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Do pawn shops negotiate?


BigOxley

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Looking to get some new-to-me tools. I thought some pawn shops might be a good place to check out.

 

Looking a CL, it seems pawn shops are listing new in box stuff for pretty close to retail and used stuff for still high prices, when I know they are usually getting the merchandise from heroin addicts for 1/4-1/3 the cost.

 

So do they deal? if so, how do you talk with the store employees? I know they deal with "colorful" individuals...

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Uhh, just get on eBay and look for used name brand shit. I.E. Snap on or Cornwell. Maybe even craftsman. Lifetime warranty.... Over half off retail.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I love eBay. But I don't know about buying used stuff on there, especially from individuals.

 

With buying local, I can walk out with the item the same day. Maybe even test it out there (looking for a nice miter saw.)

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Don't get me wrong, I love eBay. But I don't know about buying used stuff on there, especially from individuals.

 

With buying local, I can walk out with the item the same day. Maybe even test it out there (looking for a nice miter saw.)

 

I took it as hand tools since this is an automotive site and you did not specify, sorry.

 

In that case I'd just go to a pawnshop.

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So do they deal? if so, how do you talk with the store employees? I know they deal with "colorful" individuals...

 

Yes. Walk in there, don't dress like a hoodlum, don't wear a backpack, etc. You're already on their good side if you can do these things. Say how's it going, tell them what you're looking for, don't just go wandering around. Don't tie up their time, they have other shitballs about to walk in the door they don't want to deal with.

 

They aren't going to haggle over a few bucks, that'll just annoy them. Don't even try it on something under $20.

 

Say they have what you want, and it's $100. If $100 is a good price, be fair about it, and just pay. If you really do think it is marked up a bit high, never try to ask for more than 20% off. Also, never ask for less than 10%. Don't get too excited about what they show you or point out to you, then you look like a sucker who will pay full price.

 

"This yaddayadda looks kind of worn here around the blahblah, do you offer any sort of guarantee on it?"

 

They'll probably say no, most don't do anything much more than a 24 hour return, if that. Pawn shop employees are smart about their inventory. They know about the warranty of items, especially tool brands. They might mention it to you if they want to sell it. If they want to sell it, they'll work with you :)

 

Just follow up their explanation with something like: "If you could do $80 for me, I'll take it right now, then I don't have to worry about spending more mailing it in for replacement later"

 

Most importantly, whether you buy something or not, say thanks a lot and say you're going to check them out again sometime. Two things stick out in pawnshops. Good customers, and bad customers. Finally, if you become a repeat customer, don't go in there haggling all the time, that's the fast track to bad customer.

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Yes. Walk in there, don't dress like a hoodlum, don't wear a backpack, etc. You're already on their good side if you can do these things. Say how's it going, tell them what you're looking for, don't just go wandering around. Don't tie up their time, they have other shitballs about to walk in the door they don't want to deal with.

 

 

 

They aren't going to haggle over a few bucks, that'll just annoy them. Don't even try it on something under $20.

 

 

 

Say they have what you want, and it's $100. If $100 is a good price, be fair about it, and just pay. If you really do think it is marked up a bit high, never try to ask for more than 20% off. Also, never ask for less than 10%. Don't get too excited about what they show you or point out to you, then you look like a sucker who will pay full price.

 

 

 

"This yaddayadda looks kind of worn here around the blahblah, do you offer any sort of guarantee on it?"

 

 

 

They'll probably say no, most don't do anything much more than a 24 hour return, if that. Pawn shop employees are smart about their inventory. They know about the warranty of items, especially tool brands. They might mention it to you if they want to sell it. If they want to sell it, they'll work with you :)

 

 

 

Just follow up their explanation with something like: "If you could do $80 for me, I'll take it right now, then I don't have to worry about spending more mailing it in for replacement later"

 

 

 

Most importantly, whether you buy something or not, say thanks a lot and say you're going to check them out again sometime. Two things stick out in pawnshops. Good customers, and bad customers. Finally, if you become a repeat customer, don't go in there haggling all the time, that's the fast track to bad customer.

 

 

So, the best I'm going is 20% off?

 

The saw I'm looking at is new in-box listed at the pawn shop for $500, after tax is $537-ish. They probably bought it for $175-200.

 

I can get a new shipped one on the net for $580.

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So, the best I'm going is 20% off?

 

The saw I'm looking at is new in-box listed at the pawn shop for $500, after tax is $537-ish. They probably bought it for $175-200.

 

I can get a new shipped one on the net for $580.

 

Unless you KNOW that item has been sitting there for a while, then typically yeah. Small tools often get bought for 20-25% of what they get sold for. Larger items like that have smaller margins. If you're lucky and someone is unlucky, it was pawned and someone didn't pay back for it in time, then the pawn shop paid much less.

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Found a guy with a "hot" deal on a circular saw from CL. He wants to meet at a public place, but I want to power it up. He still using the CL relay to communicate with me.

 

Any ideas where I can meet him to get power to the saw?

 

Starbucks or the library. Plenty of outlets there.

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Go buy a cheap power inverter. I would say just pop down to RadioShack and pick one up but....

 

:(

 

Whats fucked up is on monday I REALLY needed a radio shack. The headphone jack on my 360 headset is messed up and i was going to solder up a new one. Radio shack is the only place i know of that would carry something like that.

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I have always gotten great deals on tools at pawn shops. You just have to remember they pay next to nothing for everything. You take them something worth $500 and they might give you $80 for it. So whatever price they have on it they most likely paid 25% of the price tag. So they will haggle if you know how.
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:(

 

Whats fucked up is on monday I REALLY needed a radio shack. The headphone jack on my 360 headset is messed up and i was going to solder up a new one. Radio shack is the only place i know of that would carry something like that.

 

Try http://partsexpress.com

 

I have used them to order electrical connectors.

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So, the best I'm going is 20% off?

 

The saw I'm looking at is new in-box listed at the pawn shop for $500, after tax is $537-ish. They probably bought it for $175-200.

 

I can get a new shipped one on the net for $580.

 

What they paid for it is irrelevant. If they paid $550 for it would you care? If they paid $1 for it would you care?

 

Its all about what the marketplace other than there says its worth.

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