Purchasing

What forms of payment do you accept for online purchases?

We accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa credit card payments, as well as Paypal.

When is my credit card charged?

When your order is shipped. When you complete the checkout process your credit card will be authorized for the amount of your order. A credit card authorization means that you have not been charged yet but the buying power of your card has been reduced by the amount of your purchase. This authorized amount is then captured by Maryland China when your order ships and the sales process is completed.

Why am I charged a $5.00 minimum order fee?

We incur expenses when processing orders regardless of their size, so in order to offer the lowest prices to all customers we require that orders are at least $50.00 otherwise we must charge a minimum order fee of $5.00 to cover handling. Orders of supplies only will not be charged the $5.00, even if they are under $50.00.

When will my order arrive?

Processing orders usually takes 2-3 days, but can vary based on the time of year. Once your order has been shipped a tracking number will be emailed to you by the carrier (usually FedEx). Domestic FedEx Ground shipments usually take 1 to 6 business days to arrive once shipped, depending on your distance from Maryland.

How do I change or add to my order?

If you need to make a change or addition to your order, please call us at 800-638-3880 or email [email protected] right away. If possible we will accommodate your request.

What is the wish list?

The wish list allows you to create of list of items that you do not want to buy at this time, but that you are interested in purchasing at a later date. When viewing an item, select “Add to Wish List” instead of “Add to Cart” in order to compile your wish list.

I am ordering personalized china. How do I enter my text?

You will need to wait until the item is in the shopping cart and you have begun the checkout process to enter your personalized name or text. Enter the text for your personalized item at the last step of the checkout process in the comments box before clicking on the “Place Order” button. If ordering more than one personalized item, indicate which item should be decorated with which name.

Example: [Cookie Jar: "The Berger's", Boy Plate: "Robert", Birth Plate: "Samantha Ellen, March 18, 2006"]

How do I use the Search feature to get the best results?

Using the search box at the top of every page will allow you to search our large database of products.  The results will pull up all items that have all of the words you typed in the item description.  Also, you can use the search box at the top of the page to search for SKU/item numbers.

Shipping Information

How are shipping charges calculated?

The website attempts to calculate shipping charges based on the shipping weight of the items you have added to your cart. The calculation attempts to estimate the number of boxes necessary to package your order before shipping. The shipping calculated by our website is usually a good approximation of the shipping charges, which have to account for the large amount of packing material we must use to ensure your order arrives undamaged. If you prefer to order over the phone we will charge you for the actual charges incurred when your order ships, but we cannot provide a shipping estimate when you place an order over the phone.

What is the freight discount and how is it calculated?

Some orders over $200.00 are eligible for our freight discount. This discount is equal to the lesser of 15% of your order total or the shipping charges for your order. For example if your order is for $200 of merchandise you will receive a discount of $30.00 to be applied to your shipping charges. If the shipping charges for your order are under $30.00 you will not be charged for shipping and if the shipping charges for your order are greater than $30.00 you will be charged for the shipping charges in excess of $30.00. The freight discount cannot be combined with some other offers.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes, we ship to most international addresses. The website will not calculate freight charges for international orders— you will be charged the actual shipping amount when your order ships. We are often asked to provide an international freight quote before an order is placed. Unfortunately, every destination has a different rate and the rate is based upon the actual dimensions of the shipment, not the actual weight of the shipment. Without an order being placed with the items and quantities provided, we cannot begin to estimate the cost to ship. If you provide us with your order, we can only offer a rough estimate without packing the order first. If you request a firm quote we will need to pack your order. If you find the shipping too expensive, the cancelled portion of your order is subject to a 15% restocking fee. To minimize international shipping costs select items that are small in volume like plates and tiles and avoid items that are large in volume like tea/coffee sets and vases.

Returns

What do I do if one of the items I ordered arrives broken or defective?

Please call customer service immediately at (800) 638-3880. One of our representatives will guide you through our return process, but be sure not to discard the broken item and packaging materials. We may need it held for inspection or sent back in order to file the appropriate damage claim with the shipping carrier. Please call to receive return authorization before sending items back to us.

How do I return an item?

Maryland China makes every effort to insure that our return policies are fair. We will gladly accept returned merchandise which is defective or shipped to you in error within 30 days. Please email [email protected] or call (800) 638-3880 to obtain advanced authorization and shipping instructions to return the goods in question. Merchandise returned without authorization or after 30 days will not be accepted. We reserve the right to impose a 15% restocking charge. Please note that special orders and items advertised as seconds or selected rejects (RJ or sel. rej. items) are final sales and may not be returned.

Product Information

Do items need to be decorated?

No, our porcelain and ceramic items can be used without further decoration. Most items are glazed. The item description will indicate if an item is unglazed (bisque).

Are your items dishwasher and microwave safe?

Each item is different, but in general plain white porcelain and ceramic items are both dishwasher and microwave safe. Decorated items should be hand washed and any item with metallic decoration (for example: a plate with a gold rim) is NOT microwave safe and should be hand washed.

What are Selected Seconds?

Selected Seconds, RJ, or sel. rej. Items contain slight imperfections such as uneven glaze, scratches in the glaze, pin holes, or small dark spots. They do not have cracks or chips. They are offered at a 50% discount because of these defects. They are final sale.

Security

Is the credit card information I submit secure?

Yes. Credit card information is encrypted. We do not store credit card information on our website.

Will Maryland China sell or rent my email or mailing address information to other companies?

No.

Miscellaneous

How do I request a catalog?

If you are placing an order, please request a catalog in the Comments section during checkout and we will include a catalog with your order. If you would like a catalog and you are not placing an order please email a request to [email protected]. Be sure to include a mailing address served by the U.S. Postal Service. Catalogs mailed within the United States are sent for free. We charge $23.50 for catalogs mailed to addresses outside of the United States. Please call us with a credit card number or fax the number and address to (410) 833-1851. We are happy to include a free catalog when shipping international orders.

Our catalog is available for download from our homepage under “recent catalogs & circulars”.

Do you have a brick and mortar store where I can shop?

Yes, our showroom at 54 Main St, Reisterstown, MD 21136 is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm. We have over 1200 china ware items on display, as well as our famous “seconds” room where customers can enjoy big discounts on pieces with slight imperfections.  We require all customers and employees to wear a mask.