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Would you buy art over the Internet? Most people would probably answer no, says Rick Goodale. But surprisingly, some people do buy original art despite not having previously seen it in the flesh, so to speak. This can happen if a client collects a certain artist and is aware of the quality and/or value, or, as with buying at Artbank.com, there is a full money back policy if you do not like the piece when it arrives. However, as most works look much better on the wall than they appear on a computer screen, so far we have not had any returned.

Although the Internet has opened up extensive trading possibilities for artists and galleries, it has also presented a new set of problems. One of these is that artists, who would normally have their commercial value developed and managed by a gallery, can now be contacted directly by people (who have seen their work in a gallery) whose only interest is to buy work as cheaply as possible. Accordingly, there are now some galleries that will not exhibit the work of artists who run their own websites. Ideally, artists who feel they need a website should use it only as a showcase with the site directing all potential purchasers to their gallery, where the work can be viewed and purchased. Even a few well-known and respected artists who have opened their own websites have seen the previously well established value of their work drop considerably as they have become too accessible ? much to the dismay of their collectors and the galleries who developed their commercial value. Few, if any, artists have ever really made it without the backing of a gallery or dealer and unfortunately many allow themselves to be easily exploited when approached directly.

One of the main misconceptions about websites is that artists think they can just set one up and then wait for the customers to come rolling in. It doesn?t work like that. Websites, like any business, need to be marketed. Just setting up a website among the millions out there and not promoting it is like winking at someone across a darkened room ? you know what you?re doing but no one else does! Constant international marketing of a site is an absolute must if you want people to be aware of it. The reason most people don?t do it, of course, is cost. Simple websites can be comparatively cheap to set up and run but the cost of promoting and advertising them can be prohibitive.

At Artbank we decided early on during our website development that we didn?t just want an ordinary gallery site but a site that, if necessary, could have a life of its own with the gallery featured on it. We regard it as an extension of our London gallery wall space and we are extremely selective about the work we feature. Recently, we also included an area where private owners can offer their paintings for sale. We view the site as a partner in the business which acts as an initial introduction to Artbank, but in no way do we depend on it for sales. Quite often, those who see something of interest while browsing the site will actually buy something completely different when they visit the gallery to view ? but the site has fulfilled its function and brought people into the gallery.

Rick Goodale is Director of Artbank.
t: 020 7608 3333; e: info@artbank.com;
w: http://www.artbank.com