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There are a couple things that it's hard to learn, and one of those things is the values of things we bring in to pawn or buy.
After many years, Alan knows what he pays on every single thing. Student clarinet? We buy em at $50. Garmin Nuvi? $15. A Milwaukee right angle grinder? $75. 32-inch TV? Pawn at $50, buy at $80, don't take without remote control. Gift card? Buy at 50%, except JC Penney 30%.
To even know what each thing is, and where its values are headed and why, is really kind of remarkable. To catch up in a month's time is impossible, and that's why I goofed this week when I offered a guy $75 for his student clarinet.
The clarinet itself may go on eBay for $150, or may sell in the shop for $140, so it's not a terrible error. But we will probably lose profit and take a risk due to my error.
Alan also knows what he'll be looking at before the people get to the window. He just looks at them, and looks at how they've packaged their item to carry it to the store, and he'll know that what they're about to offer is worthless. This is a type of ghetto savvy that I haven't picked up on yet.
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