Buying Art Online? Here’s A Handy Guide To Answer Most Common Questions!

The wonders of technology have transformed the internet into an exciting marketplace in the last decade. From travel bookings to gadgets, appliances to cosmetics, almost everything is easily accessible with a single click. However, when it comes to purchasing high value paintings, a lot of people tend to hesitate. Buying art online has a multitude of benefits such as access to a wide collection, no limitations of geographical location, yet buyers tend to be hesitant as there is little to no physical interaction with the seller or there are doubts about the authenticity of the piece. 

A lot of our clients are first-time buyers and come with a long list of (absolutely valid) questions about all aspects of the process, from the artistic to the logistical. Based on our collective experience of advising clients over the years, we’ve put together a basic guideline to make the whole process of buying art online a little less daunting. 

Here are a few things to consider:

Know Your Preferences
Do you have a favourite type of art that you like? Seascapes, abstracts, landscapes, still life? If you don’t have a preference, watch out for things that pull your attention in day to day life. Visiting local galleries and shops that sell art, attending studio events and even paying attention to paintings in your friends’ home will help you understand what you like. 

You can also add keywords such as “abstract art” “traditional Indian art” on Instagram and Pinterest – these are excellent digital resources and can come handy to help you understand what type of art appeals most to you in terms of style, colour, subject. 

Keep a Budget
The price of an artwork depends on many factors – originals and commissioned pieces are almost always expensive while art prints tend to be a little more affordable. Some buyers shop for art to celebrate milestones or special occasions while others want to build a habit (and a kitty) to buy art regularly. Assess your spending habits and set a budget aside accordingly. 

Location, Location, Location!
Where your painting is going to be is one of the most important factors to take into consideration. If you have a large, plain wall that you want to decorate, a large painting is an obvious choice. A smaller painting may get lost on a big wall but a gallery wall of a collection of small paintings looks charming! Conversely, small paintings add a lot of character to the space when displayed on a corner wall, over a cabinet or on an empty wall between two doors. 

When it comes to picking out artwork you want to shortlist, trust your instincts. There is no right or wrong answer here as art is subjective. Don’t feel pressured to buy a piece just because the artist is popular, instead pick paintings that pull you in!  

Buy From Trustworthy Websites
A trustworthy online art gallery website will typically offer multiple modes of payment, and will accept major credit cards or online transfers. This is also a good marker to assess the security of your online payment process.

Privacy, Return and Refund Policies, Terms of Service links on the website are also great markers of credibility. You will mostly find these pages linked in the footer section located at the bottom of the gallery website.  

Some websites also have testimonials from happy customers or reviews with star ratings – all adding to the credibility and seamless purchasing experience. In case you have any questions, it is always best to reach out to the site owner via email, they should be able to provide you with satisfactory answers. If anything feels off, trust your gut!

Understand Gallery Policies
All online galleries have their own shipping and delivery policies. These are usually in the footer section of the website, but if you have doubts, reach out to the website owner with any questions you may have!

Buying art online is a lot different than experiencing a painting live. Studio or gallery websites will usually display high resolution images to give you a clear idea about the artwork in terms of details, colours, etc. While most artwork looks way better in person than its online display, sometimes individual expectations may fall short. Make sure the website has a return policy (usually in the footer!). The return window may vary from one online art gallery to another but in most cases, you should be able to return an artwork for a refund. It is important you are comfortable with the online gallery’s return policies before you commit to buying an artwork – send that email if you have any doubts! 

Research Well
Thanks to technology, website functionality, encryption of private information, privacy laws have progressed by leaps and bounds and buying art online is just like buying any other commodity. Make sure you research well, ask questions to get doubts cleared and keep an eye out for markers of credibility on the website.   

Buying art online is much easier and far more common than it once was. Technology has gone a long way in making the whole process seamless and hassle-free. In case you have any questions about buying art from Studio3 Art Gallery, feel free to drop us a line at info@studio3india.com– we’d be happy to assist you in any way possible.