Invaluable Sells a Record Half-Million Lots on Global Marketplace in 2018 – up 20% over Previous Year and 130% over Five Years

Figures illustrate increased bidder and buyer confidence in online auctions, critical to growing next generation of digitally savvy art collectors, CEO says.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Invaluable, the world’s leading online marketplace for fine art, antiques and collectibles, sold a record half-million lots in 2018 – up 20% over the previous year and 130% over the last five years, year-end figures show.

“More and more, the auction business is shifting to online and mobile channels,” said Invaluable CEO Rob Weisberg. “This benchmark figure demonstrates that bidders and buyers are feeling more comfortable and confident when participating online with our auction house partners – critical factors as the industry looks to develop a new generation of collectors who are vital for growth.”

The Art Market 2018 report by Art Basel and UBS showed total art market sales reaching nearly $64 million – up 12% year-over-year. Online sales reached a new high of $5.4 billion, a 72% increase over the previous five years, according to the report. The Hiscox Online Art Trade Report estimates that the online market will nearly double by 2021.

Invaluable’s 2018 year-over-year data also shows a strong industry growth story:

• Fine art, the largest category on Invaluable, saw the number of lots sold jump 35% year-over-year.
• Hammer grew 18%, helping propel online sales to more than $365 million.
• Buyers grew by 18%.
• Bidders using mobile devices increased 27%, including a 65% jump in the use of the company’s native apps on iOS and Android.
• More than 33 million visits to Invaluable in 2018, up 10% year-over-year.

For more information on Invaluable, please visit www.Invaluable.com or follow us on Twitter at @InvaluableLive.

About Invaluable
Invaluable is the world’s leading online marketplace for fine art, antiques and collectibles. Working with more than 5,000 of the world’s premier auction houses, dealers and galleries, Invaluable helps buyers from more than 180 countries connect with the things they love. With best-in-class online bidding technology, along with a fixed-price retail platform, Invaluable provides sellers with e-commerce and marketing solutions, as well as auction management software.