Now, one of the most successful auction sites on the Internet is eBay. Is this a safe place to buy original art? Probably not, this is especially if you are an experienced collector. Ebay attempts to ban those selling fake art, but there are too many to catch all of them.

One search found up to 20 paintings on eBay that were priced over $20,000. Only a professional appraiser can really determine the authenticity of the canvas.

Chances are you’re not going to find a Picasso or a Rembrandt on Ebay, but you could bid on an original Peter Max if he suits your taste.

How To Buy Safely:

Seller feedback is good to look at because they provide a great deal of information on the legitimacy of the seller. Note how long the person has been an eBay member. Designation as a “Top-rated Seller” is the gold standard on Ebay, and sellers who reach this level do everything they can to keep their rating untarnished. You can most likely feel safe buying from someone with a rating higher than 98.

Sellers can also post feedback for people who buy things from them. Those comments give you an idea on how seriously the seller takes his or her business. You might want to avoid any sellers who state that all their sales are final. This could deter you from wanting to make any purchases of something that might be damaged or a reproduction.

You might see a painting on eBay that you like but you are not sure if this is a real artist. You may have never even heard of the artist. Do some research on how well-known they are and how highly priced their work is going for.

Ask for proof – The seller should expect to provide verification that the painting is authentic. Don’t take their word for it and don’t enter a bid until you receive it. You want that verification to come from a qualified professional who knows the artwork live and will give the type of professional opinion to let you know this piece is original.

Know your limits – Don’t get caught up in the last-minute bidding frenzy and overpay for the artwork. Make sure you know the value of the piece, as well as when you should stop bidding.

Watch out for fake items. There are problems with people posing as legitimate buyers who will drive the price up on an auction. There are times when these “legitimate buyers” are the sellers themselves who use different eBay IDs, or private IDs. Look at a bidder’s history. You can tell if they are likely not legitimate if most of the buyer feedback comes from the same buyer or if there is no seller feedback or if there are several retracted bids.

Many artists are selling their work directly on eBay. Take the same precautions you would be with other sellers. Most artists have their own websites and may be listed on other art sites, good signs you’re getting the real thing.

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