The I HATE PAWN stars thread!
- Thread starter tonyromo09
- Start date
I think it's a great show. But then maybe because I worked for a Pawn shop for a short period of time and have a different perspective.
When watching the show, one has to remember that the person who is selling something went to a pawn shop to sell it. They didn't try to sell it out right.
Anytime you sell something to a pawn shop, what you don't see is that it has to go into a hold area for a period of time where it is checked to make sure it isn't stolen. Part of the process of low balling everyone that wants to sell something is to protect the shop. If the item is a stolen item, then it's a loss for them.
The reason that they don't offer more on items that appraise for more is simple, auction is a gamble. Like Ebay, you don't know what it's actually going to go for and you have auction fees to pay just to list it. So if it doesn't sell, you lose there too.
In the end, the name of the game is to buy it for as little as possible so you have a better chance of selling it. Pawn shops get stuff with lots of stuff.
When watching the show, one has to remember that the person who is selling something went to a pawn shop to sell it. They didn't try to sell it out right.
Anytime you sell something to a pawn shop, what you don't see is that it has to go into a hold area for a period of time where it is checked to make sure it isn't stolen. Part of the process of low balling everyone that wants to sell something is to protect the shop. If the item is a stolen item, then it's a loss for them.
The reason that they don't offer more on items that appraise for more is simple, auction is a gamble. Like Ebay, you don't know what it's actually going to go for and you have auction fees to pay just to list it. So if it doesn't sell, you lose there too.
In the end, the name of the game is to buy it for as little as possible so you have a better chance of selling it. Pawn shops get stuff with lots of stuff.
I tried that Hard Core Pawn show the other day and found myself really liking it as well. People get pissed beyond belief on that show over the dumbest things. One guy wanted to fight because they wouldn't give him 5 dollars more for some item they didn't even want - they were only buying it to help him out.
Check this out - wayyyy back in 2003... Rick looked a little different
Pawn Stars circa 2003‏ - YouTube
Check this out - wayyyy back in 2003... Rick looked a little different
Pawn Stars circa 2003‏ - YouTube
Laffo
Sr Member
I'm enjoying Little People Pawn and Storage Hoarding Intervention myself.
I'll watch some Biggest So You Think You Can Design Cupcake Takeover if I have to.
I cannot stand Palin's Ice Road Most Dangerous Stupid Driver's Jobs though, or anything about building Motorcycles and yelling at your Family.
Laffo.
I'll watch some Biggest So You Think You Can Design Cupcake Takeover if I have to.
I cannot stand Palin's Ice Road Most Dangerous Stupid Driver's Jobs though, or anything about building Motorcycles and yelling at your Family.
Laffo.
BIKERFETT
Sr Member
Let me say that I enjoy these shows as well, but I am an auctioneer and own my own auction house. These shows have planted all kinds of nonsense in people's heads. American Pickers are only 2 1/2 hours from us. That show is so staged in every way. If you walk into someone's barn that hasn't been gone through in 50 years you aren't going to offer them 225 for a sign in a pile of signs. You are going to say I will give you 100 for them all and get them out of your way so you can use the barn again. But you cant have a show about two guys ripping off middle America when they are your core audience. I have had people come to my auction that have been approached by the show and they get paid 2500 to let them come and look. Pawn Stars is completely staged to the point that none of the people who are selling the items are real whatsoever. My buddy who lives in California know one of the guys who brought in a revolutionary war piece and said he found it in his grandpa's attic. That same guy, who is friends with my buddy is one of the foremost collectors of Revolutionary War items. The "expert" they called in knows nothing about the items he is actually a armorer. So take these shows for what they are entertainment not nonfiction.
Thewolf2021
New Member
Haha, it may **** you off, but don't worry, most of it is completely staged. I recently started working with a crew member turned producer and he worked with the guys who now do Pawn Stars. He had me meet them and we talked for a while. Most of the items that are in there to pawn are just interesting things they found, most of it isn't even actually bought or sold. Reality TV is first and foremost about the entertainment value, and most of the time things become a bit scripted to keep it interesting.
Cal
Well-Known Member
I don't feel sorry for the people. They come in of their own free will. Experts tell them without bias what the item is worth. Some walk, others sell. There is nothing more to it. He can laugh and lowball all he wants, fact is when you set foot into a pawn shop you have to realize you are going to get the lowest end price for that item. If you notice they never get their hands on any historical items because the sellers walk. but it's good for the show to even have the item as a showcase.
Phew, so many comments, how to summarise my own opinion.
To start off with, I think this says it best
What I tell the Mrs. almost every day when trying to find something interesting on the 'Discoveries or Histories'.
Cool stuff nowadays seems very limited. A few truly realted to history, science etc, but for the most part, the programming is tosh.
Having said that, I was sceptical to ever try to even watch Pawn Stars, but I ventured to do so a month or so ago for the first time.
Loved it !
Stages or otherwise, it's very entertaining, and whatever the case may be, it's so cool to learn things about some rather cool (weird) items that exist.
I love it when, for example, things like "This is THE bullwhip used by Indiana Jones"
lol) shows up, or "This is a hat John Wayne wore for sure !" and the latest one was a script from I can't remember which movie.
That then led me to venture on to seeing American Pickers and those restorer folks (American Restorers I think).
Again, very entertaining, and I love to see how objects transform themselves from a piece of rubbish to something that looks like it rolled out of the factory today.
