How should I list a vintage china set on Etsy: full set or individual pieces?

Hi! For vintage china on Etsy, the best-performing (and easiest-to-ship) structure is usually a hybrid: list smaller, shippable groups (individual pieces or 2–4 piece “place setting” bundles) as your main Etsy listings, and only offer the full collection as a separate “whole lot” listing if you’re willing to deal with higher shipping costs and more packing time.

Here’s what typically works best in practice:

1) Individual pieces (best for steady sales + easiest shipping)
Most vintage china buyers on Etsy are either:

• replacing broken pieces, or
• trying to “complete” a pattern over time.

So listings like “Dinner Plate – [Pattern Name]” or “Cup & Saucer – [Pattern Name]” tend to match what people search for and keep shipping weights manageable. You can do this either as separate Etsy listings per piece type, or one listing per piece type with a quantity field (if you have multiples).

2) Place settings as bundles (best for higher order value without mega shipping)
If you have multiple full place settings, bundling them into 3–5 piece settings often hits a sweet spot:

• feels like a “real set” to a buyer,
• increases your average order,
• still ships more safely than a full collection.

Many sellers do:

• “1 place setting (5 pc)” and set the listing quantity to however many settings you can make, or
• “2 place settings (10 pc)” as a separate listing for people furnishing a table.

3) Full set / whole lot (only if you’re okay with freight-like packing)
A complete set can be appealing, but it’s also the riskiest for breakage and can trigger sticker shock on shipping. If you do it, consider positioning it as:

• “Full set / whole lot” with shipping priced to protect you (or even “contact me for a shipping quote” if you prefer), and
• a clear note that it will ship in multiple boxes if needed.

A lot of sellers also do “local pickup available” for the full set, even if they still offer shipping—because some buyers will jump on that.

If you want the most manageable setup, I’d do this:

• 1 listing per piece type (dinner plate, salad plate, bread plate, cup, saucer, serving bowl, platter, etc.) with strong photos and the quantity set to what you have.
• 1–2 bundle listings (like a 5-piece place setting, maybe also a 2-setting bundle).
• Optional: 1 “entire collection” listing priced attractively, but only if you’re prepared to pack it like a small moving job.

Quick shipping/packing tip that saves headaches: keep serving pieces separate from plate/cup listings (they’re heavier, odd-shaped, and usually need their own box/packing approach). Also, don’t rely too heavily on one listing with lots of variation choices for china—buyers get confused fast, and it increases the chance of ordering the wrong piece.

If you tell me roughly how many place settings you have and what the heaviest serving piece is (platter size, tureen, etc.), I can suggest a simple listing plan (how many listings total) that keeps shipping sane.