Frequently Asked Questions: Artists

What is Artifuse?

Artifuse is an on-line market for original two-dimensional (wall) art, including paintings, drawings and pastels, collages and decorative plaques, and original prints. We minimise the effort required by artists to connect with the public on-line, helping them to publicise and sell their work. We also make it easy for anyone to find an original piece of artwork that suits their tastes. Our objective is to make original artwork easier to access, so that it can be discovered and enjoyed by a wider audience.

What advantages does Artifuse have as a market for quality artwork?

A physical gallery or market has the advantage that prospective buyers can get up close to an artwork before they purchase it. If the artist is present, then they have the additional advantage of discussing the work with the artist in person. In contrast, Artifuse offers three very substantive advantages. First, we are able to help people search through an extensive collection of artwork in their own time, and from anywhere. Secondly, our site allows people to check what an artwork might look like in their own home before they make a purchase (find out more here). Finally, our 14 day no-questions-asked returns policy allows anyone to purchase with confidence, knowing that if they do not like a piece when it arrives, then they can send it back – at Artifuse's expense!

What distinguishes Artifuse from other on-line art markets?

Artifuse is based on four principles that help to distinguish it from other on-line art markets. First, we want to make it easy for anyone, with any level of experience, to find and purchase original artwork. Second, we want to make it easy for artists to publicise and sell their work on-line, regardless of their prior technical experience. Third, in our selection of artists, we are almost exclusively interested in whether their artwork is likely to have broad appeal. Finally, Artifuse is designed to provide a transparent and direct connection between artists and people interested in their work. Our objective is to provide a conducive space where artists and people interested in discovering original artwork can connect.

Who can display art with Artifuse?

Only registered sellers with Artifuse are eligible to display or list artwork for sale on the site. Anyone can apply by filling out a form that can be accessed via the green button at the top of this page.

What information do I need to provide to apply for seller registration?

Our registration form asks for your contact details, a professional biography, and details for at least 4 pieces of artwork that you would like to exhibit for sale with Artifuse.

Where can I find Artifuse's Privacy Policy?

For full and up-to-date details, see our Privacy Policy.

How secure is the information that I provide to Artifuse?

Our use of any information that you share with us and associated security measures are discussed in detail in our Terms and Conditions. The site is designed to store the minimum level of personal detail necessary to provide the services associated with an individual's account. This detail can be accessed at any time by an individual through their account administration pages, and amended or deleted as desired. Any information that you share with us is treated with the strictest confidence, and used only to provide services that you request from our site. We will never ask you to confirm your details by any medium whatsoever, and will not provide these details if requested. All information that we hold about you should be communicated via your account administration pages. All communication with the website is encrypted. Sensitive data that we store for you on our servers is also encrypted, and access limited to Artifuse employees on a need-to-know basis. Additionally, our systems are designed and updated to comply with prevailing best-practice security protocols for public facing websites.

What happens after I submit the seller registration form?

As soon as you submit your registration form, you will receive an email from us acknowledging receipt. We will review the material that you have submitted to ensure smooth integration with our site. If we find any problems we will send you an email describing how you might address outstanding issues. Otherwise, you will receive an email as soon as our review of your application is complete. If you have been invited by us to apply, then you will usually receive confirmation of your successful registration within 24 hours of form submission.

What happens when I become a registered seller?

The artwork included in your registration form will be immediately made available for public view. You will be given a dedicated web page on the site that is accessible by the general public, and which you can refer interested people to. This web page will be set-up with selected information from your registration form and a default format, which you can personalise via tools that you will have access to via new account administration pages.

Are there any limitations on the type of work that I can display?

Artifuse is designed to display artwork that is: i) original; ii) two-dimensional; and iii) something that everyday people might consider for their own homes. Registered sellers with Artifuse are able to submit any original two-dimensional artwork that they like for display, including paintings, drawings and pastels, collages and similar decorative plaques, original engravings, prints, and lithographs. The last of the three criteria listed above is subjective, and is the responsibility of Artifuse specialists, who review each submission to ensure that it is suitable for the site prior to public display.

How do I manage my on-line content?

Registered sellers have access to a 'Portfolio' page when they sign-in to their Artifuse account, which provides tools for managing the artwork they have displayed with us. Other personal and professional details listed with the website can be edited on the account 'Details' page.

How do I add an artwork for display?

There is an 'add to portfolio' button on the Portfolio page, which will take you to a form for filling out all of the information required to display a new piece on the website. When you are finished filling out the form, press the green submit button at the bottom of the page, and you are done. If you would like to save your form and come back to finish it later, you should use the save button (in grey).

