A picture of the EZPAWN store taken from the parking lot. A customer’s truck is parked in front of the store.


Many people have bought or sold items using online marketplaces. Online marketplaces are incredibly convenient. Quickly snap a couple of photos, list a few details, and within no time, the advertisement is live for potential buyers to start throwing out offers. A lot of times though, these digital garage sales are too good to be true.

What seems convenient is often anything but. The person buying wants to get the item as cheaply as possible whereas the seller wants to get as close to the listed price as possible. Low-ball offers are commonplace and there is a lot of time and energy spent on haggling. These are just the unwritten rules of online marketplaces.

For the buyer, drawbacks to purchasing from an online marketplace include: risk of meeting up with a stranger to conduct the transaction, not seeing the product in person before it’s bought, and having to pay in cash. Sellers encounter flaky buyers, waiting weeks sometimes to sell an item, or not being able to sell the item at all. For the reasons above, pawn shops offer better solutions to anyone wanting to buy or sell merchandise.

Here are ten ways pawn shops are better than online marketplaces:


1. SEE BEFORE YOU BUY

An EZPAWN team member is helping a young couple looking to purchase electronics.


Almost everyone has bought something online only for it to look nothing like the photos. Photographs can be misleading. Whether the product is new or used, photographs rarely represent reality - even if unintentionally.

Seeing and holding merchandise in person beats a photograph any day. Prevent the disappointment many internet shoppers feel by shopping at a pawn shop and feeling, touching, and inspecting the merchandise!


2. FREE EVALUATIONS

An EZPAWN team member is inspecting a diamond for authenticity.


Trusted and well-established pawn shops have decades of experience evaluating merchandise. Not to mention many pawn shops are experts when it comes to specific products: jewelry, instruments, tools, and anything else of significant value!

The opposite is true for e-commerce platforms. Most of the time it’s just two people: one wanting to sell and the other wanting to buy. Rarely are customers dealing with an expert. This increases the risk of improperly evaluating said merchandise, leaving one person benefiting and the other getting burned. Pawn shops, however, are amazing at evaluating the true value of an item. So, consider taking merchandise to a pawn shop!


3. OPTION TO PAWN OR SELL

An EZPAWN team member is offering a customer a cash loan for their jewelry.


A pawn shop’s biggest advantage for customers needing fast cash is having the option to either pawn or sell unwanted items. This means customers don’t have to go through the hassle of listing an item online and then have to actively monitor their offers. They can just walk into a pawn shop, pawn or sell an item, and walk out with cash in their pockets!

If customers are really attached to an item and do not want to sell, yet still need cash, pawning is a great solution. As customers can get the item back once the loan is paid back in full (plus any interest or fees)1. After this, the customer can collect the items they still want. No online marketplace offers this option.


4. LAYAWAY PROGRAM

An EZPAWN team member is writing on a layaway ticket.


Layaway is a great way to lock in merchandise at today’s low prices. It also helps avoid those variable credit card interest rates. With only 10% down, plus fees2, customers get easy-to-afford scheduled payments and ensure they never miss out on a great deal. Once the final payment has been made, the item can be picked up and taken home! Customers also have the option to pay off the entire amount due at any time if they’d like to do so. This makes pawn shops a great option because many retailers have ended their layaway programs, giving customers fewer options for payments.

Graphic of the layaway process.

Did you know EZPAWN offers a layaway program? Here’s how it works:

  1. Choose your item
    • Come into any store, and select any item you want.
  2. Put 10% down
    • Put down a minimum of 10%, plus a small fee and we’ll hold it for you.
  3. Make payments
    • Make your scheduled payments.
  4. Pick up your item
    • Pick up your item upon final payment.


5. SAFETY

An EZPAWN team member wearing a red shirt is helping a young couple purchase trendy sneakers. A wall of sneakers is in the background.


Another reason pawn shops, like EZPAWN, are better than online selling platforms, is the risk factor. There are dangers in dealing with a stranger over the internet. Some of these include: the person not being who they say they are, meeting at odd times, not getting what is expected, and meeting in unsafe locations.

Many online selling platforms post disclaimers warning their users of these potential threats. Yet, customers do not read or ignore these disclaimers. On the contrary, your local pawn shop is a safe, trusted, and legitimate place of business. EZPAWN always has friendly pawnbrokers ready to serve their customers’ needs!


6. BARGAIN PRICES

Two women are smiling and pointing to a display with jewelry inside.


In recent years, online selling platforms have become increasingly popular, but pawn shops still offer several advantages.

One of the biggest advantages of pawn shops is their prices. Pawn shops typically sell items for a fraction of the retail price. This is because pawn shops buy gently used items from the surrounding community and then offer the merchandise to the public for sale. As a result, customers can be confident they will get a great deal on the items they buy from a pawn shop with the bonus of good quality.

Overall, pawn shops offer several advantages over online selling platforms. If you're looking for good quality items at bargain prices, then a pawn shop is the perfect place for you.


7. LARGE SELECTION

A picture of the inside of the EZPAWN store with team members and customers browsing items, pawing, selling, and buying.


From electronics and jewelry to firearms and power tools, pawn shops offer a wide variety of merchandise. This merchandise is often of superior quality to what is being sold on online marketplaces because pawnbrokers will go to great lengths to vet the quality of items taken into the pawn shop. Simply put, pawn shops buy brand-name, top-of-the-line items. Visiting a pawn shop is like walking into a treasure chest - you never know what you’re going to find.


