What Types of Items Do Pawnshops Buy?
january 1, 2019 | 3 Min Read
What Types of Items Do Pawnshops Buy?
We literally get this phone call 17 hundred times per day. (No exaggeration at all) Customers are constantly calling, messaging, and emailing us trying to find out what all items we take. It’s actually a good question too - since most pawnshops are very picky with the items they take in.
Here’s our short answer:
“We’ll buy anything that we can easily make money on”
Period. It’s that simple. If we can buy it and sell it quickly and easily, we’ll take it.
However, since I know that’s not the exact answer you were looking for when you clicked on this article, I’ll go a bit deeper and give you the Top 5 Items that we like to buy at the pawnshop.
1. Jewelry
Jewelry is one of those items that just holds its value very well. (Which is a good thing when you are looking to pawn or sell it) The typical pieces of jewelry that we buy are either Gold, Silver, or Platinum and may or may not have diamonds.
Rings, bracelets, charms, necklaces, pendants. You name it. If it’s gold, silver, or platinum - we’ll buy it!
QUICK TIP!
One very important tip we can give you about jewelry is that you should bring every piece you have, regardless of whether you think it is real or not. We’ve had countless customers tell us that they left a few pieces at home because they thought they were fake. Don't do it! Bring every piece in! It’s always free to get it checked and you might just get lucky!
QUICK, quick TIP!
Don’t pay too much attention to gold and silver prices. The market typically does not fluctuate enough to make any noticeable difference in the price you pay. Bring it in and let us pay you cash!
2. firearms
Coming in at a close second on this list are firearms. Revolvers, rifles, pistols and shotguns. If it goes boom, we’ll buy it. Firearms are another category of merchandise that hold there value really well, and are typically quick sellers.
This means that you will usually get more money for firearms than other categories of merchandise because we’ll be able to move it fast and make a quick buck!
Don’t forget! If you plan on pawning a firearm and picking it back up, we do have to run a criminal background check through the ATF before we give the gun back to you. The process typically takes about 10-15 minutes longer than a normal pawn.
QUICK TIP!
Make sure to always unload your firearms before bringing them into the shop. If you don’t know how to do this, you can come inside first and someone will be happy to help you out!
3. Electronics
Everyone loves gadgets! From TVs to iPads or PS4s to Gameboys, we’ll pawn or buy almost any electronic! While these items are super popular in pawnshops, they do have a shorter shelf life than jewelry and firearms. We’ll explain:
Technology is a category that can quickly go out of style and hurt the ability to sell it and make a profit. We love to buy electronics, but we do have to consider the age and condition of the device when making an offer. Most electronics start to drop in value after the first year, depending on if newer models have been released. Keep this in mind when getting a quote on an electronic item from a pawnshop!
QUICK TIP!
Don’t forget anything! Electronics typically come with chargers, cables, and accessories. If you forget these items at home, you might get a lower offer than expected, or no offer at all. Bring everything you have!
4. musical instruments
This category is another frequent visitor in all pawnshops. Most shops will have entire sections dedicated to musical instruments. Items of interest include: guitars, keyboards, amplifiers, microphones, band instruments and much more.
Musical instruments are not quite as popular in the pawnshop as the previous items in this article, but they can still get you some quick cash!
QUICK TIP!
Cleanliness is important! Make sure your instruments are clean and put together before you bring them in! Give them a quick wipe down and make sure all the pieces are in order before taking them to the pawnshop to guarantee that you get the most cash!
5. Tools
Last but not least - the tools. You simply can’t walk into a pawnshop without seeing a shelf full of different tools. It’s just a fact of life. Power, pneumatic, and hand tools are popular items in the pawnshop. They are typically much less expensive than retail price, which means they don’t have a very high value - but they can still get you some quick cash when you need it!
QUICK TIP!
Make sure you don’t have any missing pieces. Chargers for power tools, missing pieces in a tool set, or tools just not functioning properly are common mistakes that customers make when bringing tools into the pawnshop. Don’t forget these!
wrap-up
Remember, regardless of what this list says - we’ll buy almost anything of value. If we can easily buy it and make money off of it, we will take it. However, if we did have to round our categories out into a Top 5 List, it would go in this order: Jewelry, Firearms, Electronics, Musical Instruments, then Tools.
If you have any questions or comments you can always message us HERE or call us HERE.
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