To me, these 3 shows at least make me feel that there is SOMETHING out there in this ridiculous 'reality tv' barrage of hogwash, that is entertaining and interesting.
I won't specifically wait for them to come on, but if I flick around and I come across them, I'll watch with a smile.
To start off with, I think this says it best
What I tell the Mrs. almost every day when trying to find something interesting on the 'Discoveries or Histories'.
Cool stuff nowadays seems very limited. A few truly realted to history, science etc, but for the most part, the programming is tosh.
Having said that, I was sceptical to ever try to even watch Pawn Stars, but I ventured to do so a month or so ago for the first time.
Loved it !
Stages or otherwise, it's very entertaining, and whatever the case may be, it's so cool to learn things about some rather cool (weird) items that exist.
I love it when, for example, things like "This is THE bullwhip used by Indiana Jones"
lol) shows up, or "This is a hat John Wayne wore for sure !" and the latest one was a script from I can't remember which movie.That then led me to venture on to seeing American Pickers and those restorer folks (American Restorers I think).
Again, very entertaining, and I love to see how objects transform themselves from a piece of rubbish to something that looks like it rolled out of the factory today.
To me, these 3 shows at least make me feel that there is SOMETHING out there in this ridiculous 'reality tv' barrage of hogwash, that is entertaining and interesting.
I won't specifically wait for them to come on, but if I flick around and I come across them, I'll watch with a smile
.
Maelstrom
Sr Member
Wow. I remember that being on, but I had completely forgotten (or never made the connection) that that was the Gold and Silver.
nightwind1
Well-Known Member
First of all, Rick has NEVER been shown to offer just $200 for something worth $10,000. He would start somewhere around $4000, and settle around $6000. (I've seen numbers in this range a few times, and I watch the show regularly).
Second, even at auction, you never know what is going to be bid. And if offered at most auctions, seller MUST take whatever the high bid is. So if the highest bid on a "$10,000" item is $800, the seller HAS to take that bid. So it's much riskier than negotiating a price agreed upon by both seller and buyer.
I haven't watched it in a while. I guess I have it down pat. The old man grumps, Rick laughs, the son weasels out of work, and Chumly screws up. They buy a few ordinary things, a real nice thing, and take a road trip to test a weird thing.
I've been to a few garage sales lately and many are storage lockers people have bought 'just like on that show'. They're mainly crap. Old shoes, clothes, and bric a brac from the 80's.
I've been to a few garage sales lately and many are storage lockers people have bought 'just like on that show'. They're mainly crap. Old shoes, clothes, and bric a brac from the 80's.
defstartrooper
Sr Member
........
Last edited:
Maybe your **** just isn't as "valuable" as you think it is.
Free market baby. If you can't sell something for "your" price, that means you don't have a clear idea what it's really worth.
I always get what I want, or I don't sell it. If you're selling stuff to pay bills then you're desparate and the low price is your fault.
Don't like'em don't use them. See if you can find an auction site that WILL get you "your" price that charges NO fees then comeback and show us how smart you are.
Free market baby. If you can't sell something for "your" price, that means you don't have a clear idea what it's really worth.
I always get what I want, or I don't sell it. If you're selling stuff to pay bills then you're desparate and the low price is your fault.
Don't like'em don't use them. See if you can find an auction site that WILL get you "your" price that charges NO fees then comeback and show us how smart you are.
Rodann
Sr Member
Mike, is this directed at ME? I know we don't know each other very well, but is the near-flame really necessary? All I did was comment on the "keeping ALL the profit" thing. If I was trying to get ALL the profit, rather than just SOME of it, I wouldn't sell on ebay- which takes a cut (unlike Craigslist for example), nor would I use ANY middleman. You changed my point and picked it apart like I owe you money or something. Where is this hostility coming from? You were never like this before- did I **** you off in another thread? I'm at a loss.
Paypal is a rip off.
Ebay is a monopoly.
I just wonder if you guys go in and ***** at the supermarket people for their prices.
So quit bitching about eBay.
Every ****ing week someone has to ***** about the COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
Just be glad you don't pay licensing fees and get away with it. Most of the time.
Ebay is a monopoly.
I just wonder if you guys go in and ***** at the supermarket people for their prices.
So quit bitching about eBay.
Every ****ing week someone has to ***** about the COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
Just be glad you don't pay licensing fees and get away with it. Most of the time.
Rodann
Sr Member
Wow. You have changed. Sorry I offended you, your highness. I've already received PMs from people calling you names and such, so I guess this isn't new? I must have missed the memo. Sorry the old micdavis is gone.........
Been watching this for several seasons and the scripted parts of the show are just seeming to get more painful. STOP MAKING CHUM TRY TO BE SERIOUS. Watching him trudge through lines, basically parroting Rick, but doing it so poorly is just embarrassing to watch.
As others have said, I am often dumbfounded to see what some people will accept after an "expert" tells them the value of a piece, but then I think, well, you brought it to a pawn store, you get what you deserve.
As others have said, I am often dumbfounded to see what some people will accept after an "expert" tells them the value of a piece, but then I think, well, you brought it to a pawn store, you get what you deserve.
ustryker221
New Member
^ Agree. Chum trying to be serious, although often amusing, is embarrassing. Must they continue attempting to entertain the notion that Chum may one day actually know what he's talking about...haha.
Similar threads
