When you’re looking for affordable items or want to get rid of some of your clutter, you may wonder about the best route to go. There are distinct differences between a pawn shop and a garage sale. Once you have more information, you can make the best choice for your situation.

The Garage Sale

Alternative names for a garage sale include a yard sale, a moving sale, and an estate sale. No matter the name, this is a way to either sell the things you no longer want or need. You can also find a bargain there.

As you probably know from seeing garage sales in your travels, they are not “organized” events vs. a Pawn Shop’s display, like ours at Cash Express. Buyers must be willing to comb through the good, looking for treasures. Some people make a whole day of foraging with a friend.

To get the best deals at a garage sale:

• Bundling. A seller is likely to give you a deal on several items vs. one. Say the seller has books for $1 each. If you buy ten, you can offer $7-8 for the bundle.
• Keep count of prices. It’s much easier to negotiate when you know the total of the goods heaped in your arms.
• Offer less than you are willing to pay. This gives you wiggle room in the bargaining process.
• Don’t become attached. If you can’t reach a reasonable price, prepare to walk away. For example, if someone is selling a dining room table for $300 and you know full well you could buy something similar for the same price, why buy used? You offer $150, and they won’t budge much over $50; you’re better off buying new.

Selling

Sellers must be ready to watch the goods all day long, have change on hand, and answer questions. Sometimes you have to haggle (it’s part of the fun). To garner excitement about your fete, check local newspapers, as some will carry an ad for your event. Signs and flyers are an alternative, but always ask before you put them up.

Not everything you want to rid yourself of has value, so consider that in choosing what to offer. A slightly smaller garage sale lets people see more of what you laid out. You don’t have to mark each item. Let a buyer make an offer. You might be surprised.

Pawn Shop vs. Garage Sale

If you are selling at a garage sale, you don’t have the option of pawning an item as a temporary way of getting cash fast.  There are probably items in your home that you could pawn when money gets tight. With a storefront, you don’t have to worry about the weather and can find what you want far quicker.

You won’t want to take dozens of items into a pawn shop, so focus on things that have a higher value. At Cash Express, we typically seek gems, jewelry, antiques, collectibles, electronics, coins, and designer clothing/accessories. If you want a loan vs. selling the item outright, avoid sentimental items if you cannot repay your loan on time.

At a garage sale, there is no opportunity to have your higher-priced items appraised. You may sell something way under value. At our pawn shop, our professionals can provide accurate pricing. Fairness matters. So you can buy, sell, trade, or pawn your item knowing you are working with great prices and quality goods.

How can We Help You?

Cash Express is the number one pawn shop in Philadelphia, PA. We pride ourselves in serving our customers promptly, with a positive attitude. We have expertise in antiques, diamonds, and precious metals.

Want more information? Use our online contact form or:

By Phone: (215) 922-1560

Through Email: info@pawnphiladelphia.com

The price of gold goes up and down, sometimes dramatically. When the price is high, you may start thinking about collecting the gold you have and taking it to a pawn shop. But do pawn shops buy gold?

The answer is a resounding YES. Jewelry and precious golds are two things for which pawn shops are always on the lookout. And when we speak about gold, we’re not just taking raw pieces. Rather, anything that contains gold may prove quite valuable. At Cash Express, we’ll even evaluate scraps.

Looking for Pawn Shops

Once you gather your gold, what’s next? There’s no question you can get fast cash at a Pawn Shop but do your research. It’s time to see what pawnbrokers are in your area. Right now, before you go any further, check out customer reviews and Better Business Ratings.

Taking a Look-See

Pop into a few of the shops you’re considering using. There are some benefits to taking this time. For one, you can observe the level of customer service received. You can also look at items similar to yours in the showcase. What are the prices? You won’t get retail for your goods, but you at least know where to start.

Pawn shops have a bad rap as dark corner spots where slippery individuals hang out. The modern pawnbroker, like Cash Express, offers a bright, clean storefront with friendly staff properly trained in their job. The broker should have appraisers on sight so you can find out what your treasure is worth right away. If you don’t like the offer, you can simply turn it down. There is no pressure for you to accept an amount with which you feel uncomfortable.

Ultimately, you want to have a sense you can trust the pawn shop and its personnel to treat you fairly.

What about Gold Buyers?

The main difference between a gold buyer and a pawn shop is the gold buyer must stick to certain sales standards. A pawnbroker has wiggle room in what they pay you. Additionally, gold buyers are picky about what they buy, normally staying away from broken scraps altogether.

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Gold buyers tend to do a lot more advertising to buy your gold. They might do television ads, bus ads; you name it. They do all of this advertising, but they generally are a little pickier about what gold they buy. They tend to stay away from any old and broken scraps of gold.

Real Gold vs. Gold Plated

Pawnshops tend to veer away from gold-plated items. On average, a gold-plated item contains only .05% actual gold. It would take a lot of plated and effort to achieve any sort of profit from these pieces. So don’t be offended if we test your gold. Some gold is fake, too!

Cash Express: We Buy Gold

Our mission is to offer our Philadelphia, PA, customers the best deal possible. You will receive professional attention and information that will help you understand what we base our offers. You can fill out our online form beforehand to see if your items are those we currently are buying (saves a trip).

Alternatively, you can call us at 215-922-1560 or Email: info@pawnphiladelphia.com