Pawn Shop Bargains?

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
I am intrigued by pawn shops, but know very little about them. Are there usually bargains to be had there?

My wife & I had the day off today and spent the afternoon in town, (Green Bay, WI). Maybe it was just the mood I was in, but I didn't see any hot bargains?

What have your experiences been?


Thanks,
Glenn F.
 
Depends on the pawn operator. Many times the customers don't bring in real good stuff, unless it's stolen.
 
I've looked here & there, but nothing really screamed at me. I did buy a toolbox once for $40. That was over 10 years ago. I haven't looked lately, but was thinking about looking for some wrenches for the farm at one near work.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
I rarely buy... No wait, I never buy stuff at pawn shops. I don't go in them.
I always figure the things there have too much bad karma attached to them.
I have had my tools stolen a couple three times in my life and always assumed they ended up at a pawn shop somewhere.
Druggies selling off a fellows hard earned tools in those places to get a fix.
Shady Pawn Star knows the score but turns his head away long enough to make a tidy profit off of someone else's misery.
Not for me.
 
One across the road from the Mall that my wife goes to and I go in two or three times a year. Have only bought a jig saw for $12. Most everything is priced to high for me. Did talk to the manager and learned some about the pawn business. They have to get a $1000 license from the state every year,keep stuff for 90 days and turn a report in to the police dept every day or week. On the other hand "Buy and Sell" shops do not have to do any of that.
 
Not many bargains in many pawn shops that I have ever seen other then the one a friend owns but then I get a break from him.
 
I bought a full size oxy-acetylene torch complete with regulators and hoses thirty years ago in Houston at a pawn shop. Still using it, did replace the hoses about ten years ago.
 
Does an antique store count? They buy and sell pretty much like a pawn shop. Not long ago we were going by an antique store and had a little time to kill so we went looking. Hadn't been in an antique store for years. Before we got inside the door my wife spotted these 2 wingback chairs in a window display. She said she's been looking for some like that for years but too expensive. These were in nice condition and 1/4 to 1/3 the price of new ones she'd look at. The store owner buys entire estates and resells. I think it's possible to get good deals, at least you don't have to wait at an auction.
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Re; stolen stuff in pawn shops. They have to make regular police reports and the police troll the shops looking for stolen items. I imagine some get through anyway, but it's hardly correct to say that huge amounts of inventory are stolen. People that are in need of money pawn things. Usually they are people who can't count, since the terms are very unfavorable, like 30 % or so. State regulate the amount charged. Pawn shops would much rather people pay off their loans and redeem their merchandis.

I have gotten bargains in things I know something about, like tools. If it isn't a bargain, I don't get it. It's amazing how the pawnshop clerk's attitude changes when he sees you about to put down a handful of tools and walk out. I would never try to buy something i know little about; for example, I never buy or even look at jewelry. So the first rule of buying in pawn shops is the same as buying anywhere else: know the value of what you are looking at. Ridiculous prices in shops? Yes, but we have all seen more than new prices paid at auctions. Same principle applys, know value.

Going to flea market tomorrow. One tool jockey there said that in times past he had bought $20-30,000 worth of tools from one pawn shop. Haven't figured out where the antique farm tool dealer gets his stuff, but he has vises, plows, blacksmith tools, etc.

KEH
 
I bought tools and guns from pawn shops for over 40 years. I figure I saved about 20% over buying from other used sources. Now that I have more time to look,I buy more at garage sales and auctions.
 
Local pawn shop here has near-new prices on unremarkable stuff.

I would go into a pawn shop if I had time when I was in Georgia with the truck. Found a few good deals on flat wrenches.

Even found a truck stop down near Vidalia that has a gun shop in the back room.
 
(quoted from post at 20:30:02 03/08/13) Any pawn shop I've ever been in wanted nearly as much for worn out junk as you could buy the stuff new.

Same thing I have seen here in WI and N IL.
 
