The ruling classes strictly limited the space permitted for the homes of the lower social classes; the relatively small size of ukiyo-e works was ideal for hanging in these homes.
 Little record of the patrons of ukiyo-e paintings has survived.
 They sold for considerably higher prices than prints—up to many thousands of times more, and thus must have been purchased by the wealthy, likely merchants and perhaps some from the samurai class.
 Late-era prints are the most numerous extant examples, as they were produced in the greatest quantities in the 19th century, and the older a print is the less chance it had of surviving.
 Ukiyo-e was largely associated with Edo, and visitors to Edo often bought what they called azuma-e ("pictures of the Eastern capital") as souvenirs.
 Shops that sold them might specialize in products such as hand-held fans, or offer a diverse selection.

The ukiyo-e print market was highly diversified as it sold to a heterogeneous public, from dayworkers to wealthy merchants.
 Little concrete is known about production and consumption habits.
 Detailed records in Edo were kept of a wide variety of courtesans, actors, and sumo wrestlers, but no such records pertaining to ukiyo-e remain—or perhaps ever existed.
 Determining what is understood about the demographics of ukiyo-e consumption has required indirect means.

Determining at what prices prints sold is a challenge for experts, as records of hard figures are scanty and there was great variety in the production quality, size, supply and demand, and methods, which went through changes such as the introduction of full-colour printing.
 How expensive prices can be considered is also difficult to determine as social and economic conditions were in flux throughout the period.
 In the 19th century, records survive of prints selling from as low as 16 mon to 100 mon for deluxe editions.
 Jun'ichi Ōkubo suggests that prices in the 20s and 30s of mon were likely common for standard prints.
 As a loose comparison, a bowl of soba noodles in the early 19th century typically sold for 16 mon.

The dyes in ukiyo-e prints are susceptible to fading when exposed even to low levels of light; this makes long-term display undesirable.
 The paper they are printed on deteriorates when it comes in contact with acidic materials, so storage boxes, folders, and mounts must be of neutral pH or alkaline.
 Prints should be regularly inspected for problems needing treatment, and stored at a relative humidity of 70% or less to prevent fungal discolourations.

The paper and pigments in ukiyo-e paintings are sensitive to light and seasonal changes in humidity.
 Mounts must be flexible, as the sheets can tear under sharp changes in humidity.
 In the Edo era, the sheets were mounted on long-fibred paper and preserved scrolled up in plain paulownia boxes placed in another lacquer wooden box.
 In museum settings display times must be limited to prevent deterioration from exposure to light and environmental pollution.
 Scrolling causes concavities in the paper, and the unrolling and rerolling of the scrolls causes creasing.
 Ideal relative humidity for scrolls should be kept between 50% and 60%; brittleness results from too dry a level.

Because ukiyo-e prints were mass-produced, collecting them presents considerations different from the collecting of paintings.
 There is wide variation in the condition, rarity, cost, and quality of extant prints.
 Prints may have stains, foxing, wormholes, tears, creases, or dogmarks, the colours may have faded, or they may have been retouched.
 Carvers may have altered the colours or composition of prints that went through multiple editions.
 When cut after printing, the paper may have been trimmed within the margin.
 Values of prints depend on a variety of factors, including the artist's reputation, print condition, rarity, and whether it is an original pressing—even high-quality later printings will fetch a fraction of the valuation of an original.
 As of 2016, the record price for an ukiyo-e print sold at auction was €745000 for Utamaro's Fukaku Shinobu Ko
The ruling classes strictly limited the space permitted for the homes of the lower social classes; the relatively small size of ukiyo-e works was ideal for hanging in these homes.  Little record of the patrons of ukiyo-e paintings has survived.  They sold for considerably higher prices than prints—up to many thousands of times more, and thus must have been purchased by the wealthy, likely merchants and perhaps some from the samurai class.  Late-era prints are the most numerous extant examples, as they were produced in the greatest quantities in the 19th century, and the older a print is the less chance it had of surviving.  Ukiyo-e was largely associated with Edo, and visitors to Edo often bought what they called azuma-e ("pictures of the Eastern capital") as souvenirs.  Shops that sold them might specialize in products such as hand-held fans, or offer a diverse selection.
The ukiyo-e print market was highly diversified as it sold to a heterogeneous public, from dayworkers to wealthy merchants.  Little concrete is known about production and consumption habits.  Detailed records in Edo were kept of a wide variety of courtesans, actors, and sumo wrestlers, but no such records pertaining to ukiyo-e remain—or perhaps ever existed.  Determining what is understood about the demographics of ukiyo-e consumption has required indirect means.
Determining at what prices prints sold is a challenge for experts, as records of hard figures are scanty and there was great variety in the production quality, size, supply and demand, and methods, which went through changes such as the introduction of full-colour printing.  How expensive prices can be considered is also difficult to determine as social and economic conditions were in flux throughout the period.  In the 19th century, records survive of prints selling from as low as 16 mon to 100 mon for deluxe editions.  Jun'ichi Ōkubo suggests that prices in the 20s and 30s of mon were likely common for standard prints.  As a loose comparison, a bowl of soba noodles in the early 19th century typically sold for 16 mon.
The dyes in ukiyo-e prints are susceptible to fading when exposed even to low levels of light; this makes long-term display undesirable.  The paper they are printed on deteriorates when it comes in contact with acidic materials, so storage boxes, folders, and mounts must be of neutral pH or alkaline.  Prints should be regularly inspected for problems needing treatment, and stored at a relative humidity of 70% or less to prevent fungal discolourations.
The paper and pigments in ukiyo-e paintings are sensitive to light and seasonal changes in humidity.  Mounts must be flexible, as the sheets can tear under sharp changes in humidity.  In the Edo era, the sheets were mounted on long-fibred paper and preserved scrolled up in plain paulownia boxes placed in another lacquer wooden box.  In museum settings display times must be limited to prevent deterioration from exposure to light and environmental pollution.  Scrolling causes concavities in the paper, and the unrolling and rerolling of the scrolls causes creasing.  Ideal relative humidity for scrolls should be kept between 50% and 60%; brittleness results from too dry a level.
Because ukiyo-e prints were mass-produced, collecting them presents considerations different from the collecting of paintings.  There is wide variation in the condition, rarity, cost, and quality of extant prints.  Prints may have stains, foxing, wormholes, tears, creases, or dogmarks, the colours may have faded, or they may have been retouched.  Carvers may have altered the colours or composition of prints that went through multiple editions.  When cut after printing, the paper may have been trimmed within the margin.  Values of prints depend on a variety of factors, including the artist's reputation, print condition, rarity, and whether it is an original pressing—even high-quality later printings will fetch a fraction of the valuation of an original.  As of 2016, the record price for an ukiyo-e print sold at auction was €745000 for Utamaro's Fukaku Shinobu Ko
Ukiyo-e