What information do I need to provide for each artwork?

The form for submitting a new piece to the website (described above) asks for the following details: artist's name; title of the artwork; year completed; the physical dimensions of the artwork; up-to four 'keywords'; the medium and support used for the artwork; its subject and style; a descriptive commentary; a photograph; and the list price. Not all of these details are required – those that are indicated with an '*'. Please note when filling out the submission form that the more information you provide, the higher the likelihood that your piece will appear toward the top of our search results for prospective buyers.

What personal information is revealed if I allow people to take delivery in person of an artwork that I sell?

If you allow people to pick purchases up in person, then your city, region and country will all be made available to prospective purchasers when they come to choose their desired delivery option. Furthermore, we will provide your telephone and email address to purchasers of your work in the confirmation email we send following a successful sale. The purchaser should then contact you to obtain your address, and to schedule a time when they can take delivery of their piece.

What sort of image file can/should I provide for my piece?

The form for submitting a new piece to the website asks for a photograph of your piece for public display. A single photograph is required per piece, and the site accepts a very wide range of file formats (with the notable exception of RAW/RW2) and file sizes up to 25Mb.

Why wont my image file upload to Artifuse?

Artifuse is designed to accept uploads of one image file at a time, up to 25 MB in size. Uploaded images are processed partly on your web browser and partly on our servers. The most common reason why an upload does not work is that a web browser fails to process the file. Sometimes this type of problem can be fixed by trying to upload the file again. Otherwise, we recommend using another web browser. Most of our site testing is on either Chrome or Firefox, and you may consequently encounter fewer problems by using either one of these web browsers.

How should I take a photo to obtain the best image for my piece?

Obtaining a good image of your piece can be a daunting task, even if it has been made somewhat easier with new technology. Our experience suggests that you should pay special attention to three key factors. 1) Camera quality is essentially important – if you have access to a high quality camera, then please make use of it, even if the camera on your phone is closer to hand. 2) Good lighting is essentially important – we find that neutral lighting found in a bright place with natural sunlight works well, and it is especially important to avoid using any image where your piece is exposed to direct flash light, as this reflects badly off commonly used media. 3) Put a white sheet of copy paper under your piece as you take the image – where provided, we will use this to check the white balance of the image. Otherwise, it is advisable that you submit a reasonably high resolution image – between 1.5mb and 10mb works well – and ensure that the artwork is properly in focus. We will check the submitted photograph before it is made publicly available, and get back to you if we think your piece could benefit from an alternative image.

What adjustments will Artifuse make to the image of the artwork that I submit?

If your image is supplied with a white sheet of paper under it, then we will check its white balance using the 'curves' tool of Adobe Photoshop ©. Otherwise, we take your image 'as is', and consequently urge you to submit images that do not under-sell your work. We crop all images to focus solely on the artwork, and store three copies of each image, which differ only in terms of their respective file sizes (adapted for alternative display contexts).

How does Artifuse use the image of the artwork that I submit?

Any images of artwork that you submit to Artifuse remain your property, and we use them for display purposes only. Please refer to our Terms of Service for further details.

What happens after I submit an artwork for display?

When a registered seller submits a new piece to Artifuse, it is saved to a holding pool. The artwork is then reviewed internally by a team member at Artifuse to ensure that the supplied details are sufficient to work with our website. If further detail is required, then an email is sent to the seller describing what is needed. If a registered seller submits an artwork that we consider inappropriate for the site, then an email will also be sent to the seller advising them of this. Otherwise, the artwork will pass directly for public view; most submitted artwork is made available for public view within 24 hours of submission.

How can I improve my chances of a sale?

The best way you can maximise your chances of selling artwork through our site is to provide as complete information as you can, both about each of your pieces of artwork, and about yourself. Details about your pieces of artwork have an important influence on the likelihood that people will look at them. In this regard, a decent photograph is extremely important, but do not underestimate the importance of the other details that are requested by the submission form, especially where these are not marked as 'required'. Many of these details can have an important bearing on the search results that our website returns. Also, bare in mind that many people in search of something original like to know some of the background details about the artwork they buy. Some people place a premium on knowing that they are buying from the artist, and one way to enhance that view is to providing some unique perspective on an artwork (e.g. in the 'commentary'). Recognising this, by (e.g.) providing interesting details in your professional biography, can help to maximise your chances of a sale once someone has shown an interest in your work. We are here to help, so please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to chat.

