Ive been in a hundred pawn shops. Many good. Plenty bad. Most "meh."…read more
Oro Jewelry and Loan is one of the good ones, at least from a BUY and a SELL perspective (I can't speak as to their pawn/loan services, as I have never utilized them).
First, the store layout is a plus. It doesn't feel like an insanely cluttered shop of junk like 1/3rd of pawn shops do, nor does it feel like a Goodwill-but-with-guns like some of the jumbo pawn shops in big cities. Rather, Oro Jewelry and Loan is sensibly laid out like a decent, condensed retail or consignment store with sections that make sense, and most importantly, are comfortable and easy to browse.
For Oroville's city size, they have a nice firearms selection, with handguns well-labeled with easy-to-see pricing. They have a decent selection of guitars and basses, when I went in they ranged from sub-$100 to near 2k, and the prices seemed competitive per brand/condition. The jewelry was attractively displayed and organized, although I have no idea if the pricing is good/bad as I am not in that market. Taken together, you don't feel "icky" shopping in here, and that is a HUGE plus when shopping at pawn shops. I admit I haven't tried to haggle any prices, but the two Items I have bought so far were of a quality and condition that made me feel like I obtained good value on some harder-to-find items.
Look, I get it.....pawn shops MUST operate under a certain economic model in order to stay open and to obtain a viable inventory. This inevitably makes certain people who are not appreciative of this model, well....unhappy.
When you walk in with your crappy used item, keep in mind that you are asking THEM to take on all of the risk and to try and sell a used item, and to store it, display it, and market it until it sells - that is, if it ever sells. At the very most they can offer you somewhere near half of what it might sell for, but if it might take time to sell, they have to account for that, and if it is large and takes up space, they have to account for that, and if their inventory is flooded with certain items, they have to account for that and so on. So naturally, if your item is *SO* awesome that you just feel insulted by their offer, then SELL IT YOURSELF. Nobody is stopping you. Why would you get mad at someone's lousy offer if you can sell it for 2x or 3x more yourself via Craigslist or whatever? Just do it then.
During my numerous buy and sell visits to the store (including one today), I heard the counter folks negotiating with two customers - and in both cases, a deal was made, and nobody was left cursing or shaking their fist at the sky, they were pretty happy. I myself have sold them two items that are not at all practical to sell online, and in the most recent transaction, the result was more than fair. Thats right....not just fair....more than fair. Obviously, I cant guarantee your result will feel the same way, given how many factors are involved in pawn shop appraisal (and given how many so-called "valuable" things are actually worthless on the resale market), but I do feel like - at the very least - the guys behind the counter are honestly trying to negotiate with people in a friendly way and in good faith, and with good humor and vibes, and that is uncommon in the pawn industry.
