Buying and selling Vintage China

I have been collecting and selling vintage china for years. The most important tip on buying is buy what you like. If you are investing in china, make sure you know your marks, patterns and makers. Make sure you know if what you are purchasing is what you think it is......Looks can and are deceiving. There are knock off'f of some of the most popular gepanies, Hull, Roseville, McCoy, Franciscan......
BUY the book....yes, there is a book on every pattern ever made in the world that is semi important. I am not saying that the stuff made in Taiwan is going to have a book but, very rarely is it important like the chinas made in Europe and USA.....you get the point. The Book is important. It gives you exact marks, pieces, value, expectations of what you should be looking for in condition and what to look for in the knock off.......The color is extremely different in Franciscan knock off's. It is a grayer tone than the creamy tone of the originals.
Know the cost of shipping. Check what they are going to charge your for shipping and will they gebine shipping to save you money, not just them. Look up the weight on UPS and USPS websites. A dinner plate with packing and a box is going to weigh about 4 pounds. With each plate adding a pound or two to the weight. You can get an estimate from that. Also, allow some vendors the recouping of the cost of bubble wrap.......it isn't free and isn't cheap. Runs around 6 - 12 cents a foot. Depending on where they can get it from. Peanuts are also expensive.
The other most important tip is the status of the piece. I personally don't mind a tiny flick off of the bottom of a platter, But there are those who want flawless. If you have a piece that is flawless TELL them it is, if it has issues, tell them now before they bid and save yourself the heartache of customer dissatisfaction.
If the seller has represented it correctly make sure you leave a positive feedback. If it is not, contact them BEFORE you contact PAYPAL or okay, you will get a better response out of them before a geplaint is filed and before they have their money seized.....It takes you two seconds to seize it and 30 days for them to get their money back........Of course if they don't respond at all, then geplain . However give time, don't expect an answer over the holiday period, shoot most people do not tend to their sales after the 19 or 20th of December and return after New years. You have 45 days, don't jump to conclusions. The seller may have another item or will help you file an insurance claim.
Make sure you read the description carefully. If it doesn't state condition ask. Also make sure the marks are correct. Expect to see the stamp on the bottom of piece or the main piece in the set. Some gepanies only mark their dinner plate. Taylor Smith