How can I get my artwork to appear higher in Artifuse's search results?

The simple answer is that you should provide full details for each artwork that you submit to the site. In this regard, you may note from the submission form that there is not too much flexibility, as most of the details that are asked for have a single response (e.g. length/width of piece). Nevertheless, special care should be taken with three entries: 1) the submitted photograph; 2) key-words; and 3) commentary. In terms of the photograph, please try to submit a high-quality image that provides a faithful representation of your work. The last thing anyone wants is for someone to not buy your work because of poor lighting in the on-line image, and the second last thing is for someone to buy your piece only to return it because the artwork didn't match up to their expectations. Concerning keywords, try to think of words that cover the full range of associations with your work. In this regard, note that Artifuse will automatically look up a list of associations with each of the keywords you submit. So if someone submitted a painting of a canoe on a lake, for example, then they should not list both boat and canoe as keywords, as listing just one of these would ensure both are found by our system. Finally, it is worth noting that the commentary provided for each artwork does not enter into our search routine. Nevertheless, the commentary (as discussed above) can have an important bearing on the likelihood that an artwork is purchased, once someone views it.

How does Artifuse produce search rankings?

When someone enters a set of criteria into the search fields on our Home page, the site evaluates the disparity between each of the entered fields, and the characteristics of each artwork on the site. These measures of 'disparity' across the considered search characteristics are then aggregated up for each artwork, weighting each one in a way that takes into account the decisions we have previously observed people make on the site. Finally, artwork is ranked in ascending order of aggregate disparity with the considered search characteristics. If two pieces are equally ranked, then their rank-order is randomly allocated.

Can I hide the content I have saved with Artifuse from public view?

Yes – a checkbox to hide all of the content you save with Artifuse from public view is provided at the end of your account Details page. You can also hide a specific artwork by selecting the desired piece from your Portfolio page, and clicking on the edit icon displayed on the right-hand-side of the screen. An option to hide the piece can then be found toward the bottom of the edit page. Please allow 24 hours for any changes that you make to take effect.

How is a sale processed?

A sale through the Artifuse website is processed via a number of discrete steps: 1) A visitor to our website clicks on a displayed piece to place it into their on-line shopping basket, and proceeds to our checkout; 2) The buyer enters their intended delivery address; 3) We obtain quotes for transport alternatives from our partner couriers; 4) The buyer selects their preferred delivery option; 5) A payment guarantee is obtained for the full sum of the purchase (including transport costs); 6) Emails are sent to both the buyer and seller notifying them of the terms of the sale; 7) Pick-up for delivery is organised in accordance with the option selected by the buyer under step (4) – responsibility for this step rests with the seller if a courier service has been requested and the buyer otherwise; 8) The seller packages the artwork for transport prior to collection; 9) the artwork is collected for delivery; 10) If the artwork is delivered by courier, then an email is sent to both the buyer and seller notifying them that the artwork is in transit and providing a tracking number; 11) After the 14-day returns period expires, the sale is complete and the funds are transferred into Artifuse's accounts; 12) Artifuse makes a direct bank transfer to the seller's account; 13) A final email is sent to the seller advising of the successful completion of their sale.

What prices are buyers charged?

There are two prices charged to buyers for any purchase made through Artifuse. The first is the list price, which is the asking price that a seller specifies for an artwork. The second is the transport cost for delivery. Actual costs of transport depend upon the delivery option that a buyer selects prior to purchase. Prices listed under each artwork on galleries throughout the site are quoted inclusive of estimated transport costs wherever possible. These estimates are based upon the lowest charges identified for delivery to the capital city of the country associated with each visitor to our site. The list price and (estimated) transport costs are quoted separately under the information icon displayed on the right-hand-side of the screen when a gallery image has been selected.

What payment methods does Artifuse accept?

Artifuse currently accepts payments via Mastercard, Visa, Giropay, EPS, iDeal, Bancontact, Multibanco, and Sofort. All on-line payments are managed via 'Stripe', a specialist third-party provider of on-line payment services. For further details about Stripe, please see their website at https://www.stripe.com.

How is transportation of an artwork organised?

Each buyer must choose from a list of supported delivery options at checkout. All sellers with Artifuse can choose whether to allow any buyer of their work to collect their purchase from them in person. A buyer that selects to collect their purchase in person will be given the seller's telephone number and email address following a sale, and they will then be responsible for contacting the seller to organise a time to take delivery. The time and location of a personal delivery is by mutual agreement at the discretion of the seller. Alternatively, a buyer can choose from a range of delivery services offered by our partner couriers. In this case, the seller is responsible for choosing a time for the courier service to collect the artwork, from the shipping address that they have listed with our site. Under both of these alternatives, the seller is responsible for packaging the artwork prior to collection – see our tips for packaging.

