1. Where can I take my works to be scanned?
Most local service bureaus (Photo Processors, Printers, Kinkos, Wal-Mart) offer image scanning and digitizing services.
If using a service like the ones mentioned above remember that the images must be in a format at least 600 pixels on the images longest edge and no less than 72 DPI.
2. What happens if I sell one of my pieces at a gallery?
All listings are posted "subject to prior sale"; therefore, you can sell your works and simply notify us immediately so we can post that piece "sold". We do not earn an agency fee unless we sell your art.
3. Where are your offices situated?
Our offices are located in Hot Springs, Arkansas at 804 Central Avenue. You may call us at 888.361.8484, fax us at 501-624-2859, or e-mail us at artistsupport@art-exchange.com
4. Can I sell multiples?
In the case of "multiples" or "edition works" you pay to list one time and sell through the entire edition at no additional listing fee.
5. How will the search be done?
As your listings are entered into our database, we capture artist's name, subject matter, style, medium, colors, sizes, keywords, and price. Professional buyers and retail buyers may locate needed works by searching with one or all of these criteria.
6. What about insurance?
The Company keeps a "blanket insurance policy" in place which protects our Selling Members against loss while your work is in our building. In the event of loss our policy will pay Seller the cost of goods only. Our insurance does not cover the artwork during shipping, the seller will need to insure the art while it is in transit.
7. Who will pay for the shipping of artwork?
The Seller will ship the artworks to art-exchange.com and we will ship to the Buyer. The Buyer will incur costs of shipping and handling.
8. When did you launch your website?
June 1, 2000.
9. What kind of promotions are you going to have?
We believe the following professional trade groups influence most art sales: galleries, interior decorators, commercial designers, architects, dealers and frame shops. We advertise in their trade journals, attend their trade shows, e-market and telemarket these groups. For more details on promotions contact us at 888.361.8484 and ask for the marketing department.
10. How will you get people to buy my pieces?
We believe what art sellers need the most is continuous exposure to the professional buyer's eyeballs. Traditionally this has meant advertising, and the cost of advertising is often outside the budget of most sellers. We market to these industry groups on your behalf.
11. I am a dealer, what is the cost to purchase artwork wholesale?
If you are a commercial or residential designer and can provide adequate credential (Federal Tax ID number, Resale Tax ID number and company letter head) we can grant you a username and password enabling you acces to over 70,000 different pieces of art at wholesale pricing. With our extensive database and search engine you are assured of making the best choice with respect to quality and price every time and in less time than it would take to resource art in any other way. If you want full-service art consultancy we are staffed to satisfy your requirement immediately. Inquire about our free subscription and art consultancy today.
12. What happens to damaged goods? Who pays for it?
Our insurance policy covers art while it is shipped to the Buyer. This policy pays restoration costs on minor damage and cost of goods in the event of total loss.
13. Who will authenticate all the pieces?
art-exchange offers works on a "artwork delivered is artwork described by Seller" basis. Buyers have a 48 hour Satisfaction period in which Buyers may determine if "the artwork delivered is the artwork described" by Seller. For an additional fee, quoted on a case by case basis, art-exchange will undertake to authenticate a piece for a Buyer.
14. Do you list sculptures?
Yes.
15. I have my works listed on another Internet company, why should I list my works with you?
When it comes to selling art, there is no "one answer". If you are getting results you are satisfied with, you should also list your works with us, if you are dissatisfied with the results you are experiencing, give us a try!
16. We have artists that we represent exclusively, how can we sell their works on the net?
If you are an agent or a gallery with exclusive representations of artists, then you are the seller. List your artist's works on art-exchange as "seller" and all offers will be remitted to you. By listing available works on art-exchange you give your artists additional buy side reach.
17. When will you go public or obtain additional private financing?
Conducting an IPO is dependent on, among other things, market conditions, locating a suitable underwriter, and the stage of growth the Company is in when seeking an IPO. We intend on seeking one more private round of financing then an IPO, assuming the above conditions are met.
18. I have a new listing package or I am participating in a show. What do I do now?
The very first thing to do is speak with Artist Support. Within 48 hours of your purchase you will receive a phone call or an email from Artist Support with details about listing your art on the site for listing promotion or further promotion in one of the art shows we attend.
19. How do I size and format my images to work properly on the site?
First you will need an image manipulation application like Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, Paint Shop Pro, or other similar program.
You will need three digital images of each piece you are listing.
The images need to be at a resolution no higher than 72 DPI and need to be saved as RGB mode and medium jpg compression.
Image names need to be determined using the title of the piece followed by an underscore and the dimensions of the image for example:
mypaintingname600.jpg
mypaintingname400.jpg
mypaintingname125.jpg
Image #1: Needs to measure 600 pixels on the largest dimension for the "Zoomed" Image.
Image #2: Needs to measure 400 pixels on the largest dimension for the "Large" Image
Image #3: Needs to measure 125 pixels on the largest dimension for the "Thumbnail" Image.
