How do I register to buy?
Please register as a buyer by clicking "Sign up Now" at the top right of any page.

How do I sign up as a seller?
Please click on the link Become a Seller to register as an authorized artnet seller.

Why is my credit card being declined during registration?
Credit card validation is done by a third-party service. Occasionally credit cards are declined by the card issuer. In this case please try another card or call your credit card issuer.

Who are artnet's sellers?
Every artnet Online Auctions seller has been approved by artnet after a thorough review. Many artnet sellers are galleries and dealers with whom artnet already enjoys a business relationship and many are located worldwide. Artnet’s goal is to create a marketplace for the secure buying and selling of works of art, and the company is careful to admit only trustworthy sellers. Click on seller application to begin the registration process

Is there a fee to get started?
There is no fee to register as a buyer or to apply as a seller. In order for artnet to provide assurance to our sellers, all bidders’ credit cards must be properly verified.

For buyers, artnet charges each winning buyer a commission payable to artnet known as buyer’s premium. Currently, a 10% buyer’s premium is charged on all winning transactions – this premium is based on the winning bid amount (e.g., if the winning bid was $1,000, the buyer’s premium will be $100, payable to artnet). For more information regarding the buyer’s premium, please see below.

For sellers, there is a $25 listing fee for each item they list. Additionally, sellers are charged a commission fee when a lot is sold. The commission fee is 10% of the winning bid at the close of the auction. These fees and commission rates are explained during the seller application process.

How do I use the Messaging Center?
Click My Auctions, then the “View Messages” button to access your Messaging Center. New messages are also indicated in the upper right-hand corner above the search field on any artnet Online Auctions Page.

How do I contact artnet?
Contact us via e-mail or give us a call at +1 877-388-3256 in the US or +49 30 2091 7850 in Germany. Please provide as many details about your concern as possible, such as dates, auction IDs, user screen names and anything else needed to help us answer your question.

Which browser should I use when visiting artnet Online Auctions?
The site supports the following browsers: Internet Explorer (versions 6.0 and newer), Firefox (versions 2.0 and newer) and Safari (versions 3.0 and newer). If you are using an older version, please upgrade to a version supported by the site.

What is a Market Performance Report?
When you view lots at auction, you may be shown a Market Performance Report providing relevant information for that particular artist and work.

Market Performance Reports are a proprietary, fee-based service provided by artnet. The seven charts in each artnet Market Performance Report compile yearly auction market information from artnet’s Price Database on over 4,300 of the most important artists driving the global public auction market. These charts provide information which assists collectors, appraisers, advisors, curators, financial institutions, and art investors, and track such market trends as liquidity, volatility, sales volume, and pricing for artworks of interest. For more information, please see our artnet Market Performance Reports page.

How do I search?
The basic search function is located at the top right of every page. For more refined results, click Advanced Search.

Can I search by Auction ID?
If you know the unique auction ID of an item, go to the Advanced Search page and use the “Quick Find” box at the bottom of the form.

How do I browse by category?
Please click either of the categories in the main navigation: Photography, Prints, Painting and Sculpture, Works on Paper or Special Sales. You can also go to Advanced Search, select a category, and enter additional keywords like the artist or the title.

How do I browse by artist?
Please click Advanced Search in the main navigation. and then begin typing the name of the artist into the appropriate field. The system will suggest matches. Select the name you want, then click “Search”.

How do I know what an item is worth?
Valuation is by its nature subjective. To provide guidance, artnet has supplied helpful information, when available, on the lot detail page, including the artist's past sales results and market trends graph.

How do I bid?
Bidding is secure and easy. On the bidding page, click the “Place Bid” button. This will open a form into which you can enter your bid amount. Before you can place a bid, please register as a buyer.

How do I “Purchase Now”?
You may only “Purchase Now” if the seller has enabled this option. This will be indicated on the listing. When you click a “Purchase Now” button, you will be redirected to a confirmation page.