Can I choose my own courier service?

If you would like to use your own courier service following a sale, then you should contact us so that we can put you in touch with the buyer. You will need to agree revised terms of sale with the buyer before proceeding.

What if I sell an artwork through Artifuse, and subsequently decide against the sale?

A seller is free to cancel a sale made through Artifuse at any time prior to courier pick-up. If the sale is cancelled, then emails are sent to both the buyer and the seller notifying them of the cancellation, and the buyer's funds are returned to them in full.

Can Artifuse help with some issues associated with the sale of an artwork that do not appear to be addressed already?

If you think there is some way that we can improve our service to help you sell your art easier, then please get in touch by email or phone – we are here to help.

What if an artwork is damaged at some point during a sale?

There are two possibilities, which vary depending upon whether Artifuse's partner courier services are used for delivery. If courier services are ordered through Artifuse, then our insurance arrangements cover an artwork while it is in transit (that is, from the time that it is picked-up by the courier until it is delivered). This policy requires the recipient to inform Artifuse of any damage to the artwork as a result of transportation within 2 days of delivery. If courier services are not ordered through Artifuse then Artifuse does not provide transport insurance. Where Artifuse does not provide transport insurance, responsibility for any damage to the artwork during transport rests with the sender, unless the artwork is collected in person in which case it rests with the receiver. The buyer assumes responsibility for any damage to the artwork while it is in their possession throughout their 14-day returns period.

How is a valid insurance claim for damage to an artwork during its out-bound transit with Artifuse processed?

Any insurance claim for damage to an artwork that is suffered during its out-bound transit with our partner couriers is processed as follows. 1) The buyer sends an email to Artifuse within 2 days of receiving the artwork, stating that it arrived damaged; 2) Artifuse sends an email to both the buyer and seller advising that the sale has been cancelled, and describing the remaining processing procedure (as defined here); 3) Artifuse contacts our couriers to organise delivery to Artifuse; 4) The buyer organises a time and place for the couriers to pick-up the artwork via the respective order summary on our website – the pick-up time must be within 15 days of Artifuse's email acknowledging the buyer's statement that the artwork is damaged; 5) The buyer packs the artwork for transport prior to collection; 6) The courier picks-up the artwork from the buyer as agreed under (4); 7) Artifuse sends an email to both the buyer and seller notifying them that the artwork is in transit and providing a tracking number; 8) The artwork is delivered and signed for by Artifuse; 9) An email is sent to both the buyer and seller advising that the artwork has been delivered, and that the transaction is now complete; 10) The list price of the artwork is credited to the buyer's initial mode of payment; 11) The seller is paid the same sum that they would have received if the artwork had not been damaged in transit and not returned by the buyer. Any artwork for which a transport insurance claim is paid by Artifuse becomes the property of Artifuse following the claim.

How is a valid insurance claim for damage to an artwork during its return transit with Artifuse processed?

Any insurance claim for damage to an artwork that is suffered during its return transit with our partner couriers is processed as follows. 1) The seller sends an email to Artifuse within 2 days of receiving the artwork, stating that it arrived damaged; 2) Artifuse sends an email to the seller describing the remaining processing procedure (as defined here); 3) Artifuse contacts our couriers to organise delivery to Artifuse; 4) The seller organises a time and place for the couriers to pick-up the artwork via the respective order summary on our website; 5) The seller packs the artwork for transport prior to collection; 6) The courier picks-up the artwork from the seller as agreed under (4); 7) Artifuse sends an email to the seller providing a transport tracking number; 8) the artwork is delivered and signed for by Artifuse; 9) An email is sent to the seller advising that the artwork has been delivered, and that the transaction is now complete; 10) The seller is paid the same sum that they would have received if the artwork had not been damaged in transit and not subsequently returned by the buyer. Any artwork for which a transport insurance claim is paid by Artifuse becomes the property of Artifuse following the claim.

What happens if a customer or seller chooses not to use Artifuse's preferred couriers when sending an artwork to Artifuse for processing an insurance claim?

If a customer or seller makes their own delivery arrangements to send an artwork to Artifuse as part of an insurance claim, then they accept responsibility for all associated costs of transport.

As a seller, can I get my damaged artwork back from Artifuse following a successful insurance claim?

No, ownership of damaged artwork passes to Artifuse following a successful insurance claim.

