How to buy and sell discontinued china

Heirloom china is an age-old tradition celebrating and commemorating time around the table with friends and loved ones. However, passed down china is oftentimes discontinued china, meaning the collection or pattern is no longer carried or sold by the label. When owning discontinued collections, it can be a witch hunt to replace a broken or damaged piece. One option is to sell off existing pieces. Or, you may opt to attempt to replace missing or broken pieces. This article offers some options for both considerations.

Things You'll Need

• a computer with internet access
• a digital camera with capability to upload images to online programs
• methods of contact via telephone or email

Instructions

1. 

   First, consider the personal value of your china. If your china is a family heirloom, consider your family before selling off such pieces. Someone close to you may jump at the opportunity to keep the family tradition. If you've broken or misplaced a couple pieces through moves and family dinners, do not despair, chances are, these pieces can be replaced through various online resources such as Replacements, LTD. at www.replacements.com. It is simple to locate thousands of patterns and collections. Whenever a particular piece is not available, you have the option of registering your request and can be notified when your replacement becomes available.

2. 

   Ebay is another great resource for locating replacements. It is always a good idea to comparative shop to ensure you are getting the best price. On Ebay, many storefronts will offer replacements at "buy it now" prices so, you won't have to wait around to see if you've won a bid and can be assured your item is available and shipped to you without bid time delays. When using Ebay to locate a particular item, try entering the collection name or label and search "All Categories" to make sure you see all available pieces no matter where on Ebay someone categorized their wares. If you do not get the search results you are looking for at that time, then resort to categorized browsing such as in home/kitchen wares.

3. 

   If you prefer to SELL your china, you can reference some of the same online resources that you would use to BUY your replacement china. Replacements, LTD can be contacted via phone or email and a representative can send you an offer list of the pieces in your collection that they would be willing to purchase. You may also choose to list your china on an auction site such as Ebay. The downside to using an auction site is that you will have to pay listing and commission fees off the sale. The upside may be that you could potentially make more profit from an auction rather than selling to a replacement house.

4. 

   A third option when selling your china, is to use a free direct-sale website such as www.craigslist.org. Unlike an auction site, you can list your items within a certain classified category for FREE. You also have the added benefit of placing your items in front of a local audience since, craigslist is set up by city or region. Selling local has tremendous pluses considering china can be risky and heavy to ship! If you choose to sell through an auction site like Ebay, or through an online classifieds service like Craigslist, make sure you take GREAT pictures that accurately represent your pieces. A picture is worth 10,000 words when selling online!!! Also, be sure your description is smart and yes, descriptive. Tell the buyer everything they need to know about your collection.

Tips & Warnings

• Replacements, LTD is a well-known with a great reputation, however, google your pattern or collection online and compare, compare, compare...depending on supply and demand, you may find a better deal elsewhere.

• Same thing with selling...a large outfit like Replacements, LTD is great if you have a rare item in high demand...otherwise, I would look for a more profitable buyer through auction or direct-sale parties.