Pawnshops are one of the best ways to try your luck in getting valuable items at an incredibly amazing rate, including jewelry and even electronics. Not unless you have a staggering amount of money in savings or you belong to a millionaire family, it is impossible to get all your wishes to come true when it comes to buying good jewelry.
Buying Jewelry from Pawn Shops
Pawnshops can get you amazing pieces of jewelry at an astonishing rate if you know how to look for it and finalize the deal. Buying anything from a pawn shop can be extremely tricky – you will have to closely assess the item, know the ins and outs of the material you are looking for, and be aware of the cheaters!
Also, pawn shops are not your regular jewelry stores where you can choose from a wide variety or better, order a personalized design. Choosing and landing at the right deal from a limited variety of jewelry at the pawnshops is not everyone’s cup of tea.
So, what do you do? Drop the idea of buying jewelry from the pawnshop? No, wait! We have a list of some useful tips that are going to help you buy the best deal.
Tips for Buying Jewelry from Pawn Shops
Research – Get to Know The Pawn Shops
Nothing can beat the power of knowledge. Know everything there is and can be available about the pawn shops near you. Ask people around you and get as many reviews as possible. Knowing the pawnshop and its seller is an added benefit for you. Also, if someone in your friends or family has bought jewelry from a pawn shop, you can be more confident about the quality of the material and the seller not scamming you.
In addition to searching and knowing thoroughly about the pawnshops, you must have prior knowledge of all the materials and stones related to jewelry. If you are a novice, then it is better to survey some regular jewelry stores first so that you get know-how about the materials. For instance, before looking to buy jewelry from a pawn shop, you should know how heavy 14K gold feels like.
Be Open in Your Choices
One huge difference in buying jewelry from a regular jewelry store and a pawn shop is that you can never know what might be in stock. While jewelry stores have a standard collection of rings, bracelets, and other varieties of jewelry, you might not know what you will find at a pawn shop.
Maybe you go in there determined to buy a ring for yourself and instead find a more delicate and beautiful set of necklaces that you never knew you wanted. So, shopping at a pawn shop is not ideally done with a setlist of requirements at hand. Being open to various choices and varieties will help you buy a better necklace instead of the ring you had in your mind or a bracelet instead of a nose pin in a better deal.
Certifications or Appraisals
One of the biggest catches in buying jewelry from a pawn shop is to get a certification or receipt of the originality of the stones or gold. Though many people amongst us have a fair share of experience of buying jewelry and know about all the complicated details of the weight of gold and the quality of stones, it is always good to involve a professional appraiser.
Ask the sellers at the pawnshop for a certificate or documentation of the gold or the stones. Good sellers have an appraisal of the stones and other materials. If not, then have all the details of the stones and metal written on a receipt. You can then take it for an appraisal so that you know you got the authentic piece of jewelry.
Negotiate
Buying anything at a pawn shop involves a lot of negotiation. You should be able to negotiate and bargain like a pro if you do not want to end up overpaying for something. Having a basic knowledge of common negotiation techniques is going to benefit you a lot. It is good to set the maximum price in your mind and try to negotiate everything around it.
Make sure that you do not fall victim to anchoring bias. It is a phenomenon wherein the first price or deal offered to them gets stuck in their minds as a means for comparison for all the other prices quoted by the shop manager. Sellers at pawn shops use this technique against buyers a lot, so be wary of this.
Spare a Lot of Time For Choosing
Set aside a considerable amount of your time when you visit a pawnshop for buying jewelry. Being in a hurry will only limit you from assessing the uncountable varieties of jewelry items. Since it is a pawn shop we are talking about, it is filled with numerous items belonging to different categories. Therefore, having ample time at your expense is essential when shopping at a pawn shop. It will help you give attention to details.
Do not go Overboard With Your Budget
If we are presented with a lot of varieties of rings, bracelets, or necklaces, we are bound to go overboard with the budget. So, to bind yourself to a certain amount of spending, keep the maximum amount of money you have allotted for spending in your mind, and stick to it.
As stated previously, the pawnshop might have loads of collection of rings but zero variety of necklaces. You might end up spending more on, say, five beautiful rings than you had set a budget for buying a few assorted pieces of jewelry.
Trust Your Sixth Sense
Lastly, jewelry shopping is a big example of subjective choices – one might love the design on an earring while others might find it hideous. So, it is important to trust your instincts on this matter. Make sure whoever accompanies you to buy jewelry from a pawn shop knows how to give a piece of unconditional advice.
Nevertheless, this does not imply that you should compromise on the quality of the jewelry. Make an informed decision about the items you like. Weigh in the gold for its authenticity and stones for their quality. Pawnshops do not guarantee authentic pieces of jewelry. It requires a lot of assessment and rummaging through loads of varieties. Trust your sixth sense to choose what you like but also make sure you are not scammed into buying something that is not worth your money.
Final Words
Yes, you can indeed get good pieces of jewelry from a pawn shop at a fairly reasonable price; however, buying from a pawn shop is different than buying from a regular shop. You cannot just go in there and assume that you will find the thing you are looking for or order something close to it. You will have to look for it. It needs time and attention to detail. For jewelry, you need to have a basic knowledge of gold and stones, such as diamonds.
In the end, all the efforts are worth every penny when you get a prized jewelry item at an incredibly cheaper rate.