Sell art online... fine. But what are the advantages?
"There is no defense against the impact of a new idea!"
New tools and tradition sometimes meet akwardly.
Take the Internet and the art establishment: blending tradition with an interactive
and inclusive 'virtual' world took some getting used to.
But what began as a difficult marriage, eventually gave birth to
a suite of advantages that I like to call art 2.0.
This two minute history should put it all in perspective.
It all began when Art met 'Net...
"The marriage of a practice so old,
to a technology so young...
well, there ought to be a law against it!"
With apologies to Mrs. Whistler
Too conservative?
After all conservation is about protecting valuable and precious resources,
and art is definitely one of those.
However, too conservative and you risk 'protecting' against a benefit –
a tricky balance for the art establishment.
Despite the Internet being the fastest growing retail outlet on the planet for more
than a decade, it was only in 2007 that one of the bastions of the conservative
art world, dipped a cautious toe into cyberspace; but that was all it took.
A little nudge from Sotheby's...
and the online artsales ball
started rolling
Art auction giant, Sotheby's,
decided to hold their annual contemporary art auction
not, as they have traditionally done,
at their York Avenue headquarters,
but instead on their internet site, Sothebys.com.
The public response was overwhelmingly positive.
''That we would be selling works in the (USD) $20,000,
$30,000 and $40,000 range is a surprise,''
said Craig Moffett, president of Sothebys.com.
Across the Atlantic in London, The Saatchi Gallery Online,
(which does not provide promotional tools or e-commerce facilities)
has claimed dealers already spending ₤100,000 (AUD $250,000) on paintings
without seeing them in the flesh, while offline galleries have reported that
"Ten years ago,
we used to have 500 people coming to an opening.
Now it's closer to five than 500."
Art galleries are discovering
that many people prefer the comfort of
choosing art online.
CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) 04.12.00
At least in the short term, we expect that purists will still want to see
the most expensive works in the flesh, but
"the current trend strongly indicates
that when collectors buy art in the future,
it's more likely to be with a click of the mouse
than a nod at the auctioneer."
It's an unstoppable trend and
the art establishment embracing online sales
is clear progress, but
offline (and even online) art auction houses and private commercial galleries
can still be daunting places if you're not used to them.
Numbers are increasing but it's still a small percentage who would
browse a gallery as comfortably as browsing a book shop.
Most art sites still don't get the whole Internet thing
and simply transpose the traditional gallery business model to the 'Net
without embracing any of the new possibilities, but despite this
Online art has reached a tipping point
with the 'Net being adopted
as the new mode
for sophisticated buyers.
Safe to say that it's no longer just the province of early adopters.
But enough of sitting back and viewing the big picture,
now you can make your mark on it and become part of it.
Whenever you're ready, just hit one of the upload buttons, and join the show.
Or read on for more 'Art 2.0' advantages...
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"Instant access to
a global art market.
Choose to show your work to the world
whenever you want,
for millions to view at any time or...
choose to show your art for a limited time and
just to those who make it to the show."
On the World Wide Web, geographic and time constraints do not apply.
What if you want to show just one piece... a hundred pieces... even thousands...
the physical constraints of bricks and mortar galleries also do not apply.
What if you want to show and sell pieces as you produce them without having to wait
until you have an exhibition worth, not to mention the attendant wait for income?
Online, you have the flexibility to post what you want, when you want, and with
us it can stay there for as long as you like, rent free.
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"Free is good but valuable is better.
Let me show you how to transform our free gifts
into valuable presence..."
What's the most the most valuable thing on the Web?
A shining presence:
your presence, front and center when people go looking.
Now that can be through reputation or
through the search engines (preferably both!)
You can do it through your own site or
being part of a larger site (again, I'll show you why it's
preferable to do both) but one of the unique things about ArtSales.com.au,
is that you get the additional synergy of this sites size
with the presence of your own site.
How does all that work?
Everyone who's part of this site gets their own blog...
and search engines love blogs!
So if you want, you can put yourself in the search engines to boost your Web presence
and ultimately your profits.
Like anything that's worthwhile, it takes a little time and effort,
but if you're serious about using your art to make good money on the 'Net,
the seamless integration of our e-commerce engine
with the unique personality of your own ArtSales blog,
gives you the best of both worlds.
What's a blog? Heard the term but not sure what it is?
