Online Auctions Continue to Draw in First-Time Art Buyers as Sales Grow
Online-only sales of artwork at Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams, and Artnet Auctions increased 8 percent in 2025.
Original author · Margaret Carrigan
Artnet News / Artnet Pro ·
Reading & commentary · Art Value Lab
The article
A total of $423.9 million worth of fine art sold in online-only sales at Sotheby ’s, Christie ’s, Phillips , Bonhams , and Artnet Auctions in 2025. That’s an 8 percent increase from 2024, 5.3 percentage points below the market’s overall growth.
The number of lots sold online totaled 29,623 in 2025, roughly the same as in 2024. However, the average price of a work of art sold online rose 8.6 percent , to $14,309 .
Sales were 270 percent higher than in 2019, before many auctions moved online during the pandemic. Additionally, online-only sales have become a critical way to engage a new generation of collectors: Christie’s reported that 63 percent of new buyers in 2025 made their first purchase online.
Read the argument alongside market data
Source & reading notes
Online Auctions Continue to Draw in First-Time Art Buyers as Sales Grow
Margaret Carrigan · Artnet News · 2026-04-28
The English reading retains the supplied article’s wording, with navigation, advertising and recommendations removed. The Chinese edition is an editorial guide, not a parallel translation. Observations refer to the publication date. Art Value Lab commentary does not represent the author’s views. Image rights remain with their respective owners.