Payment methods
Payment links for the art market
A payment link lets a business request payment from a buyer who is not physically present, without building a checkout. For the art market, it is often the practical route for a collector who has agreed a purchase by email or phone.
How a payment link works
The business generates a secure link for a specific amount and reference. The buyer opens it, authenticates with their bank or card issuer and pays. The transaction is treated as card-not-present.
Commercial considerations
- Card-not-present transactions are usually priced differently to card-present
- Commercial and international cards can carry additional cost
- Strong customer authentication may apply and can affect completion
- Provider transaction limits and underwriting may apply to large amounts
- Chargeback exposure differs from an in-person, authenticated sale
When a link is a good fit
Payment links suit agreed sales with a known buyer where speed and confirmation matter more than cost, and where the value sits within the provider's supported range. Above a certain value, an account-to-account route may warrant comparison.
What a payment link is
A payment link is a single-use or reusable web address, issued through a payment provider, that asks a named buyer to pay a specified amount against a specified reference. The buyer enters their card details on the provider's own hosted page, so the gallery, dealer or artist never handles or stores those details. Because the cardholder is not physically present, the transaction is treated as card-not-present and is usually priced and authenticated differently from a payment taken at a terminal.
When galleries, dealers and artists use one
- A collector agrees a purchase by email, telephone or viewing room and is not in the gallery
- A work is sold at a fair and the buyer prefers to settle afterwards against an invoice
- A commission is collected in staged deposits rather than a single payment
- An overseas collector pays before shipping is arranged
- A sale is made without operating a full ecommerce checkout
What to confirm with the provider
Before relying on links for significant sales, confirm the per-transaction and monthly limits that apply, the rate charged for card-not-present and for international or commercial cards, how strong customer authentication is applied, how long a link remains valid, and how refunds and disputes are handled. These terms are set by the authorised provider. BlueIxia assesses whether a link route suits the transaction profile and arranges access; it is not the processor of the payment.
Request a Confidential Payment ReviewCommon questions
Answers
- Is a payment link secure?
- Links issued by a regulated payment provider carry the provider's own authentication and security controls. BlueIxia does not issue or process payments itself.
- Is there a limit on payment links?
- Limits are set by the provider and depend on the merchant profile and underwriting. They should be confirmed before a high-value sale is agreed.