How to Buy a Discontinued Tile
Have helpful info handy., Get in touch with the manufacturer., Contact companies provided by the manufacturer., Seek specialists., Shop around., Buy more than you need.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Have helpful info handy.
Whenever you lay out tile, save the product information in your records for future reference.
Make your life easier by knowing exactly what you are looking for when it comes time to buy matching tiles.
When purchasing a new property with tile work that you would like to preserve, be sure to ask the seller if they have any of the following info:
The manufacturer’s name The product name Item number Product number Universal product code (UPC) -
Step 2: Get in touch with the manufacturer.
Provide them with as much product information as you can.
Find out if their warehouses are holding any backstock of that product.If so, ask if they can arrange a direct sale to you.
If for some reason they aren’t able to sell to you directly, ask for the names of retailers and wholesalers that they deal with so you can arrange a sale through them.
If the manufacturer is out of stock, ask for a list of companies who purchased the tile for resale in the past. , Get in touch with any retailers and wholesalers who used to carry that item.Ask the staff to run a computer search of their inventory to find out if they have any backstock still available.
If the company is a chain with more than one location, be sure they run a company-wide search to see if another site has it in case this one doesn’t.
Don’t simply go by what is on the shelves in the front of the house.
They may have pulled the item off the shelves because they knew it would be discontinued and unlikely to be a top seller after that. , Perform an online search with keywords “discontinued tiles” and “buy” or “for sale.” Find companies that specialize or deal exclusively in hunting down old tiles that are no longer in production.
Search their websites to see if they currently offer your tile.If they don’t have your tile advertised, contact them directly.
Provide them with the product info.
Ask them to perform a search through their suppliers or any other leads they may have. , Resist the urge to immediately buy your tile as soon as it is located.
If possible, obtain quotes from multiple sources.
Be aware that prices may vary from one to the next, depending on priorities.
Expect some sources to be aware of the rarity of the item and capitalize on it.
Hope for the best and see if other sources would be happy to unload backstock at a discount just to be rid of it.
Expect the cost to be influenced by how old the tile is, how much is available, and how much you plan to buy., Don’t limit yourself to the precise amount needed to retile a specific surface.
Plan against mishaps.
Purchase more than needed in case you accidentally break your replacement tiles as you restore your room.
Additionally, think ahead to the future, when these tiles will be even harder to come by.
Use this opportunity to stock up for future projects, too. -
Step 3: Contact companies provided by the manufacturer.
-
Step 4: Seek specialists.
-
Step 5: Shop around.
-
Step 6: Buy more than you need.
Detailed Guide
Whenever you lay out tile, save the product information in your records for future reference.
Make your life easier by knowing exactly what you are looking for when it comes time to buy matching tiles.
When purchasing a new property with tile work that you would like to preserve, be sure to ask the seller if they have any of the following info:
The manufacturer’s name The product name Item number Product number Universal product code (UPC)
Provide them with as much product information as you can.
Find out if their warehouses are holding any backstock of that product.If so, ask if they can arrange a direct sale to you.
If for some reason they aren’t able to sell to you directly, ask for the names of retailers and wholesalers that they deal with so you can arrange a sale through them.
If the manufacturer is out of stock, ask for a list of companies who purchased the tile for resale in the past. , Get in touch with any retailers and wholesalers who used to carry that item.Ask the staff to run a computer search of their inventory to find out if they have any backstock still available.
If the company is a chain with more than one location, be sure they run a company-wide search to see if another site has it in case this one doesn’t.
Don’t simply go by what is on the shelves in the front of the house.
They may have pulled the item off the shelves because they knew it would be discontinued and unlikely to be a top seller after that. , Perform an online search with keywords “discontinued tiles” and “buy” or “for sale.” Find companies that specialize or deal exclusively in hunting down old tiles that are no longer in production.
Search their websites to see if they currently offer your tile.If they don’t have your tile advertised, contact them directly.
Provide them with the product info.
Ask them to perform a search through their suppliers or any other leads they may have. , Resist the urge to immediately buy your tile as soon as it is located.
If possible, obtain quotes from multiple sources.
Be aware that prices may vary from one to the next, depending on priorities.
Expect some sources to be aware of the rarity of the item and capitalize on it.
Hope for the best and see if other sources would be happy to unload backstock at a discount just to be rid of it.
Expect the cost to be influenced by how old the tile is, how much is available, and how much you plan to buy., Don’t limit yourself to the precise amount needed to retile a specific surface.
Plan against mishaps.
Purchase more than needed in case you accidentally break your replacement tiles as you restore your room.
Additionally, think ahead to the future, when these tiles will be even harder to come by.
Use this opportunity to stock up for future projects, too.
About the Author
Jeremy Powell
Jeremy Powell specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 4 years. Jeremy is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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