What are the costs associated with exhibiting artwork with Artifuse?

There are no charges associated with exhibiting an artwork with Artifuse.

What are the costs associated with selling an artwork through Artifuse?

Charges are applied whenever an artwork is successfully sold through Artifuse. In that case, we charge a flat-rate commission on the list price of the artwork. The value of this commission varies, as we work to minimise the costs associated with each sale, and to pass savings on to our sellers. At present, our standard rate of commission is 22.0%. All registered sellers are informed of any impending change in our commission rate at least 7 days before the change occurs. Up-to-date information concerning our charges can also always be found here and in our Terms of Service.

What does Artifuse's commission pay for?

The charges levied by Artifuse cover capital expenditure (rental of web servers and software), site administration (server and software maintenance), advertising and promotional activities, and customer liaison. Artifuse assumes responsibility for the costs of any transaction made through the site, which are comprised of credit card fees, bank fees, and foreign exchange conversion charges. Artifuse will also pay for the costs associated with any return delivery that is accepted under our returns policy.

As a seller, what will I receive if my artwork is successfully sold?

You will receive the list price of the artwork, less our commission. Where taxes and duties are payable as part of a delivery, then these will also be deducted from the list price you receive – where such charges are incurred, we will provide associated documentation, and you may subsequently be able to recover these charges from the respective tax jurisdiction. Please note that each seller is responsible for complying with any applicable export duty and consumption tax (VAT) regulations, which depend upon individual circumstances.

How are export duties and consumption (Value Added) taxes organised?

Each delivery is potentially subject to appraisal for export duties and consumption taxes. These charges are automatically paid wherever they are assessed by the respective tax jurisdiction to apply. These charges can often be recovered at a subsequent date by individual artists, depending upon each individual's circumstances. Any consumption taxes and duties payable as part of a delivery are consequently deducted from the final sum paid to the seller, and each seller is responsible for complying with any applicable export duty and consumption tax (VAT) regulations. Artifuse will email documentation for taxes and duties associated with a sale, whenever these are incurred.

What returns policy does Artifuse have?

Artifuse maintains a 14-day returns policy for all artwork sold through the site. Refunds are subject to three conditions: 1) the buyer informs Artifuse of their desire to return the artwork within 14 days of receiving the artwork; 2) arrangements are made for a courier to pick up the artwork for return delivery within 15 days of Artifuse's email acknowledging the buyer's statement that they would like to return the artwork; and 3) the artwork is returned in the same condition in which it was received. For further details, refer to our Returns Policy. If an artwork is damaged during transport, then refer to our Transport insurance policy.

What refund is paid on returns?

All returns in accordance with the three conditions described above are paid the full purchase price of the artwork. This purchase price is exclusive of the transportation costs that are added to the cost of purchase at the point of sale (to cover costs of the return transport).

How does the Artifuse returns policy work – who is responsible for what?

A return through Artifuse is processed as follows: 1) The buyer sends an email to Artifuse within 14 days of receiving an artwork, stating that they would like to return it; 2) Artifuse sends an email to both the buyer and seller advising that the sale has been cancelled, and describing the remaining tasks required to process the return (as defined here); 3) Artifuse contacts our couriers to organise the return delivery to the seller; 4) The buyer organises a time and place for the couriers to pick-up the artwork via the respective order summary on our website – the pick-up time must be within 15 days of Artifuse's email acknowledging the buyer's statement that they would like to return it; 5) The buyer packs the artwork for transport prior to courier pick-up; 6) The courier picks-up the artwork from the buyer as agreed under (4); 7) Artifuse sends an email to both the buyer and seller notifying them that the artwork is in transit and providing a tracking number; 8) The artwork is delivered and signed for by the seller; 9) An email is sent to both the buyer and seller advising that the artwork has been delivered, and that the transaction is now complete; 10) The list price of the artwork is credited to the buyer's initial mode of payment.

What if a customer does not meet the deadlines imposed by the Artifuse returns policy?

If a customer states that they would like to return their purchase after the 14-day returns period, or if they do not organise to have the artwork picked-up by a courier within 15 days of Artifuse's acknowledgement of the customer's statement of intention to return it, then we accept no obligation to cancel the sale.

What happens if a customer chooses not to use Artifuse's preferred couriers when returning an artwork?

If a customer makes their own delivery arrangements to return an artwork, then they accept full responsibility for all associated costs, including any losses due to damage of an artwork in transit. Return delivery costs and insurance are covered by Artifuse if organised through our website.