V'S Pawn Shop

About

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PAWNBROKING What does it mean to “pawn” an item ? Pawn is the centuries old practice of lending money on withheld collateral. Pawnbroking is one of the oldest professions in the world. The service we offer is unique because mainstream lending institutions (banks, savings and loans, credit unions) will not make small loans. Most of these institutions are primarily interested in large loans. How does a Pawnshop work? Pawnbrokers loan money on a variety of items ranging from gold, silver and diamond jewelry to musical instruments, televisions, tools, household items, etc. Items used for loan should maintain their value over a reasonable period of time. Usually, loans are small averaging between $15 and $150, although these can be as small as $10 or as high as several thousand dollars depending on the value of the collateral item. How do you determine what an item is worth? 1. We offer loans based upon the current resale value of an item. This value takes into account many factors including the age of the item. Is it still popular or has a new product made it obsolete or decreased its value. Example: Laptop and desktop computers outdate very quickly, a product that was worth $1200 3 years ago may be practically worthless because no one will purchase an outdated or obsolete operating system. Another example would be the nearly 50 percent depreciation in the value of new DVD’s as BLU- RAY and other hi definition products become more mainstream. 2. Is the item complete? Item’s are usually purchased with accessories such as remote controls, USB cables, battery packs etc. If these items are missing it may dramatically effect the value of a possible loan – especially if the missing accessory contains an essential component to the operation of the item. 3. What other factors effecting the resale value of the item? Supply and demand plays a part in value evaluation. What is the current demand for the item - high or low? Do we have a lot of a particular item in stock? 4. Are there outside issues effecting the market value of the item? This may include any possible repair, scrap, shipping and other costs. These issues may reduce the possible resale value or increase the overall cost of an item and possible lower the possible loan amount. We attempt to loan the highest amounts that are feasible for our customers, within the current marketplace and resale value. Do most pawn customers lose their merchandise? On average, 70 percent of all loans are repaid. Repeat customers make up most of our business, similar to any other loan or retail company. We know the majority of our customers because they often borrow against the same items over and over again. It is the choice of the customers whether he/she chooses to repay the loan. What is the difference between buying at a pawnshop and buying at a retail store? Price. Price. Price. How can I be sure the item I purchase at a pawnshop isn't stolen