I have bought some really good deals, and I have seen some prices that were better at Sears. We have two Pawn shops in town about 70 yards apart, one will deal on the price some, and the other keeps bankers hours and the price is the price.
 
I've gotten some great deals in my local pawn shops. The best ones are those attached to some chain, NOT the ones owned by an independent. The independents usually know alot more about what they are selling and set their prices accordingly. The chains usually don't know quite as much and this means there is alot more opportunity to get a really good deal. Personally I got several hundred dollars worth of Proto wrenches (1 1/2 to like 2 1/2), along with a handfull of smaller wrenches once for $100. Had them marked for like $120 and I walked away and went back several hours later and made them an offer, which they accepted. I also got a $2000 plus IR impact for around $200, along with quite a few other real deals. The thing is to know what you are looking at and never pay what they are asking unless you know for a fact that you are already all but stealing it for the asking price.

A week or so back Dad was in one and went against habit and looked inside a cheap toolbox. Typically cheap, junky boxes are full of cheap, junky tools. This one turned out to be filled with older name brand tools like Snap-On, MAC, S-K, etc, etc. He wound up getting the whole box for something like $175. When he got home he began checking prices and just one of the S-K sets in the box was worth just shy of what he paid for the whole thing.

As far as stolen items, I'm sure there are some that get through and get resold, just like anywhere else in the world. Thing is they do everything they can to identify the folks doing the pawning and insure that the items aren't stolen. I've been in severl when the police would come in and take a look around, and once even saw them find an antique musical instrument stolen from the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. The bad thing about something like that is the shop loses the money they paid out for the item, and nobody likes to lose money.

On another note, they often make good money reselling items. I was in one shop years ago when a guy brought in a piece of stereo equipment he had bought a few weeks before from that shop. Thing still had a price tag on it for something like $50. The guy sold it back to them for around $15. I guarantee you it was back on the shelf for $50 before I got home that evening.
 
Glenn, Duhhhhhh! ANYTHING in a Pawn Shop that is for sale IS PRICED 14 prices TOOOO High!
They loaned Pennies on the Dollar on it, then the original owner defaulted on the small loan. Now it is For Sale at a huge profit to their shop!!!!
Always KNOW what New price is, then offer 1/3 or less of the asking price. and go from there. Even the junkie, crappie stuff is priced like the current market price of Gold! Never,Never,Never pay the sticker price, walk out first and come back later!!!
Now to your Question I have gotten many ,many , Many bargains in Pawn shops but you have to know the worth of what you are buying. First, before you proceed. The sticker is just their Wish Price when a Sucker comes in! I have bought at least 4 complete sets of Craftsman tools over the yrs at nickels, dimes , quarters apiece. Screwdrivers at pennies each. Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.
 
I think you have to research what you are shopping for. The few times I've visited pawn shops I found the prices to be crazy high.

Jim
 
i stop in the ones in Appleton from time to time and have gotten some real good deals BUT you never pay what the price tag says you have to haggle with them. just bought a miter saw and the new sticker was still on the handle and blade they wanted 69.99 bought it for 40.00. Milwaukee sawall NOT the consumer grade but industrial grade looks just like new they wanted 89.99 got it for 50.00. but for just going in to buy ya most stuff is over priced
 
pawn shops are a legal flea-markets,,lol,,had a friend who worked at a pawn shop,most of the stuff was stuff like a flea-market/yard,, they would give the borrower as little as possible,, then mark it up 75%, so incase they need to reduce price, can still make some profit,[which is what they are after],, yes, there are some good deals if you know your pricing and items..
 
I've looked at a few, but never found any screaming deals. I think CL has cut into that biz a lot.
 

Davis,

Yep, that's the one. Better weather than the snow last weekend. Interesting about the PA connection.

KEH
 
Even if you get a real good deal, you are just cashing in on the misery of the one it was stolen from. Your purchase enables the thief to keep up the stealing. Tom
 
I know a guy that manages a big name chain pawn store. He said they make the real money on the loan side. The stores make the big bucks on the high interest rates. Selling the stuff is just a bonus.
 

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