How does the SmartBid service work?
When you bid on an auction, you are asked to provide your maximum bid.  This is the amount that you are willing to pay for the lot.  The artnet SmartBid service automatically bids on your behalf, as needed, up to your maximum bid. This includes bidding on your behalf to meet the reserve price when placing the first bid on an auction lot. The SmartBid service will never raise your bid above the reserve price unless there are competing bids on the lot. Please find the SmartBid service bidding increments below:

SMARTBID BIDDING INCREMENTS
Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Bid Increment
$1	$999	$50
$1,000	$1,999	$100
$2,000	$4,999	$200
$5,000	$11,999	$500
$12,000	$15,499	$1,000
$15,500	$19,999	$2,500
$20,000	$99,999	$5,000
$100,000	$249,999	$10,000
$250,000	$499,999	$20,000
$500,000	$999,999	$50,000
$1,000,000	above $1,000,000	$100,000

How does reserve work with the artnet SmartBid service?
If there are no competing bids, the artnet SmartBid service will bid on your behalf up to the reserve price of a lot upon bid placement.

How do I cancel/retract my bid?
A bid can be retracted within 15 minutes of placing it, unless the auction has less than one (1) hour remaining. Retract a bid by contacting artnet at one of the numbers below. This is the only way to retract a bid.

If you are within these guidelines, please contact a coordinator by calling +1 877-388-3256 in the US or +49 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

How do I view the auctions I'm currently bidding on?
Go to your My Auctions page, click “All Buying”, then “Active Bids”.

How do I add an item to My Favorites?
On the bidding page, click “Add to My Favorites.” To see the lots you are watching, go to your My Favorites page and click “All Buying”.

How do I ask the seller a question?
Should you need to ask the seller a question before placing a bid, you may use the “Ask seller a question” link on the bidding page. You must be logged into your artnet Online Auctions account to view and to click on this link.

Additionally, you may send the seller a message using the Messaging Center or make contact through the “Contact Seller” link on that specific seller’s profile page, accessed by clicking on the seller’s screen name on the bidding page.

What is a bid alert?
Bid alerts are generated automatically and inform you when you've been outbid, won an auction or received an offer. To view your alerts, go to your My Auctions page, click “All Buying”, then “Alerts”.

How do I see what lots I did and didn't win?
Go to your My Auctions page and click “All Buying”, then “Items Won” Or “Items Not Won”.

What are the shipping policies?
Every seller is required to post detailed shipping information for his or her lots. Shipping costs are partially dependent upon the buyer’s location. If you have questions, please contact the seller directly.

Why did the auction end with the winning bid between two increments?
The winning bid was from a buyer who used a bidding agent. The auction system will accept a bidding agent's bid of any amount over the current bid as a final bid of an auction.

Why did the auction end after its original close time?
An auction is extended when a bid is made 10 minutes before the auction ends. The auction closing will be postponed for 10 minutes and may be the case several times until a one minute period has lapsed without bidding. When an auction is extended, bidders are notified via e-mail.

How can I pay for an item I've won?
After the close of an auction, you will receive an automated e-mail from DoNotReplyAuctions@artnet.com if you are the winning bidder. Within that e-mail, there will be a link to our Messaging Center. After clicking the link, you will be directed to artnet Online Auctions and prompted to log in to your account. A message box will be open for you to communicate payment and shipping arrangements to the seller. The seller will receive a similar e-mail at the close of the auction and may contact you as well.

Additionally, each seller has specific payment options for his or her lots. If the information provided by the seller is not clear, please contact the seller for clarification.

