Sell by mail or travel?

[Chris Saper]

If you haven't seen the gallery in person, or met the owner, I think it would be worth the trip. Plus, your frineds will need to drop in from time to time to see that your work is displayed

[Julie Deane]

Thanks, Michelle, Carlos and Chris -

Assuming the person is still interested after prices are haggled, I am now leaning a bit more in the direction of taking it down personally.

However, I would like to know how one would handle a sale long distance. Here's my idea, but I would like other folks' feedback:

1. sales agreement signed by both parties
2. payment made via Paypal
(better protection: possibly a certified check, but definitely not a cashier's check, money order or personal check)
3. item shipped after payment received/certified check cleared

[Julie Deane]

Well, rats. As soon as I mentioned travel, the person back-pedaled. Some more investigation revealed more than one fake address. I am assuming that this was going to be some sort of scam.

[Carol Norton]

Originally Posted by Julie Deane

Well, rats. As soon as I mentioned travel, the person back-pedaled. Some more investigation revealed more than one fake address. I am assuming that this was going to be some sort of scam.

Thank you for all the information. I'm sorry this didn't work out to your benefit, but so glad that you are smart enough to investigate the details. Every single one of us have benefited from this dialogue.

[Julie Deane]

Yeah, I just wish I had done more of that fine-tooth checking up front. Now that I know what to look for, it would probably take less than 20 minutes.

The opening ploy was that the guy had a gallery specializing in ethnic art (for African Americans), and was therefore interested in a work of mine that fit the category. Besides the new story after I mentioned visiting, he had a few (but very few)grammatical errors, and those could have been attributed to a regional form of speech. He did not push for a quick sale, and did things like asking price of a personal commission. But when I checked the originator of the website, a false address was used. As was the address on the "gallery" website.
The address used for me to send a contract also did not match the name given. Three strikes = he's out.

I noticed that this person supposedly had several artists' works that I recognized "for sale". I tried to find their email addresses to warn them, and found it difficult to locate their websites. Is this typical for an established artist: to let their galleries be found but not a way to contact them directly? It would certainly eliminate this type of nonsense I've just dealt with, of course.