When it first went live in 1995, Craigslist quickly established itself as one of the original internet disrupters of the traditional ways of doing things. Suddenly, people could connect with others in their area to find and do the things they needed to do, for every need imaginable, from roommates to job hunting. Craigslist is still the go-to resource for many people when they want or need to buy or sell anything from a car to a video game console.
However, long before Craigslist was launched, there was one resource in every community in the country that could, and still does, compete with the popular website. That resource is your local pawnshop. For a few thousand years, pawnshops have been in the business of serving their communities with short-term cash loans and as a place to buy and sell goods at fair and reasonable prices.
And while Craigslist has a few advantages over pawnshops, such as the reach of the internet, your local pawnshop has many more benefits that make it the ideal place to look first when you need to buy or sell an item or when you need a small cash loan that won’t hurt your credit.
Keep reading to learn more about just three of the numerous ways your local pawnshop is a better option than Craigslist.
Buying
One look at your area’s “for sale” page on Craigslist will return an overwhelming number of results. However, because anyone can post anything without regulation or oversight, the items you find there is always a gamble. For example, in the appliance and home good category, the listings are often from big-box retail stores, whose aim is to lure you into the shop with unbelievable prices, then try to upsell you at every turn once they have you.
You will also run into many people who drastically overvalue their items and are inflexible on their prices. If you are brave and attempt to reach a more reasonable price, you risk confrontation with someone unfamiliar with the benefits of negotiation and compromise.
Not to mention, there are no safeguards in place on Craigslist to help you avoid dealing with stolen goods. The site urges buyers to beware when buying things like bicycles, tools, jewelry, and electronics, but stolen goods are still listed for sale. Unsuspecting citizens are still vulnerable to buying stolen items, which is a severe crime even when done inadvertently.
Lastly, the purchasing process on Craigslist leaves a lot to be desired. Once you contact the seller, you must then coordinate with this stranger on where to pay and how to meet. Unfortunately, this has led to dangerous situations, mainly when dealing with high-value items or when a seller insists on meeting somewhere private, such as their home. Buyers must take many precautions when completing transactions on Craigslist.
On the other hand, when you buy from your local pawn shop, you don’t have to deal with any of these headaches or potential problems. Your local pawn shop is a safe, clean place to do business, and your pawnbroker has taken several steps to ensure that every item on their shelf is legitimate. Also, you are free to browse as much as you’d like and personally examine an item before paying. Not to mention, you can also negotiate on price with your pawnbroker. While you can also do that with a seller on Craigslist, your pawnbroker is a negotiation expert and will be able to reach terms that are agreeable for both sides.
Selling
When it comes to selling, Craigslist has pawnshops beat in terms of how easy it is. If you are familiar with basic internet skills like typing and posting photos, you can have an item up for sale in minutes. However, the ease of selling on Craigslist more or less end there. Once your listing is live, you and your email inbox are at the mercy of anyone who sees your advertisements, leaving you open to spam emails, scammers, poor negotiators, and even requests for special treatment like discounts or free delivery. If luck is on your side, you may be contacted by a handful of serious buyers. Then, after all of that, you must work with this perfect stranger on payment and delivery.
Meanwhile, when you sell an item at your local pawnshop, your transaction happens in a secure environment. You do not have to wait hours or days to determine if your item has interest among buyers. And, once you reach agreeable terms, you get cash in hand in minutes, without worry that your contact information has fallen into the wrong hands.
At the end of the day, when it comes to buying and selling on Craigslist, the process can be lengthy, troublesome, and unsafe. When you want quick cash or are looking for a great price on something, your pawnshop is hands down the best option.
A couple more considerations…
A remarkable thing that sets pawnshops apart from sites like Craigslist is that pawnshops are in the business of helping their communities. Pawnshops offer quick, safe, and convenient cash loans that do not affect a person’s credit score. They are a safe alternative to other quick funding forms, such as cash advances on credit cards or payday advance loans.
For all of its positive aspects, nothing on Craigslist can compare. Sadly, Craigslist has become a popular place for financial scammers, preying on vulnerable people. Pawnshops serve their neighbors and anyone among the considerable percentage of “unbanked” people in the United States.
Lastly, when you need a quick, safe cash loan and must consider selling a valuable that has special meaning to you, a pawn loan is your best option. This is because pawn loans are collateral-based, meaning that you borrow against the value of your item. When you repay your loan, you will get your item back. Not only does that mean that you get to keep your particular thing, but that it can be used again and again when you need a quick cash loan. On Craigslist, all transactions are final, and your item is gone forever.
To sum up…
Pawnshops are a much better option than Craigslist for many reasons, including but not limited to:
- Convenience
- Safety
- Efficiency
For many people, these three factors are significant. When you need quick cash, there is simply no substitute for the fast, secure and efficient process you’ll find at your local pawnshop.
If you live in or around the San Gabriel Valley, visit Azusa pawn today to see why we are your fastest-growing local pawnshop!