Shouldn't have registered for china!

June 16, 2006 11:47 AM

My wife and I received some fancy china for our wedding. Now that we have been married 6 years and have only ever used it ONCE ... we think we want to sell it. Any ideas where to get the most money for it? And how would we ship it without it breaking?
posted by Wiggo to Shopping (11 answers total)

I've heard (though not experienced it myself) that Replacements, Ltd. doesn't offer very much, and in turn charges a lot for the pieces it sells. YMMV.

If it's a classic enough pattern... Is there anyone close to either of you (i.e., that it wouldn't be inappropriate, as it's regifting -- maybe a sibling) for whom it would make a great wedding gift? Maybe someone who might admire it, would appreciate the fact that it's a pretty large gift, and who might actually get some use out of it?

Finally, it's a long shot but -- have you tried to return it? The department store (or wherever) just might take it back (if the pattern's not been discontinued).
posted by penchant at 12:00 PM on June 16, 2006

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but why not just start using it?

If you really want to sell it online, I'd suggest finding a friend/family member who recently bought a set of plate, and use the boxes, wrappers, and pieces of carboard that their set was packed in, and use that to ship it off.

Of course, first class, with plenty of "break objects, handle with care stickers" all over it. And insist that the buyer springs for the shipping insurance.
posted by triolus at 12:11 PM on June 16, 2006

I've thought about the same thing, since I've been married a year and we've -never- used the china.

However... nice china is very expensive and you won't get as much for it as it is worth. This is one of those things that unless you really don't want it, and really don't want to use space to store it... it might just be better to keep it.

As for selling it... check what it costs new, list it on ebay with a reserve of at least half its value or more and see if anyone bites. If someone really wants the china paying 50-70 percent of the sticker price for the whole set new won't phase them.
posted by JFitzpatrick at 12:18 PM on June 16, 2006

What pattern is it? I periodically buy pieces we didn't get for our wedding from ebay, and I'm always willing to pay pretty well - as long as it's less than it would cost to buy it new, since it never goes on sale (it's a waterford pattern).
posted by dpx.mfx at 12:20 PM on June 16, 2006

On ebay, you can check to see at what prices your pattern has been going for. Use "advanced search" and select "completed auction only."
posted by wryly at 12:28 PM on June 16, 2006

Is there a possibility you'll "grow into" it? Picture yourself in 20 or 30 years: do you see a lot of formal dinners? My spouse and I were very casual when we were young, but as we've aged we do sometimes enjoy throwing a formal dinner party with all the trimmings. YMMV.
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 12:52 PM on June 16, 2006

There are few other places like Replacements.com (I can't remember them off hand), but you'll only get decent money if it's an uncommon pattern.

Ebay, freecycle or craigslist is probably the best way to go.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 12:53 PM on June 16, 2006

If you can donate them to Charity, you will get a tax write-off that may be worth more than selling it.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:14 PM on June 16, 2006

Unless you really hate the pattern, I agree with everyone who suggests that you just start using it. It's fun, and it may even make your steak taste better because it'll be a reminder to slow down and savor it. Don't worry about breakage in normal use- it's generally stronger than stoneware.
posted by mimi at 2:27 PM on June 16, 2006

Replacements, Ltd. sells individual pieces of one helluva lot of patterns. Perhaps they'd be interested in buying yours. The more unusual, the better.

http://www.replacements.com
posted by FauxScot at 3:32 PM on June 16, 2006

I have 5 place settings of china from my first marriage (Royal Doulton's Princeton pattern, if anyone is interested!) and had lots of crystal that I wanted to get rid of. So when I had a garage sale last year, I advertised the crystal in Craigslist and on a large local parenting listserv that I belong to. The crystal sold for $10 a stem (retail: $50/stem). But I got rid of ALL of it, so it was a relief. In my ad, I detailed the maker, what I had of each stem, and its usage level ("barely used/unused"). I also provided boxes and bubble wrap.

Be as detailed as possible in your ad, and post to a service where young marrieds or newly-marrieds will be looking, either to start a collection or complete one.

I think a garage/yard sale is best b/c you can get rid of tons of other stuff as well, and you can divest yourself of all of it at once rather than spend time and energy trotting to the post office to mail it off piece by piece.
posted by mdiskin at 1:29 PM on June 18, 2006