Think of it as a site you can run
without needing any coding skills.
So if you wanted to engage the public in the production of a piece,
to show a work in progress
- a process which most members of the public find fascinating -
you'll be able to do just that. Or offer an insight into your creative process,
a virtual tour of your studio or work space, or even just share
a few of your daily musings. Build a relationship with your public
in a way that was never possible before, and when people
feel they know you, they are more open to what you have to offer.
Another advantage of your blog being part of the ArtSales.com.au family,
is that as one site improves in the search engines, it helps the other,
and that means
more brightly shining presence for everyone.
There's also a signature file generator so you can promote your work, your blog
and gallery with every e-mail you send. Or perhaps you'd like to generate online
postcards of your work. With us there's more than one way to create a presence,
with more ways to
sell more art more effectively, being added all the time.
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Complete this well known
defensive art statement:
"I don't know much about art but...
I know what I like!" Right?
Whenever you hear these words,
someone's feeling on the back foot about a simple opinion.
We naturally avoid situations where we feel inferior
or uncomfortable and sadly, for many, that's the art world.
Conversely, we seek out environments where we can grow
and our opinions are respected, and that's the aim here:
people returning this site and getting into art because of a mind shift to
"I don't know much about art but I know when I'm liked!"
A conversation I had with a childhood friend, about how enjoyable galleries are,
led to the comment that he never went to galleries because
"they were boring places for rich snobs".
The look on my face must have been obvious because he was quick to reassure that
he wasn't talking about me. Through my eyes, the art world is a warehouse of inspired
imagination but through his, it's a dauntingly exclusive place: austere galleries
displaying precious, expensive works, often overseen by dismissive gallery directors,
which he pointed out to me, left him and lots of others, feeling financially uncomfortable
or scared of saying the wrong thing.
My friend's perspective was an eye-opener to the need for friendlier, easier and
cheaper access to art, and a knowledge base so everyone can appreciate and learn
about art in the comfort of their own environment. This site is designed to remove
the traditional barriers to entry, letting some of the hot air out and hopefully,
having a few fresh breezes blow through.
By removing these barriers, ArtSales.com.au (and a few other sites),
are establishing a broader market with new players.
The game just got bigger and now hopefully
everyone feels welcome to play.
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"Dealer or no dealer?
Real partnerships with dealers can be great...
but who cares for your best interests more than you?"
With commissions of 25-50%, slow or no payment, and contracts including exclusivity
clauses with demands for commissions even when a work sells overseas or interstate
through another gallery, you have to question, how equal is the partnership that
some dealers and agents offer?
Please don't misunderstand me; dealers and agents take on the risks of an entrepreneur
and can be responsible for launching the career of an artist and making them famous.
They can also be quite valuable for those artists uncomfortable with the business
side of art, and many are very good.
However, industry surveys reveal frequent complaints, particularly when economic
conditions are a little tough, of drip fed payments, unreconciled accounts, undocumented
commissions, the granting of discounts or extended terms to collectors without the
artist's knowledge or permission, and galleries tenaciously hanging on to money
and artworks.
There have been instances of artist's
asking for the return of a work they believe hasn't sold,
only to receive payment with a memo saying
"You wouldn't believe it, but we sold that work only last week."
Melbourne artist Bruce Armstrong, well known for his
colossal wooden sculptures, commented that
"It's really stressful to think that you're working on something
for three months, then some dealer waltzes in when it's sold
and takes nearly half. Paying a bit of rent and running a shop
is much easier than making the art."
The Age: Review 01.10.05
Weigh carefully just how equal the partnership may be when considering a dealer
or agent, and avoid the unnecessary aggravation of being locked into a contractual
relationship with a slow-paying gallery.
An alternative, not just for emerging and established artists,
but also for forward looking galleries and entrpeneurial outlets,
is to use ArtSales.com.au, and the tools and strategies we provide for online representation.
The ability to develop relataionships with collectors and expand a client base is
one of the clear benefit of the 'art 2.0' approach.
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"Smaller costs and larger profits
A low 10% commission
lets you charge sub-gallery prices
and still make larger profits."
Lower starting prices can encourage more sales
and can help to establish your career more quickly.
The seller's guide on pricing goes into the psychology and dynamics
of this more thoroughly, in particular the sections titled:
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