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An independent art researcher like Mohammed Shah,for instance,cannot afford the Rs 2,500 charged by www. artfact.net. “I have to limit myself to free websites and very often,this does not allow proper market research ,” says Shah,28. Sam Asung,25,a BFA graduate from Delhi College of Art,shares a similar problem. “I avoid paid websites. If it’s really interesting,I try and find a way to access the information from other sites,” he says.

Part of the reason is that foreign sites have made a beeline for the Indian market,and are charging for services. Among these are Artfact.net and Artslant.com,as well as Indian ventures like the Pune-based Indiaart.com,the Kolkata-based Myindianart.com,and the Delhi-based Bajaj art capital (www.bcah.in). Most of the these have been around for two years. They cater to collectors,and,while images and the bio-data about the artist may be free,the price of the artwork is withheld.

Milind Vishwas Sathe director of indiaart.com,explains why prices of artwork is not available: “There are instances where the artists are not willing to state prices upfront. Also,in the last two years,the market has gone through a downward correction and many dealers are unwilling to share the price so as not scare off potential buyers,” he says. He adds that their site requires a log in because,“details are important to create a buyer base”.

Websites like Artslant.com and Bcah.in have different packages,and a person cannot open more than one account. Protection is a primary concern. Often it requires one to subscribe and become a member with no monetary transaction. “This is to safeguard sites from frauds,” says Anu Bajaj of the two-year-old Bajaj Art Capital.

Artfact.net started in 1999 as a free site to gauge “an artist’s popularity”. A few years ago,it became a paid site. “We have partnered with names like the American Society of Appraisers. It makes sense to be paid for our services at this point,” says Safia Dickersbach,the public relations director at Artfacts.net. To be part of Artfact Art Advisor service,one registers for Rs 1,500 per month and the services include advice on which artists to collect,comparative pricing and market trends,while the Auction Advisor service costs Rs 1,300 per month and includes coaching on how to bid at auctions.

Among the first sites to introduce the pay-for information module,10 years ago,was Artnet.com. Now,with the premium on art increasing,this module has spread. At Artnet,the basic package begins at Rs 2,300 and prices go up to Rs 14,000 for a full membership. “We’ve been around for years and have relationships with several auction houses across the globe. They use our database and so one pays to search,”says Simon Todd,media representative for Artnet over the phone from London.

Art critic Ina Puri is not impressed. “Currently no one is transparent about prices,whether it’s galleries or sites and there are inflated prices and fakes rampant in the market. Given this,I cannot believe that someone can advise me online to buy art. Go to shows and visit studios,only then spend money to art,” says Puri.

Auction houses like Saffronart and Christie’s,however,display sales figures online for free. Dinesh Vazirani of Saffronart says that this is how it will stay. “The free module is more effective since it brings in more people and makes them interested about art. Exclusive clubs do exist but the Indian market is not ready for it yet,” he says.