What is the buyer's premium? How am I charged for this?
artnet charges each winning buyer a commission payable to artnet known as buyer's premium. Currently, a 10% buyer's premium is charged on all winning transactions – this premium is based on the winning bid amount (e.g., if the winning bid was $1,000, the buyer's premium will be $100, payable to artnet). Once the auction closes where you are the winning bidder – your credit card on file with artnet will be charged the buyer's premium, which is currently 10%. If the charges are declined, artnet will contact you via e-mail. Please update your e-mail address should it change, as it is the primary communication venue between you and the auctions platform. Should you have any questions, contact us via e-mail or give us a call at +1 877-388-3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

artnet Online Auctions is in US dollars ($), how do I convert currencies?
Currently, all items must be listed in US dollars ($). artnet will calculate and display the corresponding amount in Euros (€) based on the previous business day's rates as reported on http://oanda.com/

How do I list an item for auction?
If you are a registered seller, on the Manage Auctions & Inventory page, select “Enter a New Lot” and follow the directions. Please register as a seller to list an item for sale.

What do I do if I can’t find my artist?
If your chosen artist is not in the artnet database, you must contact us by e-mail or call us at +1 877 388 3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

How do I add/upload photos to my lot?
In step five of the “Enter New Lot” process, you will have the opportunity to upload image files from your computer to artnet Online Auctions.

Can I edit or remove photos from my lot?
Once your lot has been approved for auction by artnet, you cannot edit or remove any photos. Please contact us or call us at +1 877 388-3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany if you must make changes to a live listing.

Can I change the order of photos in my listing?
Yes. During step five of the “Enter New Lot” process, after your photos have been uploaded, you can change the order by using our advanced drag and drop capability. However, if your listing has already been approved by artnet, no changes can be made.

What types of images can I upload? Is there a size restriction?
Images in JPG, GIF and BMP formats can be uploaded onto the site. The maximum image file size that can be uploaded is 500k.

I’m having trouble uploading my pictures. What should I do?
We’re sorry you’re having difficulty. The most common reason for having trouble is that your image size is too big. If the image file size is larger than 500k, you will need to shrink the image using image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop. Still having problems? contact us or give us a call at +1 877 388-3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

What does “Relist” mean?
If a lot does not sell at auction, it can be set to automatically list again at a later date. This option can be activated when a seller creates a new listing by selecting the “Relist” feature during step four of the “Enter a New Lot” process.

How do I delete a listing?
Visit your seller inventory page and click the “X” next to the listing you wish to delete. You cannot delete a live auction; however, you can delete “Purchase Now” items even when they are live. Note: If you need to stop a standard live auction, you must contact us or call us at +1 877 388 3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

How do I contact the buyer?
After the close of an auction, you will receive an automated e-mail from DoNotReplyAuctions@artnet.com whether the auction lot sells. If the auction lot does sell, within that e-mail, there will be a link to our Messaging Center. After clicking the link, you will be directed to artnet Online Auctions and prompted to log in to your account. A message box will be open for you to communicate payment and shipping arrangements to the buyer. The buyer will receive a similar e-mail at the close of the auction and may contact you as well.

Additionally, you may send the buyer a message using the Messaging Center or make contact through a link on that specific buyer’s profile page.

How do I view my sold lots, pending lots and current lots?
Visit your Manage Auctions & Inventory page.

How do I view my invoices?
Visit your My Auctions page and click “Invoices and Payments”. Current invoices will be available on the fifth business day of the month and will cover all fees and commissions for the previous calendar month.

As a seller, how do I pay my artnet fees?
Most sellers pay their seller’s listing fees and commissions automatically through the credit card on file for their account. Typically, this credit card is provided at the time of registration. artnet Online Auctions will invoice you bi-monthly via e-mail for the listing fees and commissions from 1st to 15th and from the 16th to the end of the month. Your credit card will be charged on the 25th and 10th (of the following month), respectively.
Should you not list or sell any works of art on artnet Online Auctions for a given billing cycle, you will not receive an invoice and you will not be charged.

How do I leave feedback for a buyer or seller?
You may leave feedback for a buyer or seller after your transaction is completed. In the Alerts section of your My Auctions page there will be a link “Leave Feedback” that you can click to rate the user and to leave a more detailed comment.

