How to list

UPDATED APRIL 2013 - Please note we are currently operating a waiting list system for collections as we have been absolutely inundated with requests from potential sellers! We have very high stock levels at the moment, so our priority is selling! We have to be realistic about the amount of stock we hold.

Our system is simple, safe and secure. Simply send us a list of the items you wish to sell by post or e-mail (preferably not as an attachment). We no longer have a fax machine, so please do not attempt to send them to our office number! We need as much information as you can provide – particularly whether you have the original boxes and certificates, and a full description of any damage, however minor, to each piece. This is particularly important for items such as annual editions. Letting us know that a box is particularly scruffy is also a help, or if the foam is missing etc. This will enable us to give you a far more accurate estimate when we make your initial offer.

When/what and how we buy

It is very rare that we buy your collection immediately – please do not expect us to do so! There is no first come/first served arrangement when buying collections either. We only offer for your collection when our stock levels require it, and much depends on gaps or potential gaps in our stock as to which collections we choose to make an offer on.

If our stock levels are low, and we need the pieces on your list, we will offer to purchase your entire collection. If, however, our stock levels are high, but there are some items which we need now, we may offer to purchase selected items as we need them and purchase the other items at a later date. Your details are kept for our use only – and will never be passed to anyone else. There may be times when we have many collections on our books, and it may take a while before we can make you an offer.

We also buy empty Swarovski boxes, display items manufactured by Swarovski for use by dealers, occasionally we might purchase broken/damaged and/or salvageable crystal as we have clients specifically seeking those items. Again, send us a list of the items you wish to sell and we will make an offer when the time is right.

Our initial offer

Only at the stage where we contact you with a view to buying items, do we give you a rough idea of what our offer will be – this of course, depends on the crystal being in the exact condition that you have stated. Our offer may have to be adjusted if we find imperfections or that the pieces are not what you thought they were. For example, you may have listed something as mint, but we discover it has some minor damage to it – we would have to adjust our offer accordingly. Similarly, you might list something as, for example, a mouse, but when we inspect it we discover that is, in fact a rare version of mouse – so in that case, subject to condition, our offer would also need to be adjusted, but this time in an upwards direction.

When we make a final offer

Once we have inspected and graded your crystal, we will make our final offer, detailing why we are increasing or decreasing our offer based on what we have discovered. Upon your acceptance we will send you a cheque in full and final settlement. Alternatively, we can arrange a bank transfer.

This is a much better way to sell a collection, than having to list it individually and parcel it up on and as and when basis as you would through a broker, plus we pay you straight away for your items – as we purchase them ourselves, becoming the owners of the piece(s), unlike brokers who match each individual item one at a time, you send them individually (which is much more expensive) and they pay you for each item individually but only after they have sent the item to the buyer and the buyer has accepted the item.

How to get your crystal to us

We no longer visit your home/premises to check, inspect, collect or offer for your crystal.

Additionally, our insurers do not permit us to have clients attend our premises to drop off or collect crystal for security reasons.

It is your responsibility to post or courier your crystal to us. Special Delivery can be used for parcels of up to 10kg in weight for just over £20. Parcelforce and other couriers are also available, and in some cases they can collect from your home. Don’t forget that by sending all your items together, this is much more cost-effective than paying for each item to go to a broker individually. Courier services are not as expensive as you might think.

Should you decide not to go ahead with the sale once the crystal is with us, then once again, it will be your responsibility to finance the return journey of the crystal to your home. That might sound harsh, but sadly, we have to insist on this, due to time-wasters.

Summary

While that does sound like a lot of rules and regulations, the process in reality is simple and straightforward, and we endeavour to buy your collection as quickly as we can, and process the transaction in a friendly and professional manner. As with most things, even the purchasing of crystal collections comes down to supply and demand, so its not an exact science, but by making you aware of the process upfront, and with you providing us with as much information as possible ahead of our initial offer, this should ensure that when the time comes for the collection to change hands, that this is done quickly, efficiently and as painlessly as possible, with no nasty surprises for anyone. We recognise that not everyone “wants” to sell a collection, it may be that for whatever reason, they “have” to sell, and while we would never ask your reason for selling, we recognise that sometimes this can be a difficult and painful time, and therefore we endeavour to deal with each sale as sensitively as possible.

We look forward to working with you in the future.