So you are on the market to shop and you may not know exactly what you want. Or maybe it’s that you would like to find some good deals on gently used merchandise and really, there’s no better place to do that than a pawn shop.
But that of course begs a question that is obvious. What exactly can you buy at a pawn shop? What kinds of merchandise do pawn shop have available for sale anyways?
The the answer isn’t as simple as we would like it to be but I will still explain it as best as possible so that you have a good idea of what you might find when you head into your local pawn shop to do a little shopping.
You have to understand that pawn shops typically aren’t like major chains or large retail stores where they all carry the same types of products.
Many pawn shops are operated by independent owners who set their own rules in determining what to take in on a loan or to buy outright and because of that there is no “Golden Rule” that is really set in stone. As the say “This isn’t Walmart after all.”
But with that in mind, there are some basics that just about every pawn shop does deal with and those are the main points that we are going to talk about so that you have a fair and reasonable expectation of what you may find when you walk into your local pawn shop to do a little shopping.
If you are looking for some good deal on gentle used or collectible items there is no better place to start looking than a pawn shop.
What You Can Buy At A Pawn Shop
So, like we were saying, there is no one “Golden Rule” that applies to all pawn shops but there are some basics that virtually all pawn shops do deal with regularly and that you might expect to find when you go to browse around or do a little shopping.
Jewelry
Virtually all pawn shops buy and sell jewelry, particularly gold jewelry and diamonds.
This is a real basic item that virtually all pawn shops work with because of the intrinsic value of the metal itself. In addition, there is always a market for high quality, well sized diamonds which make them a dependable item for pawn shops to make loans on.
That having been said, a lot of the jewelry that forfeits or gets purchased outright may very well end up on the sales floor of your local pawn shop so if you are looking for an engagement ring, promise ring, necklace, bracelet or pendant then you should definitely look in at a pawn shop first.
Typically speaking, their prices will be between 30-50% of the retail price if you were to find the same item in a large, brand name mall-style jewelry store.
Power Tools
Power tools are another item type that many pawn shops deal with. In fact, it’s pretty uncommon to find a pawn shop that doesn’t work with power tools in at least some capacity.
The fact of the matter is that just about everyone in the construction to home improvement to just the regular Joe do-it-yourselfer is looking for tools at a very good price.
On top of it, most power tools that come from respected brand names are built to last, making them a dependable item for pawn shops to give money on and when they forfeit, they will often end up on the sales floor for you to browse through and possibly find a great deal on.
TV’s
A lot of pawn shops will work with TV’s and they are typically less than 5 years old – if even that.
TV’s are one of those items that we all have and most of us have multiple TV’s throughout our home. It’s just an item that has substantial demand and therefore is an attractive items for a pawn shop to give money on.
And just like everything else, when the loan forfeits they will have to sell it somehow and that’s where you come in. You can often find newer LCD and LED flat screen TV’s for a steal in your local pawn shop so if you are on the market for one, be sure to check with your neighborhood pawn broker.
Digital Cameras
Digital camera, particularly higher end digital SLR’s are a big item for a lot of pawn brokers because of their value and utility.
Really a high quality digital SLR is no different than a tool to a contractor for the photographer. They are both needed to get the job done and perfect your craft.
If you are out there thinking about picking up a new digital camera then the pawn shop in your area may be a good place to start looking.
Video Games
Video games and video game systems like the Xbox and Playstation are hot items in many pawn shops.
There’s simply a huge demand for these items and when there’s a lot of demand for something, it becomes that much more valuable to a pawn broker.
On top of it, pawn brokers know to test the systems and play the discs before they buy them so if you happen to find one of these on the sales floor of your local pawn shop, you can bet that it’s going to work perfectly and you’re going to end up with a great deal on it.
Laptops & Desktops
Laptops and desktop computers are another hot item for many pawn brokers because of how well they sell.
Now don’t make a mistake here, when it comes to buying computers your local pawn broker will be just short of a certified expert.
When you buy a laptop or a desktop from a pawn shop you can safely bet that all of the old owners information will be completely removed from it and the laptop will work very well. Because of the nature of laptops though, it never hurts to ask if there is any kind of warranty on the item.
GPS Systems
The kind of GPS unit that you might normally put in your car when you are going on a road trip is exactly the type of thing that you will often find for sale in a pawn shop.
These little guys can be real life savers when you are in an unfamiliar area and you will normally find a great deal on one at your local pawn shop should you happen to go looking.
Cell Phones
Another thing that you may find in your local pawn shop is cell phones.
With the popularity and value in smart phones these days, pawn shops have really jumped on the bandwagon on taking them in for loan or buying them outright and as a result you will often find them for sale by your friendly neighborhood pawn broker.
They will normally have already checked to make sure that the phone isn’t blacklisted by a service carrier, but it’s never a bad idea to check for yourself use Swappa.com
Tablets
Tablets like the iPad and the various Kindles or Android tablets on the market have been really popular in pawn shops lately.
As a result you can often find them for sale in pawn shops and for really great prices. They will almost always have been reset and had all of the previous owners information erased from them completely.
Consumer Electronics
While we’ve covered some electronics that you may find in a pawn shop, really just about any consumer electronic item will be desirable to a pawn shop.
This may include things like:
DVD Players
BluRay Players
DVD Moves
BluRay Movies
Camcorders
Memory Sticks and Cards
External Hard Drives
And More…
Hunting & Sports Equipment
The last very common thing that you will find for sale in a lot of pawn shops is hunting and sport equipment.
This means things like:
Crossbows
Compound bows
Rifles and Firearms
Bicycles
Inline Skates
Fishing Poles
etc…
At this point you should have a very good idea of what you might commonly expect to find in your local pawn shop when you go there to do a little shopping.