How do I view my feedback and what is the rating scale?
You may access your feedback from your Profile page.

You should rate your impression of your transaction with another user based on the following scale:
1: Very Poor 2: Poor 3: Moderate 4: Good 5: Excellent
You may supplement this rating with a comment, which will be displayed on the user’s Profile page.

Your current rating is the average of the ratings given to you by other users.

Can I remove negative feedback or feedback left in error?
Generally, we cannot remove negative feedback unless it has been left as the result of a misunderstanding or in error. Contact us if you have concerns about this matter, and a member of our Client Services team will be happy to assist you.

If you left feedback for the wrong user, please contact us, and it will be withdrawn.

I do not receive e-mails from artnet Online Auctions, what do I do? Some of artnet Online Auctions’ e-mails to you are automatically generated and will arrive from the e-mail address DoNotReplyAuctions@artnet.com. Some examples of these e-mails are bid confirmations, outbid notifications, sold lot notifications, unsold lot notifications, etc. With today’s anti-spam filters, sometimes these legitimate e-mails don’t get through. Check your junk mail or spam folder.

Alternately, please check the e-mail address registered to your account and make any appropriate changes should they be necessary.

I forgot my login name and/or password. What do I do?
If you forgot your password, you may click the “Request password” link at the top right of any artnet Online Auctions page. A new password will be generated and an e-mail will be sent to you. To change your automatically generated password, please see below.

If you have forgotten both your login name and password, please contact us, and a member of our Client Services team will be happy to provide them to you.

How do I change my password?
Go to your My Auctions page and click “Change Password.”

Can I change my screen name?
Please contact us for help changing your screen name.

I’m a buyer, how do I update my billing or contact information?
Visit your My Auctions page to access or change your billing or contact information.

I’m a seller, how do I update my billing or contact information?
Visit your My Auctions page to access or change your contact information and billing information.

How do I change the e-mail and/or mailing address for my artnet account?
Go to your My Auctions page, click “Contact Information” and enter your new addresses.

How do I close my artnet account?
A Client Services representative will be happy to assist you with closing your artnet account. Please contact us.

What steps can I take to protect myself when buying on artnet Online Auctions?
All artnet sellers are individually authorized by artnet. Most sellers are well-known members of the art community with whom artnet has done business previously. Your best protection is to follow the Terms of Use and conduct all business regarding the sale via artnet Online Auctions. And, of course, gather all information that you need – e.g., previous sales by the artist, damage reports, etc. As per the artnet Assurance Policy, if you buy an item that is not delivered as indicated in the description, the sale can be rescinded and your purchase price refunded.

I have a dispute with another artnet Online Auctions member. What should I do?
Most disputes occur due to misunderstandings between the buyer and seller. First, try to communicate directly with your trading partner to resolve the issue. In extreme cases, artnet may become involved to mediate a dispute. If you would like additional information, please e-mail us or call us at +1 877 388-3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

Why was my account suspended?
There are a few reasons why your account may be suspended from artnet Online Auctions. Contact us to discuss your account suspension.

As a buyer, how do I report a problem with an item and/or receive a refund for a returned lot?
If an item you paid for was not shipped by the seller, arrives significantly different than described or arrives damaged, please contact the seller directly. If the sale is eventually cancelled by artnet, you may be entitled to a refund from the seller. To receive a refund for the amount you paid to the seller, please contact the seller directly.

Additionally, please contact us regarding a possible refund of your buyer’s premium.

How do I report a seller or buyer for not completing a transaction?
Please contact us immediately.

As a seller, how do I receive a refund for my commission fee for a cancelled sale?
Should artnet cancel a sale due to a non-paying buyer, please contact us for a possible refund of your seller commission.

What is the Beta version of artnet Online Auctions?
Beta is a test version of the site that is functional for the general public to use. Companies launch in “Beta” to get feedback from a larger audience and improve its features and services