I happened upon this sweet pawnshop pickup from reader bradjustinen in the photo pool recently. Though it’s not a tool everyone needs, it does go to show that perseverance pays off in spades. Brad said this about his find:
You have to find the right pawnshop. You’ll never be able to negotiate with a single-owner pawnshop. There are plenty of pawnshops around here that won’t budge. Look for chain stores. Around Seattle we have PawnXChange — they’re all over the place, and there’s no owner there to be stingy. Try to find 20 pawnshops in your area and then decide which ones are best. Even still, most tools are overpriced, but with frequent visits (1-3 times a week) you WILL find steals, and when you do, try to talk the price down. Make up some story about how there’s something wrong with it that you’ll need to fix, etc.
Remember, unsuccessful negotiations will eventually turn into a successful negotiation. Today I picked up a like-new Ingersoll-Rand Recip. Saw for $20, talked down from $30. ($90 Retail)
Don’t ask for a discount — tell them what your max price is, and let them decide. I told the guy I didn’t need it, but for $20 I’ll find a use for it. He took the bait. Well worth the breath that it took to say “I’ll give you $20, but that’s it, I really don’t need it”.
We’ve had similar experiences on the pawnshop circuit. Like Brad said, the best thing you can do is find the best ones in your area — but above all, be patient. You might not find deals your first few times, but much like going to the junkyard, once you hit it right, you hit it big. Great find, Brad.
Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]
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