn’t the algorithm actually trying to support your work as it is?,” says Anuja Deb, a resin artist from Kolkata.

Although factors such as video quality and use of trending music determine the performance of a Reel, in many cases, virality is a shot in the dark. This arbitrary nature of engagement tools begs the question: is the Instagram algorithm an advantage for resin artists?

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“In a way it is. Resin art is trending now, so people seek it. Having ‘resin’ in your username is always an advantage,” says Palak Gupta, a 19-year old who owns @she.de.art.

Epoxy resin is a reactive polymer and a volatile material to work with. The bubbles change due to temperature and moisture, and curing time is a challenge as well. Despite high material costs, Patel and Gupta estimate their profits to be around 15-25 per cent.

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Profitable venture

The pandemic has been overwhelmingly positive for resin pages. “As a dentist, I had to shut down my clinic for two to three months. This store was a boon and helped me financially and mentally. Sales have also been consistent,” says Ami Sukhija, whose page has over 21,000 followers.

Preethi Boora, who opened her page mid-pandemic, says, “I reached 100 sales in 45 days after my first launch. There is a definite chance that resin pages like mine will grow in the next few months.”

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(The author was an intern with BusinessLine)

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