These Art Galleries Let You 'Try' Before You Buy

What if choosing an artwork felt more like trying on a pair of jeans or taking a car for a test drive? For a growing group of art buyers who view collecting as both investment and self-expression, seeing how a piece actually lives in a space has become essential. With this in mind, TAM Gallery and Racotis Art are introducing a way for clients to experience artworks in context, helping them select pieces that fit their homes and their lives.

“We introduced Try Before You Buy in order to help clients visualise the artwork in their own space,” says Lina Mowafy, founder and director of TAM Gallery. TAM Gallery was founded in 2012 and, with an inventory of over 9,000 art pieces, is Egypt’s largest contemporary art gallery. “As part of our ongoing mission to grow the audience for arts, we wanted to make it feel more accessible and make the service as personal as possible.”

‘Try Before You Buy’ allows potential buyers to request an artwork be delivered to their space, such as their home, their office, or elsewhere. If they go through with the purchase, they can pay then and there. If they choose not to buy, the artwork is returned to the gallery.

While TAM Gallery has several physical showrooms around Egypt, Racotis Art, which was founded in 2020, exists entirely online.

“For an online gallery it is very important to provide the client with some capacity to see the art,” explains Mohamed Elzohiry, co-founder of Racotis Art. “Try Before You Buy gives the client the privilege to see the artwork before they purchase it. Either an artwork clicks with you, or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, but you’ve already purchased the art, you won’t be happy.”

Elzohiry says that most clients who place an order with Racotis Art opt to try before they buy. In most cases, he says, they do end up buying. In the minority of cases where a client decides they do not want the piece, they only have to pay the shipping fees.

For Mowafy, Try Before You Buy is one tool serving TAM Gallery’s larger mission. “The market is still immature,” she says. “Social media has made art a trend, which has in turn favoured trend-followers. Discerning value is becoming challenging, and the merit of proper art galleries who work in favour of advancing professional artists’ careers and bridging the gap between the artist and the audience is starting to become indispensable, for artists and collectors alike.”

Within this scope, she adds, “Try Before You Buy is a helpful tool, but it is only one of many services that TAM Gallery offers to make art buying an easier and more personalised experience.”