THE JPG IMAGE NAMES MAY NOT CONTAIN ANY SPACES OR SPECIAL CHARACTERS SUCH AS ~!@#$%^&*
Only the hyphen "-" along with letters and numbers are permitted. Not following this convention *WILL* result in an error possibly requiring all of the data to be re-entered.
20. When you sell a piece of my art, what does it cost me?
art-exchange.com is a "for profit" company and as such earn monies in a variety of ways. For example, we earn a 10% agency fee on the sale of your artwork. Bear in mind, we are organized as a business-to-business website, and as such all of our marketing efforts are directed at the professional, repeat buyers, such as designers and art dealers who expect to purchase art at wholesale, mark it up and sell it at retail. You should expect most of our transactions to be wholesale transactions. You may direct a retail buyer to purchase one of your works. When doing so, please give us a "head's up" in advance so we may complete the transaction as a retail transaction. In this instance you would earn 90% of the retail price accepted by you.
21. I am not interested in selling online, the galleries I work with see it as competition against them.
We understand your point of view and you are fortunate to have found solid gallery support.
Artists seldom enjoy the application of the Laws of Supply and Demand applied to fine art; however, from a business perspective the more demand you can generate for what you create the shorter the supply and therefore the higher the price may go.
Given the highly visual nature of Art; it is arguably one of the best possible products for the Internet and we have learned by our experience that to ignore the Internet can be a big mistake for any artist.
Over the past decade the number of Internet users has grown from 20 million to 2 billion…2 billion potential buyers who are growing more comfortable daily doing business over the Internet.
Artists and Galleries, as a group are typically Slow Adopters of new technologies. My advice is, adopt a strategy and move into the Internet space because your future depends on it. Huge retail chains like Wal-Mart™ and Target™ have taken a large share of the “framed picture” piece of business from the galleries and framers and they are not giving it back.
Art businesses must adapt to survive.
Our company is the industry leader. We are here to help, not hurt, art commerce on a global scale. Perhaps you, your gallery owner and art-exchange could discuss ways we might help you stay ahead of the curve. Please contact an art consultant with your questions.
If you are in one of the following industry groups, here is how
art-exchange may be of service to you...
Artists:
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Need buy side exposure
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Need demand generation efforts
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Need sales support
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Need Internet presence
Solutions offered by art-exchange:
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Generates buy side exposure through marketing efforts
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Conducts demand generation activities
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Takes care of the entire transaction process
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art-exchange.com becomes your Internet presence
Galleries and Independent Art Brokers:
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Need artwork to match your local demographics
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Need "just in time inventory" when buyers don't find what they need on your
gallery walls
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Need to keep up on the latest art offered at Art Expos
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Need exposure for your art products in trade magazines
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Need to sell through "dead inventory"
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Need improved methods of packaging and shipping product
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Need an easy way to locate art not in inventory for clients
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Need a way to put your products in reach of more buyers
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Need more depth of inventory
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Need to turn your inventory more often
Solutions offered by art-exchange:
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Offers literally "something for everybody" through our extensive database,
easily located behind our search engine.
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Our listings can be "just in time inventory" for you
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We list all of the latest art work offered at the Expos
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List your artwork with us and let us do the advertising
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Sell through your "dead inventory" by listing it as a "special offer" on
art-exchange
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We facilitate sales for our Subscribing Members
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When a buyer is walking out of the door, bring him back to do an art search on
art-exchange. We have something for everybody.
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By listing your artwork on art-exchange you gain more buy side exposure for
your artists
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By partnering with art-exchange you have "depth of inventory" and it is "just
in time"
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Partner with us for more inventory turns
Publishers:
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Need to find more outlets for your art products
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Need more exposure at trade shows of industry groups
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Need to advertise in more industry trade journals
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Need to market your art products without channel conflict
Solutions offered by art-exchange
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art-exchange markets its art listings to, every art gallery, interior
decorator, commercial designer, architect, and dealer
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art-exchange attends industry trade shows
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art-exchange advertises in industry trade journals
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art-exchange represents your products without channel conflict to every art
gallery, interior decorator, commercial designer, architect, and dealer by
advertising in their trade journals, attending their trade shows, e-marketing
and telemarketing
Strategies to Attract Customers:
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Search Engines
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Banners
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Online classified ads
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Message Boards
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Registering users and sending e-mail
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Links to other web sites
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Newsgroups
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Discussion lists
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Traditional media
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Press Releases
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Trademarks
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Branding
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Television
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Chatlines with major artists
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Target marketing to all galleries, art consultants, environmental designers, as
well as to the corporate and private art buyers around the world
Additional Notes:
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Customer friendly design
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Push Technologies (Marimba, Microsoft, Netscape)
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Personalization of sites
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Customer service features
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Making each visit a new experience
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Frequently Asked Questions