Family legacy helps explain how heirs decide to donate inherited possessions

There's a good reason why that fine china set or crystal stemware collection inherited from grandma sits in a box gathering dust in the basement. According to new research co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign marketing expert, consumers don't simply donate family heirlooms and move on from them when they no longer spark joy. Instead, they remain concerned with how those heritage goods will be passed on to new owners and whether their legacy will continue.