Investing time and money in collecting can be very rewarding. But there may come a time when you need to part with some or all of your prized possessions. The rise of the internet's popularity has given antique collectors new avenues to buy and sell their items – all from the comfort of home. As a seller, you want to get the best price for your fine china, while also avoiding scams and exorbitant fees. Forums, message boards and collector sites have popped up to help you assess the value of items, so with a little research you should be able to sell your china with little hassle.
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Selling China Online
When your ready to sell your fine china, arguably one of the quickest and easiest ways is to sell it online. Selling china online puts you in touch with the very people who want to purchase it. All you need to do is set up a listing and wait for buyers to come to you. Auction sites such as eBay, or online marketplaces like Etsy are fantastic places to start. You may think of Etsy as a site to sell homemade wares, and while that is true, you can sell vintage or antique items there as well. Etsy is gaining popularity among collectors who want to sell their goods because of low listing and transaction fees. For only $0.20, you can list your fine china on Etsy's marketplace for four months. Once an item sells, you pay only a transaction fee of just 3.5 percent regardless of the selling price, and a 3 percent plus 25-cent payment processing fee.
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Classified sites like Craigslist are another popular avenue for selling items. However, do not expect top-dollar for the china you sell this way. Also, you will likely have to meet with the buyer in person, and this makes some people uncomfortable. But don't let this discourage you. Craigslist is great if you need some cash fast and have to sell your fine china in a hurry. Best of all, there usually are no transaction fees associated with selling through classified ads.
Replacement China Companies
There is no way to really say which avenue will give you the highest return on your china. If you're looking to sell full sets, you may want to contact a replacement china company. These companies buy and sell discontinued pieces of china. This process can be a bit easier than selling at auction or on a classified site because the replacement company purchases your china upfront. Although, don't expect the highest price for china with this option. You can, however, sell your china without having to wait for auctions to end or worrying about sellers not paying. A quick search online will turn up replacement china companies that will gladly take your fine china off of your hands for you.
Auction Houses
Lastly, there is one tried and true method of selling your fine china – at auction houses. While you could find yourself receiving the highest possible amount for your china, you may also find yourself stuck with auction house fees as high as 50 percent of the sale. One benefit of selling your fine china at auction is that buyers are generally true collectors who know the value of certain hard-to-find or high-end pieces and are willing to pay for them. This process takes longer than selling fine china online, but if you have expensive or rare china that you'd like to get a fair price for, selling it at auction may your best bet.