Tag: Buying from a pawn shop

  • 4 Reasons to Shop eBay for Pawn Items

    4 Reasons to Shop eBay for Pawn Items

    It is no secret that the retail industry has become a slave to consumer demands for online purchasing. More retailers are developing an online presence in addition to their brick and mortar store due to customers wanting to research and shop from the comfort of their homes. Some would argue that finding unique, valuable items online for a great price is near impossible. Some might even say that you’d be better off visiting your local pawn shop to find items that fit that description. Shockingly, although we would love to see you in our store, we would argue that unique items and great deals can be found online. That’s why we have our own eBay store in addition to our brick and mortar location in Whittier.

    Many folks who frequent our shop or pawn shops around the country are folks looking for unique items at a great price. Folks who enjoy haggling and walking away feeling as though they got a steal. Luckily, pawn shop store fronts are not the only place folks like you and I can find something truly of value and walk away feeling like we found the bargain of a lifetime. eBay offers that same opportunity for folks to find that unique item they’ve been hunting for with an added touch of convenience. Some of our best customers are people we’ve never met in person but have made deals with time and time again using eBay as our trusted host.

    Many still think of eBay as the place people go to sell their great-grandmother’s old lamps. And we’ll be honest, it can be.

    However, the majority of active sellers on eBay are small business storefront owners supplementing their in-store sales with online ones on a marketplace that’s safe, fair and easy-to-use for all involved. If you haven’t purchased or browsed eBay recently, here is our list of top reasons why you should give it a try.

    Reasons to Shop eBay for Pawn Items

    4 Reasons to Shop eBay for Pawn Items

    Shop eBay for Price

    eBay is known for its auction-based sales. Consumers have a certain amount of time to bid on an item before the auction closes and often, the selling price is well below retail price. You can set your bid to automatically stop when the auction reaches your financial limit without you even lifting a finger. We’ll also add in that the selling fees on eBay are around 5% less than the selling fees on Amazon, making for an all around better price.

    Shop eBay for Convenience

    There’s not much to explain here. You find a thing, you like the thing, you buy the thing, the thing shows up on your doorstep in a few days. It’s basically magic.

    Shop eBay for Confidence

    eBay was founded in 1995. How many of you even had internet in 1995? Exactly. It’s fair to say that the company has had a lot of time to work out the kinks in their Auction Web. They have a fully vetted program to recognize and deal with shady buyers and sellers alike. Once a purchase is made, eBay is mainly a silent partner in the transaction. However, if things go south, they are ready and available to assist.

    Shop eBay for Options

    If you had to guess, how many merchants have listings right now on eBay for the iPhone X? Literally thousands of merchants are on eBay right now trying to sell you an iPhone X. On the other hand, I guarantee you the Apple website has one price.

    One.

    Can you negotiate? No, of course not.

    No doubt, if you’re reading this post you’ve made an online purchase at some point, if not several (or several hundred). Have you shopped eBay?

  • 5 Steps for Haggling at a Pawn Shop

    5 Steps for Haggling at a Pawn Shop

    Buying, selling or pawning an item all have 1 thing in common: everything is negotiable. Haggling seems to be a lost art these days, but we would be doing you a disservice if we didn’t encourage you to get the best possible deal at your local pawn shop. Negotiating may make some folks uncomfortable, but with these easy guidelines we are certain that anyone can successful.

    Haggling at a Pawn Shop

    5 Steps for Haggling at a Pawn Shop

    Be informed

    Don’t walk into a pawn shop before you have researched every possible detail of the item you are ready to negotiate on. Know all the necessary product specs, and most importantly, know the value. If it is a piece of art or fine jewelry, you may want to have it appraised by a 3rd party. If it’s a tool or electronics item, check sources like eBay to find out the item’s online value.

    Be friendly

    You kill more flies with honey. That saying is true even in pawn shops. Make small talk with the shop representative and be polite. They will be much more willing to work with you than if you are rude or discourteous. Being impolite or aggressive will get you nowhere other than out the door.

    Be reasonable

    Pawn stores are still businesses and need to make a profit, so it’s important to be reasonable with your offers. Especially if you are new to haggling and a little uncomfortable. Asking for a 20% discount when buying or 20% increase when selling is a great starting point. Don’t offer $300 for an item that’s marked for sale at $1200. Annoying the sales rep is not a good strategy.

    Be patient

    Wait for the representative to make the first offer. If they want your item badly enough or want to move the item off the shelf, they will make an offer. Let them show you their cards first; this is especially important for first-time hagglers.

    Be ready to walk

    If you’ve done your research (and we trust you have) and the shop is not offering you a reasonable deal, remember that you can walk. It might not be the day for you to buy, sell or pawn your item. Don’t short-sell your item for less than it’s worth.

    The best piece of advice we can give you when haggling at a pawn shop is do not be uncomfortable. The owner and representatives of the store expect some negotiation on every deal they make. You are not being rude, offensive or pushy when trying to haggle. Advocate for yourself and you will come out with a better deal.