pawn shops

[Double Naught Spy]

Always ask with this magic phrase "can you do any better on the price?" It is not offensive.

It may not be directly offensive, but it is a sign that you want a better price and are not willing to put forth any effort to negotiate. It is not a good way to truly get a best price. You are a lot better off making a cash offer for the item instead of a backhanded insult of asking for a better price without offering something first. The price tag is the offer to sell. If you don't want to pay the asking price, then make a counter offer.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

oops

 

[Double Naught Spy]

oops again

 

[Smokey Joe]

Pawn shops are like...

digging for clams, or panning for gold, or going to rummage sales.

You have to turn over a lot of sand for the clams. A lot of gravel for the nuggets. A lot of mouldy lampshades, worn-out furniture, and obsolete golf clubs, for the Parker that the lady says is "oh, some old shotgun my uncle never used..."

Take the clams home and make chowder. Take the nuggets to the assay office, then the check to the bank. Take the Parker home and clean it up. (Light oil and 0000 steel wool do wonders for rust!) Smile.

Keep visiting pawn shops & rummage sales. Never expect but always hope.

 

[jaholder1971]

Quote:
Most pawn shops are legalized fencing operations. Practically every one in Topeka also own a large number of Section 8 or worse housing and will accept property in lieu of rent.

What kills me is every one has a large quantity of 12 and 20 guage single shot scatterguns for sale at 150 percent of what a new one at Wallyworld costs. Don't mention that to them as they get angry and tell you to go there and buy it then.
Sounds like you are sour because you didn't get the deal you wanted. Why would a law abiding citizen attempt to do business with a business he believes is acting in an unethical or potentially illegal manner? Why would you attempt to buy a gun that you feel might have been fenced?

No sour grapes. There are a couple that are legitimate, these are the one who don't have rentals. These guys usually have more new guns than used/pawned stuff.

I quit shopping the others after watching folks bring in 3 and 4 home stereos at a time wanting to knock off a hundred bucks off this month's rent. There's a number of them lobbying the state legislature to change the laws allowing them to sell stolen stuff provided they've bought it "in good faith", whatever that means to them.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Always ask with this magic phrase "can you do any better on the price?" It is not offensive.

Very true.

What I ask is, "What can you do for me on a cash sale?" If they come back with a number that I think is too high, I'll counter-offer ("Could you go...?"); if they say no, then I have to decide which I want more--a bargain, the item in question, or to keep my money.

I have also found that dropping by towards the end of a quarter can help; some shops (especially chains) are motivated to improve their quarterly sales figures and will readily respond to cash offers.