Ship it, offer local pickup or use freight: getting estate finds to buyers
Estate sales produce the hardest things to ship: glass, china, lamps, mirrors and furniture. How an item will reach its buyer is worth deciding before you list it, because it changes who can buy it and what you'll have left after the sale. This guide covers how to choose between shipping, local pickup and freight, and how to pack so things arrive in one piece.
Decide before you list
| Item | Usual choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small and sturdy: books, tools, flatware, small decor | Ship | Cheap to send, and the whole country can buy it |
| Fragile but boxable: glassware, china, small lamps, clocks | Ship, packed carefully | Worth the packing time when the price covers it |
| Bulky but light: lampshades, wicker, large frames | Ship or local pickup | Carriers charge for the size of the box, so the cost can surprise you |
| Heavy or large: dressers, sofas, pianos, large mirrors | Local pickup, or freight for valuable pieces | Too big for parcel carriers, and costly to move |
| Low value and heavy: cast iron cookware sets, encyclopedias | Local pickup, or sell as a group | Shipping can cost more than the item is worth |
A quick test: estimate the shipping cost and compare it with the price. If shipping would add more than about half the item's price, fewer buyers will bite, and pickup or grouping it with similar items is usually better.
Weigh and measure it packed
The carrier charges for the box, not the item. Choose the box and packing first, then weigh and measure the packed parcel. A kitchen or luggage scale and a tape measure are enough.
Size matters as well as weight. For large boxes, carriers charge by dimensions when that comes to more than the actual weight, a rule usually called dimensional weight. A lampshade that weighs two pounds can be billed as if it weighed twenty. Check the packed size against the carrier's rates before you promise a shipping price.
Calculated or flat-rate shipping
On eBay you can charge a flat rate, the same amount wherever the buyer lives, or use calculated shipping, where you enter the packed weight and dimensions and each buyer sees a cost based on their location.
- Calculated shipping suits anything heavy or large, where the cost to a neighboring state and the cost across the country are far apart
- Flat rate suits small, light items where the difference is a dollar or two
- Free shipping means the cost comes out of your price. Build it in when you price, using the cost to the farthest buyer
Underestimating shipping is one of the most common ways a sale ends up losing money. Our guide to pricing estate sale items shows the full sum with fees and shipping included.
Packing fragile items
Pack as if the box will be dropped, stacked under heavier boxes and shaken, because it will be.
- Wrap each piece separately. Lids, shades and stoppers come off and get their own wrapping
- Use a new or sturdy box a few inches larger than the wrapped item on every side
- Put at least two inches of cushioning on the bottom, on every side and on top: bubble wrap, packing paper or foam
- Fill every gap. Close the box and shake it gently. If anything moves, add more
- For china, glass and anything valuable, put that box inside a larger one with cushioning between the two
- Seal every seam with packing tape at least two inches wide. Don't use masking tape or string
- Plates travel best on edge, with padding between each, not stacked flat
- Fill hollow pieces such as vases and teapots with paper so they resist pressure
- Tape cardboard over the glass of a framed picture, and protect the corners
- Take lamp bulbs out and pack harps and finials in a small bag taped inside the box
Protect yourself
- Photograph the item as it's packed, and the sealed box. If it arrives broken, those photos support your claim with the carrier
- Always ship with tracking
- Check how much insurance the shipping service includes, and add more for anything worth more than that
- For expensive items, require a signature on delivery
- Ship within the handling time your listing promises. Late shipping counts against a seller on eBay
Offering local pickup
For items too large or heavy to ship sensibly, you can offer local pickup on eBay, either as the only option or alongside shipping. The buyer pays through eBay's checkout as usual. You then agree a time and place through eBay messages. At the time of writing, eBay gives the buyer a code to bring to the pickup, and you scan or enter it to confirm the item was collected.
- Say in the listing what the buyer needs to bring: a truck or van, a second person, blankets and straps
- Say where the item is in the building: ground floor, upstairs, down a narrow hall
- Don't hand anything over until payment shows as complete on eBay
- Confirm the pickup with the buyer's code. It's your proof the item was collected
- If you're clearing a house on a deadline, state the last day pickup is possible
Pickup-only listings reach fewer buyers, since only people within driving distance can buy. For ordinary furniture that's the right trade. For a valuable piece, it may not be.
When to use freight
A piece that's both large and valuable, such as a designer sideboard or a fine antique cabinet, can be worth sending across the country. Freight carriers and furniture shippers handle items that parcel carriers won't, and eBay has a freight option for listings.
Get a quote before you list, with the item's dimensions, weight, and both ZIP codes. Ask whether the price includes pickup from inside the house, wrapping or crating, and delivery into the buyer's home or only to the curb. Then state in the listing what the buyer will pay and exactly what service they get. For everyday furniture the cost of freight is often more than the piece is worth, which is why pickup is the usual answer.
Where LegacyList fits
When you publish to eBay from LegacyList, the listing uses a shipping policy you've saved in your eBay account and the ZIP code your items ship from. You choose a default once and can pick a different policy for any one listing, for example a pickup policy for furniture. LegacyList doesn't weigh parcels or buy labels. It does record the shipping cost when you mark an item sold, so each item's profit reflects what it cost to send.