Ceramics, Pottery, Glassware, etc - which couriers will offer compensation / insurance?

soolin

Cathharrison said:

Someone should start a new business, couriering specifically china and pottery that INCLUDES compensation - using a human touch instead of fork lifts and chucking boxes. .....or is that a silly idea???

OLD THREAD ALERT 

However in answer to the zombie bump- Plenty of couriers will do that, some of the auction houses I use have details on their websites for specialist couriers. obviously you pay huge amounts of money for the service, but then if you want to have a personal touch you would expect that. no more £3 2nd class standard parcels, instead nearer £50 for a similar sized item,  but handled with exceptional care. 

Kontro

Soolin - another zombie-bump, because some of your comments of this resurrected thread interested me.
 
I'm currently trying sell a small amount of inherited china and glassware, but not doing too well. Accept that the current times and the sort of stuff I'm trying to sell may be the problem, but...
 
Where are you having success selling this stuff? I'm trying on eBay (for the stuff I dare to post), Facebook (MarketPlace) and Gumtree. Do I need to search for specific Facebook selling groups? Understand the market in London may be better than up here in Nottingham.
  
And are you managing to send plates and glassware with sufficient cushioning within the limits of RM Small Parcel size? I looked at doing that, but wasn't confident I could provide enough protection within that limited size. The one item of glassware I did sell on eBay and post went in a huge box when Packlink were doing the half-price offer... 

soolin

Kontro said:

Soolin - another zombie-bump, because some of your comments of this resurrected thread interested me.
 
I'm currently trying sell a small amount of inherited china and glassware, but not doing too well. Accept that the current times and the sort of stuff I'm trying to sell may be the problem, but...
 
Where are you having success selling this stuff? I'm trying on eBay (for the stuff I dare to post), Facebook (MarketPlace) and Gumtree. Do I need to search for specific Facebook selling groups? Understand the market in London may be better than up here in Nottingham.
  
And are you managing to send plates and glassware with sufficient cushioning within the limits of RM Small Parcel size? I looked at doing that, but wasn't confident I could provide enough protection within that limited size. The one item of glassware I did sell on eBay and post went in a huge box when Packlink were doing the half-price offer... 

Glass and China are very poor sellers , I’ve been back at various auctions and can reasonably expect to buy a fruit crate (Or even 2) full of crystal and cut glass for around £5-£10. Most of what I buy I charity shop immediately but I look for certain items that I know I can sell and will often buy a full box just for 3 or 4 pieces that I want. When I do sell pieces I tend to stick to Facebook marketplace , not because of not wishing to post but because the stuff is so cheap that the cost is Often less than the postage, so letting someone collect a decanter for £3 is more cost effective than selling it on eBay and having to wrap and post it. 

I do sell some more expensive pieces on eBay and just double box them and use lots of bubble wrap and either peanut fillings or newspaper to make the inner box sturdy and rigid. All my items go standard 2nd class parcel , I haven’t sold anything that I couldn’t wrap as a small parcel now for ages as I’m back to the problem of postage costs getting too expensive for the cost of the item. 

Research the sold prices on eBay for the items you have - anything of value  Consider listing and anything useful try marketplace or one of the sellings aps and charity shop the rest.

Kontro

Thanks for the reply Soolin.  Guess I'd better give up on trying to sell this stuff - I suspect most of it is the sort of stuff you give to the charity shop, so not worth the trouble.   Facebook is the only place I'm getting any interest at all, and that is only the fine folks who want me to hold the stuff for them them, then go silent..... 

soolin

Kontro said:

Thanks for the reply Soolin.  Guess I'd better give up on trying to sell this stuff - I suspect most of it is the sort of stuff you give to the charity shop, so not worth the trouble.   Facebook is the only place I'm getting any interest at all, and that is only the fine folks who want me to hold the stuff for them them, then go silent..... 

Be firm on Facebook , something I have learned over the past months. If someone wants something and asks for your address give them postcode only and tell them to message you before they come for the item. So if they want to come ‘tomorrow at 11am’ and are happy that the post code is local enough for them tell them to message you by 10am at the latest for your door number otherwise you will release it to the next in line. At 10.15 am if I haven’t had that message I would message asking if they were still coming, if I didn’t get a reply I’d move on and offer to next in line. 

If someone lets you down with no excuse at all, just reoffer to the next in line, if they send an excuse then book one more time and let them know that is their last chance.