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Getting Started
How do I register to buy?

Please register as a buyer by clicking "Not Registered?" at the top right of any page.

How do I sign up as a seller?

Please register as a seller by clicking "Become a Seller" at the bottom of any page, or go to https://www.artnet.com/auctions/become-a-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 the sellers on artnet Auctions?

Many artnet sellers are galleries and dealers with whom artnet already enjoys a business relationship and many are located worldwide. artnet Auctions was created to provide a secure marketplace for sellers and buyers to trade in works of art. Although artnet may provide comparable pricing data, facilitate transactions (through escrow or other arrangements) and use its best effort to assure authenticity of the artworks sold, artnet is not the seller, vendor, co-seller or co-vendor of any artwork purchased through the auction or through any after auction sales transaction. Click here 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. You will be required, however, to enter a credit card at the time of your registration. In order for artnet to provide assurance to our sellers, all bidders’ credit cards must be properly verified.

How do I use the Messaging Center?

Click My Auctions, then the “View Messages” to access your Messaging Center. From this page, you may read, respond to or compose messages. New messages are also indicated in the upper right-hand corner above the search field on any artnet Auctions Page.

How do I contact artnet?

Contact us via email or call us at +1-877-388-3256 in the US, at +49 (0)30 20 91 78 50 in Germany, or at +33 (0)1 42 86 67 16 in France. Please provide as many details about your concern as possible, such as dates, lot IDs, username, and anything else needed to help us answer your question.

Which browser should I use when visiting artnet 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 an artnet Analytics Report?

When you view lots on artnet Auctions, you may be shown artnet Analytics graphs, which provide relevant information for that particular artist and work over a certain period of time.

To know more about artnet Analytics offering, please visit the artnet Analytics product page.


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Browsing and Searching
How do I search?

To search artnet Auctions, simply click any category on the left menu, or select any search option from the top navigation.

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 or by other search options?

Please click either of the search options in the left navigation on the homepage:
• Search by Style
• Search by Medium
• Search by Price Range
• Search by Era
• Search by Ending Date
You can also click on Collecting Category or Advanced Search in the top navigation.

How do I browse or search by artist?

Please click Search by Artist in the top navigation and select an artist name from the list.

Additionally, click Advanced Search in the top navigation and then begin typing the name of the artist into the appropriate field. The system will suggest matches. Select the name you want and click “Search.”


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Bidding And Buying
How do I know what an item is worth?

Valuation is by its nature subjective. To provide guidance on the lot detail page, artnet supplies independent and verified information about the lot, when available, including the artist's past sales results and market trends graphs.

How do I bid?

Bidding is secure and easy. On the lot detail page, click the “Bid Now” button. This will open a form into which you can enter your bid amount. Once you confirm your bid, your bid will be placed. In order to bid you must first register as a buyer.

What are bid increments?

Every lot on artnet Auctions has an opening bid shown on the lot detail page. If the lot has not received any bid yet, then the minimum bid you can place is the same as the opening bid. Otherwise, the minimum bid is equal to the current bid plus a bid increment.

BID INCREMENTS
Minimum ValueMaximum ValueBid Increment
$1$4999$100
$5,000$9,999$200
$10,000$49,999$500
$50,000$99,999$1,000
$100,000$999,999$10,000
$1,000,000above $1,000,000$25,000


For example, if a lot has a current bid of US$1,500, you will have to bid a minimum of US$1,500+$100=$1,600.
If you try to bid US$1,550, your bid will not be accepted by the system.

Please contact artnet Auctions Client Services for more details.

How does artnet SmartBid service work?

When you bid on a lot, 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.
If the lot does not have a reserve price, artnet SmartBid will immediately bid on the current bid plus a bid increment.

Please note that artnet SmartBid will never raise your bid above the reserve price unless there are competing bids on the lot.

Please find the bid increments below:

BID INCREMENTS
Minimum ValueMaximum ValueBid Increment
$1$4999$100
$5,000$9,999$200
$10,000$49,999$500
$50,000$99,999$1,000
$100,000$999,999$10,000
$1,000,000above $1,000,000$25,000

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 if your bid amount at least meets the reserve.

Can I cancel or retract my bid?

All bids are binding and a bid cannot be cancelled or retracted. Mistakes can occur in which case you must contact artnet Auctions Client Services by e-mail or by phone at +1 877-388-3256 in the US or +49 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

Reasons for possible bid retraction or cancellation include entering the incorrect bid amount (For example: $10,000 instead of $1,000) or the lot’s description changed significantly after placing your bid.

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 or delete lots from My Watchlist?

On the lot detail page, click “Add to My Watchlist”. Please note that this was previously called "My Favorites" on artnet Auctions. To see the lots you are watching, go to "My Watchlist" page.
If you would like to remove a lot from your Watchlist, you can do so on "My Watchlist" page by clicking "Delete" or directly from the Lot Detail Page.

How do I manage notifications for lots on My Watchlist?

