How to Run an Online Art Auction
Paintings, prints, sculpture and works on paper sell online to collectors who may never visit your gallery. This guide is for galleries, artists and collectors setting up a timed online art auction that buyers can trust.
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Agree the consignment terms
If you sell work for others, put the terms in writing before anything is listed: the seller’s commission, the reserve, who pays for photography, framing and shipping, what happens if the work does not sell, and when the seller is paid. It prevents most disputes before they start.
Document each work
- Artist, title, date, medium, dimensions (with and without frame) and edition number for prints.
- Signature and inscriptions, and where they are on the work.
- Provenance — previous owners, exhibitions and literature — and any certificate of authenticity.
- Condition: framing, fading, foxing, tears, restoration.
Photograph work accurately
Photograph the whole work square-on, in even light with no glare, and colour-true; then the signature, the back, the frame and any damage. For sculpture, several angles. Buyers of art decide largely on the image, so a poor photograph costs money.
Check the rights and rules
In the EU, the UK and some other countries the artist’s resale right may entitle the artist or their estate to a royalty on resales above a threshold. Reproducing a work in your catalogue may also be subject to copyright rules. Check what applies where you sell, and make sure each consignor has the right to sell the work.
Set estimates and reserves
Publish an estimate for each work and agree the reserve with the consignor; the reserve normally sits at or below the low estimate. Emerging artists’ work often sells better with a modest start that invites early bids. Close lots a few minutes apart and use soft close, so a late bid extends the clock.
Reach collectors
Send the catalogue to your collector list, give each artist a link to share with their own following, and time the close for an evening when collectors can watch. A preview in the gallery before the online close helps for larger works.
Payment, packing and delivery
Take payment before release. Art needs professional packing and insured transport; decide whether you arrange it or the buyer does, and state it — with any charge — on every lot. International sales may carry export or import formalities, so check them before shipping abroad.
Frequently asked questions
What information does an art auction listing need?
Artist, title, date, medium, dimensions, edition for prints, signature and inscriptions, provenance, condition, an estimate, and accurate photographs of the front, the back, the signature and any damage.
What is the artist's resale right?
In the EU, the UK and some other countries, artists and their estates may be entitled to a royalty when their work is resold above a certain price through the art market. Whether and how it applies depends on the country and the price, so check before the sale.
How should I set reserves for art?
Agree the reserve with the consignor and keep it at or below the low estimate. For emerging artists, a modest start that attracts early bids often ends higher than a high reserve that deters them.
Who pays for shipping artworks?
Usually the buyer, but decide it in advance and state it on every lot, including whether packing and insurance are included.