How to Make a Successful Offer Using Artsy's 'Make Offer' Option

Artsy’s “Make Offer” feature empowers you to negotiate discounts on our most in-demand artworks. With upfront shipping information, secure payment through Artsy, and fast seller responses, “Make Offer” is the easiest way to negotiate price with a gallery.

The guide below explains how to get started with the feature, along with tips from Artsy Orders Specialists for success at every stage of the process.

Step 1: Make Your First Offer

To get started, click on the “Make offer” button to the right of the artwork image. You’ll be prompted to submit your offer to the gallery, followed by a checkout flow that asks for your payment and shipping details.

When placing your first offer, there are a few things to consider:

• According to industry standard, an offer that’s around 10% below the original price has a good chance of being accepted by the gallery.
• An offer that’s more than 25% below the listed price is likely to be rejected by the gallery outright, ending negotiation.
• Your offers are binding, and you’ll be charged for the artwork if the gallery accepts your offer.

Tip from the Artsy Orders Specialists: The gallery could be receiving higher offers from other buyers while you’re making an offer. If you can’t live without the piece, consider purchasing the artwork instantly for the price listed by clicking “Buy now.”

Step 2: The Gallery Response Arrives in Your Inbox

Within 48 hours, you’ll hear back from the gallery. The gallery can respond to your offer in one of three ways:

1. The gallery could accept your offer.

Congratulations! The gallery will pack and ship your artwork within the week, and your credit card will be charged for the amount you offered. When the artwork ships, you’ll receive an email with a tracking number.

2. The gallery could decline your offer.

If your offer was declined by the gallery, the negotiation period has ended. You can try again, this time placing a higher offer. Or, if you’re interested in similar artworks at a lower price point, feel free to reach out to the Artsy Orders Specialists at [email protected] for guidance and recommendations.

3. The gallery could present a counteroffer.

Your original offer was too low for the gallery to accept, and it has countered with a higher price. You’ll have 48 hours to respond to the gallery with your next decision. You can accept the counteroffer to purchase the artwork, continue the negotiation by sending your own counteroffer, or reject the gallery’s counteroffer to end negotiation on the artwork altogether.

Tip from the Artsy Orders Specialists: When you’re negotiating, time is of the essence. Be sure to check your email inbox regularly when you’re making offers on Artsy.

Step 3: Send a Counteroffer

If the gallery sends you a counteroffer, you can try negotiating the price down even further by submitting your own counteroffer. When negotiating with a gallery, it’s customary to split the difference between your preceding offer and the gallery’s most recent counteroffer.

For example, if you offered $800 and the gallery countered with $1,000, try making a counteroffer at $900.

Tip from the Artsy Orders Specialists: Sending a counteroffer that’s too low may result in the gallery rejecting your offer altogether to end the negotiation—make sure to keep your counteroffers competitive to show the gallery you’re an interested buyer.

To find all artworks available for structured negotiation, you can filter by “Make offer” on the left side of browsing pages on Artsy. If you’re looking for artworks by a particular artist, you can also filter by “Make offer” on the artist page directly.

At any step, our team of order specialists is here to help you. From advice on calculating your first offer to finding the perfect piece for your taste and budget, you can reach our team directly at [email protected].