Down here at the pawn shop

[Undertoad]

The one thing that did happen was that the shop ran into its eBay seller limit: $12000 per month. They have to wait until the 22nd to call eBay again to raise this limit.

In the weeks that I've been there, my average is $3500 per 7 hour day eBaying items. I generally go through about one item in 20 minutes, taking pictures and such.

By hosting images on my own server I have proven to be a big benefit to the owner. eBay charges for additional image hosting; I do it for free and thus save the shop a few bucks each day.

Today the most interesting item to me was a year old Dell laptop, 14" screen that should fetch about $300. Having run a bunch of laptops through eBay, I find now that I would not want a 15.6" screen as people are all going these days. 14" is fine and it saves on battery life.

Also I would never buy such a thing new. My gawd I have seen some perfectly good items go through my fingers at this point. Some of them there was nothing wrong and in fact, for the 14" Dell laptop, there is even some factory warranty left so if the item arrives wrong you can fix it via Dell for free.

[Undertoad]

Well yesterday the owner's eBay limit was raised to like $20,000 per month. That meant today was work day. It wasn't much fun... but since it's the season, this is when the golf items should go. So I had to list all the contents of three different bags of mixed clubs, and several individual irons. Tedious, and hard to photograph.

A lot of serious tools come through. I like the heavy-duty stuff. I particularly like it when I have no idea what they're used for. That means, when I write the description, I have to be... creative

How about an immense circular blade, hooked up to a big-ass gas motor, on tiny wheels? I looked it up and found only that it is a "concrete cut-off saw". I guess if you have too much concrete, you have to cut some of it off. It even shpritzes water on the saw, so the saw doesn't get too hot. That's some mighty shit right there.

Available for sale and heavily used is this Hilti DSH 700 concrete saw. Melted/etched into the chassis is "NBC" and "5209" but that doesn't effect how this mighty industrial saw will cut through any concrete you need to be cut.

Fuck it, whoever is looking for a Hilti DSH 700 is gonna know what it is and why they need to pay at least $500 for one. They are going to be having too much concrete, and will need to cut it right off.

I didn't hear any really interesting customers today. I think there was a guy with a big plasma TV and he was unhappy about how little pawn value it had. Here's the thing, though: big plasma TVs are a pain in the ass to store. They're just big and awkward and can't be taken downstairs. So there's not much the shop can do, but offer like $120 pawn value for a 55-inch plasma. This in turn makes some people think the shop is just ripping people off. No, it really is that some things have less pawn value, for reasons you didn't think of.

[ZenGum]

It is only in the last few years that I really got the point about shelf space/volume.

How much space is it going to take up in my shop? How long is it going to take to sell it? What else could go in that space for that time? How much mark-up will I need for this thing to justify its presence?

Not only that, but big TVs have fallen in price a lot over the last few years. I paid about $1200 for my big TV and I now see ones the same size with better quality for sale new for around $600.

[bluecuracao]

Are you actually able to sell golf clubs out of there? I have a set of nice, clean ones, ladies' Cobras, with photos that I could pass along. I've only used them a few times, but they are about 10 or so years old.

I love them, but I don't have much chance to use them.

[Griff]

I've seen saws like that used to make relief cuts in concrete pads so they don't crack.

[footfootfoot]

Any archery items? I'm looking for parts of a compound bow to build a crossbow.

[Clodfobble]

I guess it's the wheels that make a concrete saw different from a tile saw. I've seen tile saws that do the "water on the blade" thing, but they all have a table surface for the tile to sit on, like a miter saw would.

[classicman]

FWIW - The water is used so the blade doesn't get to hot and warp. Also keeps the fine dust from getting everywhere.
Those blades have diamonds on them and are VERY expensive.

[Undertoad]

So far almost none of the clubs have gone, but that may be because I priced them too high. We start with a higher price and work down.

So far zero archery items. I don't know that the shop takes weapons.

[ZenGum]

Golf clubs are weapons. We need a permit to own them here.

[sexobon]

There's a lot of second hand sporting goods places around where people can inspect larger items like golf clubs firsthand. Seems like it would involve a lot of good quality pics to provide that same buyer information online.

[Undertoad]

Staff: Oh, that item is not silver, that's white gold.
Gal: Oh OK
Staff: I just didn't want you to be confused.
Guy: She's always confused.
Staff: (laughs)
Gal: OK thank you very much! (they start to leave)
Gal: Some day you're going to stop picking on me.
Guy: And some day, you're going to be one inch high.

[jimhelm]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Staff: Oh, that item is not silver, that's white gold.
Gal: Oh OK
Staff: I just didn't want you to be confused.
Guy: She's always confused.
Staff: (laughs)
Gal: OK thank you very much! (they start to leave)
Gal: Some day you're going to stop picking on me.
Guy: And some day, you're going to be one inch high.

kid at my buddy's gold buying store: I got this ring.... I know silver isn't worth much, but what'll you give me?

Buddy: How's $35
kid: wow, cool. thanks

kid leaves

Buddy: that's why you keep your mouth shut
me: huh?
hands me the ring.... 10K inside the band

me: It's not silver.
Buddy: White gold.

me: you prick.

Buddy: fool and his money.

[infinite monkey]

That made me smile.

I love goofin' with folks.

[Undertoad]

If it makes me laugh it goes here.