If you like contemporary art, you have probably heard of Artsper, the French website for selling artworks online. For several years, this Parisian start-up has been revolutionising the ways people buy art, long limited to physical purchases in galleries. Since 2013, Artpser has been shaking up the art world by making it accessible to everyone.
And as this week marks the start in Paris of the famous FIAC (International Contemporary Art Fair), a major gathering for the art world, we thought it would be interesting to speak with François-Xavier Trancart, co-founder of Arstper. An opportunity to discuss the success story of this platform, but also, and above all, to reflect on the challenges linked to the digitalisation of the art market.
What is the origin story of Artsper?
My business partner and I do not come from the art world at all, but we were what might be called uninitiated art lovers. I often went to see major exhibitions, but having not studied art history, I sometimes felt uncomfortable in galleries.
There was also a founding observation: many people in our circle, especially our parents’ friends, often had no art at home even though they could afford it. Why did they never buy any when they frequently went to exhibitions? We quickly realised that the traditional art market simply was not aimed at them.
There is already geographical discrimination linked to French centralisation: most galleries are located in the Paris region. Without being in a major city, it is genuinely more difficult to access the art market.
Artsper’s idea was not to cannibalise the work of galleries, but rather to work with them to reach a new audience. It was not easy to bring them into the digital world, as the art world was initially rather reluctant towards this more “commercial” way of operating. But little by little, it is changing and moving beyond its conservatism. Today, it is common to see artwork prices displayed at fairs, which would have been unthinkable only a few years ago.
In 2012 and 2013, we were looking for websites where we could buy art online, and found that there were very few. And because we were convinced there was a certain psychological or social barrier to buying art, we launched Artsper.
How can we overcome the sensitive relationship with the work, which is particularly strong in art, especially painting?
That was a real initial question. I myself might have been somewhat hesitant about buying online. But in reality, we quickly realised that it was not really a problem. Most people buy either because they already know the artist beforehand, or because they fall in love with a piece. It is very rare for them to be disappointed once the work is in front of them.
Moreover, we noted that for almost half of the people making a first purchase on Artpser, it is actually their first art purchase ever. They may visit galleries, then go home and buy on Artsper from their sofa. The pressure factor is removed from online purchasing.
Of course, we have developed a very effective returns policy: buyers have 14 days to return works to us if they are dissatisfied. But in reality, after falling in love with a piece online, it is rare for a customer to be disappointed when receiving it, with the “wow” effect of seeing it in person. Likewise, when I discover an artist on Instagram, it is rare for me to be surprised when seeing the works in real life.
Very few returns, then, which is quite rare in online sales.
We ultimately reach a fairly affluent audience. To be honest, at the beginning, we capped artworks at 5000 euros. We genuinely thought nobody would buy anything more expensive online... One of the first works we sold to someone other than our parents was a canvas for 4900 euros! In reality, many people do not think twice and buy as you or I might splurge on a pair of shoes for 150 euros... It is tough, but true! And these are the people with whom we have the fewest payment failures. Many people also use Artsper for the insurance we offer. You cannot say art dealers are always the greatest businessmen. I remember an order where the dealer had packed a 10000-euro work in a cardboard box sealed with tape. With Artsper, everything is easy: we have a ton of insurance and certificates.
Even some collectors now come through us because they know they will be delivered on time. There is something reassuring about it.
Can you negotiate on your website, as you would in an art gallery?
Yes, but ultimately these are buyers who are not particularly looking to save money. Our segment is the sale of works between 1000 and 20 000 euros. On the other hand, slightly “luxury” touches, such as organising private exhibitions or adding the artist’s book to the package, are highly appreciated. We reach a target audience 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 is challenging many ways of operating, particularly in the worlds of art and fashion.
Yes, the world of luxury is always a little ahead of the art world. Vestiaire or Farfetch asked themselves how to sell a Chanel bag without in-store expertise before we asked ourselves the same question for art online. There is also a more fundamental question in the broader sense. Whether it is fashion weeks or contemporary art fairs. Digital can, to a certain extent, replace the successive fairs. Today there are many art fairs: Art Basel, Miami, FIAC, Asian fairs... It is a succession of events where the same artists are presented by the same galleries. Ecologically, it is a disaster. I am not saying I would want to replace everything with digital; I also love fairs and the physical experience is irreplaceable, especially for many galleries or spaces that wait for these events to rent out their spaces. But the big war machines presenting the same galleries every month are a kind of “fast art”, for which digital can offer an alternative.
The covid crisis also changed things considerably. Art galleries were still operating on a rather old model, but during covid, online sales enabled many of them to survive. There were no more fairs, no more exhibitions, and most galleries did not have an e-shop module...
And what do you wear to go – nonetheless – to a contemporary art fair?
When you arrive at fairs, people are always in suits. I tend to wear a denim shirt, or an open corduroy shirt over a t-shirt in winter. Always a shirt in any case; I do not really like the idea of being dressed to the nines. We are still a start-up and, besides, I do not want to take myself too seriously. It is rare that I wear a classic shirt like today, but tonight I have an event... “suit” required, so there is no choice!