8. AUTHENTIC MERCHANDISE

A staircase of cubes with arrows pointing upwards on the top row with the top cube being placed by a hand with a ribbon on it.


Contrary to popular belief, pawn shops do their best to only sell authentic merchandise. Pawnbrokers are trained to identify knock-offs and not take them. Some EZPAWN locations now use authentication devices for luxury handbags, giving both the pawnbroker and the buyer confidence that the item is real.

When using online marketplaces, items may not look as described in the ad. Items could also be overvalued where the buyer gets the short end of the stick. Not to mention the lack of regulations on what buyers and sellers of online marketplaces can advertise. As a result, the chance of coming across an item that may be stolen or fake[SB1] is much higher.

Unlike online marketplaces, pawn shops are highly regulated; all pawnbrokers must be licensed and insured to operate. Customers can rest assured knowing that pawn shops are highly vetted and a trusted source to buy or sell pre-loved goods.


9. BROKEN JEWELRY

An unset diamond and a ring with a grey background.



Pawning and Selling

Listing jewelry, and even broken jewelry, on online marketplaces to sell can be risky as there are many factors out of your control. Some of these include: unreliable people, dealing with non-experts, and safety. Pawn shops, however, have trained professionals who can evaluate jewelry and offer a fair price based on the current market value at the time of your visit. They’re also places of business so they are safe and often well-lit during evening hours.

Buying

Although broken jewelry can be sold on sites like eBay, many buyers are hesitant to purchase broken jewelry they can’t first inspect. At EZPAWN, you can be sure all jewelry is thoroughly inspected and meets the finest jewelry standards. Customers can thoroughly inspect it themselves before purchasing.


10. NEGOTIATIONS

A close shot of a man and women shaking hands.


Many of EZPAWN’s customers would agree it’s easier to negotiate with a trusted pawnbroker in a pawn shop than with a total stranger they met online. By talking with someone face-to-face, people are likely to quickly come to a resolution on price. Transacting online is quite the opposite experience - low-ball offers, ghosting, and unresponsive messaging are all common characteristics of online marketplaces. Transacting at a pawn shop beats online marketplaces every time.


Pawn Shops Are Better Than Online Marketplaces For These Reasons

A picture of an EZPAWN store from the parking lot during the daytime. The EZPAWN store is located in a strip mall.


Sure, online marketplaces seem convenient. However, they can quickly become inconvenient as there are less protections in place, both for the buyer and seller. The list above is some of the many benefits pawn shops provide that online marketplaces do not. Many people overlook these benefits when listing items on online marketplaces.

To recap, pawn shop benefits include:

  • Seeing the item in-person
  • Free expert evaluations
  • Options to pawn
  • Buy or sell
  • Layaway programs
  • Bargain prices, large selections
  • Authentication
  • Broken jewelry
  • Negotiations
  • Safety

Online Marketplaces are Unable to Deliver the Same Benefits

Are you considering selling your items? Pawn shops offer a host of reasons why they are a better option than online marketplaces. One significant advantage is the convenience they offer. Instead of dealing with the complexities of selling on online platforms, you can simply walk into a pawn shop and sell your items directly. This eliminates the need for listing items, negotiating prices, and arranging shipping. With pawn shops, you can quickly and effortlessly turn your unwanted belongings into cash.

Furthermore, pawn shops provide the opportunity to establish a long-term business relationship. Unlike online marketplaces where transactions are often anonymous and one-time, pawn shops prioritize building connections with their customers. This personalized approach ensures that you receive fair evaluations and prices for your items. Additionally, pawn shops offer the unique option of pawn loans. If you find yourself in need of immediate cash but don't want to part with your belongings permanently, pawn loans allow you to sell your items temporarily and have the opportunity to retrieve them by repaying the loan amount. This flexibility and convenience make pawn shops an attractive choice for individuals looking to sell their items and address their financial needs simultaneously.

In addition to these advantages, pawn shops also provide expert evaluations of items, support for small business owners, acceptance of various items beyond electronics, transparent transactions, great deals on purchases, confidentiality, and the satisfaction of supporting local communities. With all these reasons combined, it's clear that pawn shops offer a superior alternative to online marketplaces when it comes to selling your items.


So, when considering using an online marketplace or a pawn shop, go with a pawn shop! Or at least try it out! Many customers are surprised that they can easily walk out the same day with cash for an item they’re looking to get rid of, or gently used merchandise for less than what they’d pay at a retail store!

Whether you want to buy or sell, EZPAWN is your best option!

  1. Pawn transactions are based on the assessed value of the item presented. Item evaluation and the amount offered are determined at the sole discretion of the pawnbroker. Complete disclosure of APR, fees, and payment terms are detailed on the pawn ticket. Terms and conditions apply and may vary by state and local jurisdiction.
  2. Minimum down payment on layaways: 10% of the total sale amount plus layaway fee. In Texas EZPAWN stores, the layaway service fee is $5. In all other store locations, the layaway service fee is $5 for a purchase price of up to $100 and $10 for a purchase price of $100 or over. Canceled layaways are subject to a restocking fee of $10 or 10% of the purchase price (whichever is greater). No cash refunds. A credit slip will be issued on all canceled layaway sales. Credit slip expires after 6 months from the date issued. Please see a Team Member for additional details. Items pictured are examples only. Prices and product availability vary by store.