Marketplaces for selling art online

Online art marketplaces have become increasingly popular in recent years. These sites provide a platform for artists, gallery owners and sometimes art collectors to sell and buy art online. Online art marketplaces are a solution for artists looking to sell their creations, gallery owners presenting a selection of artists and for buyers looking to purchase artworks. Online art marketplaces draw on the expertise of art galleries and offer a wide range of artworks, from paintings and sculptures to photography, drawing and digital art. Buyers can browse through thousands of artworks from all over the world, allowing them to find artworks that match their tastes and budget. In addition, these sites offer full transparency on prices and features, allowing buyers to make informed decisions. Artists can also take advantage of the benefits offered by online art marketplaces. These sites provide an online showcase for their work, allowing them to reach an international audience. Artists can also take advantage of the additional visibility offered by the marketing campaigns of online art marketplaces to increase their sales and awareness. In conclusion, online art marketplaces offer a suitable solution for art professionals and art buyers as they abolish geographical boundaries and rely on the expertise of sellers. These sites offer a platform to buy and sell unique and original artworks but also increasingly editions. Generally financed by successive fundraisings that allow them to develop rapidly, marketplaces take commissions ranging from 23% to 50% of the sale price and can offer lower formulas with annual subscriptions.

Why do galleries use marketplaces?

The art market is evolving and becoming digital, and many art galleries have had no choice but to sign up to these start-ups specialising in the online sale of works of art, raising thousands/millions of Euros, as they could not compete with the budgets invested in communication on the net. The buying behaviour of the new generations of art lovers and collectors did not really leave the choice or else the physical galleries would disappear.
The beginnings of win/win collaborations with a qualitative policy defended by the platforms and reasonable commissions have made it possible to offer art lovers and collectors real artistic selections under the same conditions as in a gallery.
However, like many marketplaces, volume has taken precedence over good resolutions and the number of subscribers has become the main concern of art marketplaces. Then, in a very natural way, the commissions and fixed subscriptions increased excessively to the point that some galleries returned to selling only on site, unable to absorb the costs of the online sales platforms.

Why buy art from a gallery rather than a marketplace, in 5 points :

There are several reasons why it is better to buy art from an online gallery than from a marketplace:
1. Supporting the art scene: Art galleries invest emotionally and financially in supporting the art scene and in discovering new artists, marketplaces do not do this work, they rely on the expertise of the art galleries, they do not launch the artists and do not defend their work, they use the work done by the galleries.
2. Guaranteed authenticity: Art galleries tend to be more selective in their choice of artists and works, which guarantees the quality and authenticity of the artworks offered. They can provide detailed information about the artworks and guarantee their authenticity, which can be difficult to obtain on a marketplace.
3. Expert advice: Art galleries are often run by art experts who can provide personalised buying advice and information about the artist and the artwork. This can be particularly useful if you are a first-time buyer or if you are looking for a particular work of art.
4. Personalized customer service: Physical galleries and their professional online sales sites often have more personalized customer service, which can be helpful if you have problems or questions about the artwork. Galleries may also offer additional services such as professional packaging and shipping of the artwork, as well as financing and warranty options.
5. Exclusivity: Art galleries may offer exclusive artworks that are not available on the marketplaces or that have been selected for display only in the gallery. By buying art from an online gallery sales site, you can be sure that you are supporting the work of the 1000+ French art galleries.

In the end, buying directly from a physical gallery or its online sales site is no more and no less than buying under the same conditions as the marketplaces, price, return conditions, secure payments, certification of the work, packaging, but also benefiting from a personalised service adapted to your request.