If you like contemporary art, you've probably heard of Artsper, the French online art sales site. For several years, this Parisian start-up has been revolutionizing the ways of buying art, which were long limited to physical purchases in galleries. Since 2013, Artpser has been shaking up the art world by making it accessible to everyone.
And since this week marks the start of the famous FIAC (International Contemporary Art Fair) in Paris, a major art gathering, we thought it would be interesting to talk with François-Xavier Trancart, co-founder of Arstper. This was an opportunity to discuss the success story of this platform, but also, and above all, to reflect on the issues related to the digitalization of the art market.
What is the genesis of Artsper?
My partner and I did not come from the art world at all, but we were what you might call uninitiated art lovers. I often went to see big exhibitions, but not having taken art history classes, I sometimes felt uncomfortable in galleries.
There was also a founding observation: many people around us, especially our parents' friends, often didn't have any art at home even though they could afford it. Why didn't they ever buy any even though they frequently went to exhibitions? We quickly realized that the classical art market simply wasn't aimed at them.
There is already discrimination from a geographical point of view, linked to French centralization: most galleries are located in the Paris region. Without being in a big city, it is really more difficult to have access to the art market.
The idea of Artsper was therefore not to cannibalize the work of galleries, but rather to work with them to reach a new audience. It was not easy to get them to come to digital because the art world is an environment that was initially quite reluctant to this more "commercial" operation. But little by little, it is starting to change and come out of its conservatism. It is now common to see the prices of works displayed at fairs, which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
So in 2012, 2013, we were looking for sites where we could buy art online, and we realized that there were very few. And since we were convinced of the existence of a certain psychological or social barrier to buying art, we launched Artsper.
How can we get around the sensitive relationship to the work, which is particularly strong with art, especially in painting?
It was a real question from the start. I myself could have been a little hesitant about the idea of buying online. But in reality, we quickly realized that it was really not a problem. Most people buy either because they already know the artist beforehand, or because they have a crush. It is very rare that they are disappointed once the work is in front of them.
Moreover, we have noted that for almost half of the people who make a first purchase on Artpser, it is in reality their first art purchase at all. Sometimes they go to galleries, and then come home to buy on Artsper, from their couch. There is a pressure factor that is removed in online purchasing.
We have of course developed a very efficient return policy, buyers have 14 days to return the works to us in case of dissatisfaction. But in reality, after a crush online, it is rare that a customer is disappointed when receiving it, with the "wow" effect of the physical. Besides, it's the same when I discover an artist on Instagram, it is rare that I am surprised when seeing the works in real life.
Very few returns, therefore, which is quite rare in online sales.
We ultimately reach a fairly well-off audience. To be honest, at the beginning, we capped the works at 5,000 euros. We really thought that no one would buy more expensive online... One of the first works that we sold to someone other than our parents was a painting for 4,900 euros! In reality, many people don't ask themselves any questions and buy like you and I might crack on a pair of shoes for 150 euros... It's hard, but it's true! And it's with these people that we have the least problems with payment failures. Many people also go through Artsper for the insurance that we offer. We can't say that art dealers are the greatest businessmen sometimes. I remember an order, where the dealer had packed a work for 10,000 euros in a box sealed with tape. With Artsper, everything is easy, we have a ton of insurance, certificates.
Even some collectors come to us today because they know they will be delivered on time. There is a reassuring side.
Is it possible to negotiate on your site, like in an art gallery?
Yes, but ultimately it is a type of buyer who is not particularly looking to save money. Our segment is the sale of works between 1,000 and 20,000 euros. On the other hand, the slightly "luxurious" attentions, such as the organization of private exhibitions or the addition of the artist's book in the package, are greatly appreciated. We are reaching a target quite close to that of Farfetch or Vestiaire Collective, where customers can spend astronomical sums at once. It is quite fascinating.
It is a real question of understanding how to sell this type of goods online. Digital technology calls into question many operating methods, particularly in the worlds of art and fashion.
Yes, the world of luxury is always a little ahead of the world of art. Vestiaire or Farfetch asked themselves the question of how to sell a Chanel bag without the expertise in store, before we asked ourselves the same question for art online. There is also a fundamental question in the broader sense. Whether it is fashion weeks or contemporary art fairs. Digital can replace, to a certain extent, the successive fairs. There are many art fairs today, Art Basel, Miami, the FIAC, Asian fairs... It is a succession of fairs during which the same artists are presented by the same galleries. On an ecological level it is a disaster. I am not saying that I would like to replace everything with digital, I also love fairs and the physical is irreplaceable, especially for many galleries or spaces that wait for these events to rent their spaces. But the big war machines that present the same galleries every month are a kind of "fast art", for which digital can offer an alternative.
The covid crisis has also changed things. Art galleries were still operating on a fairly old model, but during covid, online sales allowed many of them to survive. There were no more fairs, no more exhibitions, and most galleries did not have an e-shop module…
And you, what do you wear to go to a contemporary art fair?
When you arrive at fairs, people are always in suits. I'm more of a denim shirt person , or a velvet shirt open over a T-shirt in winter. Always a shirt in any case, I don't really like the idea of being dressed to the nines. We're still a start-up and what's more, I don't want to take myself seriously. It's rare that I wear a classic shirt like today, but tonight, I have an event... "suit" required, so no choice!