5 TIPS FOR BUYING ART ONLINE
Online shopping has become an increasingly important part of our lives.
From food to clothing, from home decorations to gadgets, we can buy anything we want online and our shopping habits are increasingly influenced by the use of digital tools.
Buying art online is also becoming increasingly common and it is important to use a gallery with a proven track record.
Have you ever thought about buying art online? Here are 5 tips to get you started.
1. Don’t rush, online art galleries never close
One of the advantages of buying art online is that you can easily buy new works without having to physically go to the gallery.
Online art galleries are always open, offer catalogues full of artworks and offer interesting solutions to buy art safely, deliver it directly to your home without any problems and save a lot of time.
All you need is a computer or a Smartphone and you can view a variety of artworks and make a selection of your favourites.
If you are a lover of modern abstract paintings, for example, you can view just that type of artwork, but if you are looking for sculptures, you can view all the artworks available on the market.
Taking the time to decide what to buy and what budget to spend is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the online art buying process.
2. Where to buy art online
There are many galleries offering an e-commerce service with a wide range of original artworks by emerging and established artists.
The advice is to start with those galleries that have been on the market for a long time such as Galleria Raffaello, an Italian e-commerce with a team with more than 30 years of experience in the sector, which offers a selection of historic and contemporary artists, a rich catalogue of works and a range of consultancy services.
Art is a personal choice that requires contact with the work, the artist or the gallery owner rather than the click of a mouse. However, Galleria Raffaello has succeeded in combining the real with the virtual, transferring its own experience to the web and helping to turn buying art online into a completely new experience.
3. Check all the information
The other advantage of buying art online is that you can browse at your leisure, comparing and reconsidering the works that have caught your eye.
If the work you like is presented online with several high-quality photographs and details, you will most likely not have any surprises when the work arrives at your home.
Most online art galleries offer works in categories such as paintings, sculptures, art objects, etc. This makes it easy to find your way around.
In this way it is easy to find your way to your favourite type of artwork from the comfort of your own home.
If you have any uncertainties, do not hesitate to ask for additional information and details before proceeding with the payment.
4. How to choose the right artwork
You don’t have to be an expert or an art historian to buy art online, but before you decide make sure you look at as many artworks as possible to familiarise yourself with the market, identify trends and, above all, develop your own personal taste.
If you have questions, feel free to ask professionals for information.
There are galleries, such as Galleria Raffaello, that offer a consultancy service to help you find the right work thanks to their thirty years of experience in the sector.
A valuable tip if you are a novice collector: focus on emerging artists!
A good way to buy art online at an affordable price in the beginning is to choose a work by an emerging artist.
If you have the makings of a collector, the likelihood that the work will become more valuable as the artist’s career progresses is very high.
However, don’t forget that buying art online is not only an investment but above all a pleasure. The potential value a work might have in the future should be a secondary concern, while your taste and aesthetic sense should be your priority.
5. Define a budget
Define your budget at the beginning of your search and stick to it.
No matter how big or small the amount you can spend, you will always be able to find the work that suits you.
As for the price set by the online gallery, do some research to find out more about the artist.
See how well known he or she is in the art world or see if he or she has the potential to become a reference in the future.
Also, make sure that the work is authentic and that a certificate of guarantee is provided, as is the case with works from Raphael Gallery. This is an important detail and also affects the final price.
The online description of the work must obviously be clear, precise and accompanied by several good quality photographs.
Don’t forget to read the terms and conditions set by the seller: the conditions of sale and payment, any additional costs (transport costs, customs duties, etc.), delivery times, returns.
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