Log in to your artnet Auctions account and go to "My Watchlist" page. You will be able to select a type of alert for each lot. You can choose between being alerted when the lot closes in 6 hours, 1 hour, or whenever someone else places a bid on the lot.
If you do not want to receive any notification for lots on your Watchlist, unselect all alert options.

I have a question about an auction lot, what do I do?

artnet specialists are available to answer your questions. For more information about a particular lot, simply click "Contact the specialist” on the lot detail page.

What is an Artist Alert and how do I subscribe to it?

artnet Auctions Artist Alert is a service of automatic email notifications: Choose the artist(s) you want to follow, and then receive email alerts as soon as these artists come up for sale on artnet Auctions.
Subscribe to this service from the artnet Auctions homepage (bottom right), and update your artist anytime. This service is free of charge.

How do I add or delete artists from My Artist Alerts?

Log in to your artnet Auctions account and go to the Artist Alerts page. You will be able to select artist(s) you want to follow from there. After selecting artists, you will receive notifications by email whenever artworks by the selected artist(s) come up for sale on artnet Auctions.
You can select up to 30 artists to follow on artnet Auctions. If you would like to follow more artists or receive notifications when artworks by your favorite artists come up for sale in all auction houses worldwide, you can also subscribe to artnet Market Alert.

How do I see what lots I did and didn't win?

Go to your My Auctions page and, 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. This includes the location from which the item will ship. Typically, buyers are responsible for paying all shipping and insurance costs, which in turn may depend on the distance the artwork will travel and the final hammer price/final bid amount.

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.

As the winning bidder, how can I pay for an item I've won?

After the close of an auction, you will receive an automated e-mail from artnetauctions@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 back to artnet Auctions and will be 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.

Typically, you will inform the seller of your location so that he or she can provide you with a shipping quote and invoice. Once you remit payment in a method accepted by the seller, he or she will ship the piece directly to you.

Additionally, each seller has specific payment options for his or her lots. For further details, please communicate with the seller directly.

Is there a fee to buy?

For buyers, artnet charges each winning buyer a commission payable to artnet known as buyer’s premium. Currently, a 15% 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 US$1,000, the buyer’s premium will be US$150, payable to artnet). For more information regarding the buyer’s premium, please see below.

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 15% 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 US$1,000, the buyer’s premium will be US$150, 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 15% 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 email or call us at +1 877-388-3256 in the US, at +49 (0) 30 20 91 78 50 in Germany, or at or +33 (0)1 42 86 67 16 in France.

artnet 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/ Simply scroll over the euro symbol next to a bid amount.


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Selling
How do I list an item for auction?

If you are a registered seller, on the Manage Auctions & Inventory page, select “Enter 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 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 auction.

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 4MB.

I’m having trouble uploading my pictures. What should I do?

The most common reason for having trouble is that your image size is too big. If the image file size is larger than 4MB, you will need to shrink the image using image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop. If you encounter further issues, please contact us via email or call us 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, you may have the opportunity to list the item again. Please contact the specialist working on the lot for further information.

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. If you need to stop a live auction, you must contact us via email or call us at +1 877 388 3256 in the US or +49 (0) 30 2091 7850 in Germany.

My auction lot sold, how do I contact the buyer?

After the close of an auction, you will receive an automated e-mail from artnetauctions@artnet.com whether the auction lot has sold or not. 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 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.

Typically, the buyer will contact you via the Messaging Center with his or her location. You will then provide the buyer with a shipping quote and invoice and let the buyer know what payment methods you accept. Once the buyer remits payment, you will ship the lot directly to the buyer.

How do I view my sold, unsold, unfinished, submitted, or live lots?

Visit your Manage Auctions & Inventory page.

Is there a fee to sell?

For sellers, there is a US$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.

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 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 Auctions for a given billing cycle, you will not receive an invoice and you will not be charged.


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Account and Billing Information
I do not receive e-mails from artnet Auctions, what do I do?

Some of artnet Auctions’ e-mails to you are automatically generated and will arrive from the e-mail address artnetauctions@artnet.com. Some examples of these e-mails are bid confirmations, outbid notifications, sold lot notifications, and unsold lot notifications. With today’s anti-spam filters, sometimes these legitimate e-mails don’t get through. Check your junk mail or spam folder and/or add artnetauctions@artnet.com to your list of contacts.

Alternatively, 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 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.”

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. If your account has been temporarily suspended due to a declined charge, please contact us.

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. Additionally, you may contact us.

How do I change the e-mail and/or mailing address for my artnet Auctions account?

Go to your My Auctions page, click “Contact Information” and enter your new addresses.

How do I close my artnet account?

A member of our Client Services team will be happy to assist you with closing your artnet account. Please contact us.


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Transaction Problems and Protections
What steps can I take to protect myself when buying on artnet Auctions?

Your best protection is to follow the Terms of Use and conduct all business regarding the sale via artnet 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 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 Auctions 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 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, 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 a sale be cancelled due to a non-paying buyer, please contact us for a possible refund of your seller commission.


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