A process for preparing acrylic acid and/or acrylates which comprises the following stage A and, if desired, B and C: A: cooling a gaseous reaction mixture which comprises acrylic acid and is obtained in the gas-phase oxidation to prepare acrylic acid, using oligomeric acrylic acid or a mixture of acrylic acid and oligomeric acrylic acid, to give a gaseous mixture comprising acrylic acid and a quench bottom product which comprises oligomeric acrylic acid; B: separating the gaseous mixture comprising acrylic acid, to give a low-boiling fraction, a crude acrylic acid, and a bottom product, which comprises oligomeric acrylic acid; C: esterifying the crude acrylic acid obtained in stage B by means of one or more alkanols.