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Does anybody out there resell high-end china? The thrift store near me has a few sets of name brand stuff (Noritake, Fukagawa). They are large sets, not just a few plates or cups. But they may not be 100% complete. The cost for about 40 pieces is about $25-$30, with serving bowls etc.. Do you think it’s worth it to buy them and piece them out over time? Or should I try to sell them as a set? Or should I stay away from them entirely? I’m a little nervous about shipping, but I’ve sent delicate things before and there’s always insurance. I just sold 6 Dansk plates I bought for $5 to someone in Calif. for $75 pus $69 shipping, so it got my thinking about doing more. Thoughts?
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Like anything, it depends. As Ryanne has mentioned a few times on the podcast, she has made some very good ROIs with china and ceramic. As you stated, shipping is difficult and time consuming, and there can be breakage even with very good packaging techniques. You have to make that decision.
Usually the best way to sell an incomplete set is to break it up. Often someone gets handed down a set, and they are looking to fill in the holes or to expand it to more place settings. So, they just buy what they need; not order another set.
Packing and shipping a full set would probably require 2, 3, or 4 boxes and even more boxes within each box. It would take significant time and effort, and might not be worth it. Plus, eBay doesn’t make it easy to calculate shipping for more than one box, so you have to estimate for an across the country purchase.
I have one set that I got for free, but I couldn’t find many sales of it on eBay. I think that it wasn’t a common pattern (or brand for that matter), so I decided to sell it as a set. However, I have it listed as local pickup. It has been sitting in my basement for about two years, and I’m expecting it to be there for awhile.
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I make partitions in a box, using scrap cardboard and an industrial-sized hot glue gun. That’s to make sure the piece stays in the centre of the box; wrapped with tissue paper, then bubble wrap and then packed in peanuts. But I’ve never shipped more than two pieces together. I recommend the large glue gun; I’ve got a couple of smaller ones as well, and they’re pretty useless.
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It’s really just a preference thing.
If you are comfortable listing, storing and shipping the stuff, there is money to be made. The unique items such as large serving pieces, tea pots, etc will sell quick. Individual pieces will be real long tail.
I’ve broken down a few sets and it all eventually sells.
I liked to sell by place setting (One of everything).
I recently passed on a very large complete set that would have netted me a few hundred dollars. I even thought about buying it, just taking the unique pieces, and donating the rest right back but it just wasn’t worth the effort for me. I didn’t want to deal with it.
My personal interest in selling the item is always a part of my formula for sourcing inventory.
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Buy a set and see if you like it. Some patterns sell more quickly than others.
The big problem with China (as others have mentioned) is storage. Particularly, if you break up a set, you are looking at long terms storage of all the pieces.
These days, unless I find something that has a really funky mid century modern pattern – I pass. I would rather dedicate my finite storage space to smaller more durable items.
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and when I do find a cool MCM pattern – I price high and put the plates into my cubbord for use.
I love these
If they sell I get some extras cash, and if they don’t I have gorgeous dinnerware.
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