PawnMeter Blog
How to calculate the gold value of jewellery by weight and karat
The formula pawnbrokers use for gold: weight in grams times fineness times the price of fine gold. Fineness for 9k to 24k, a worked example, and what not to weigh.
How pawn shops can price second-hand phones and laptops from real sales, not asking prices
Why marketplace asking prices mislead at the pawn counter, and how to price electronics from real comparable sales: same model, same storage, recent, enough of them.
Pricing a used car at the pawn counter: which comparables matter
Make, model, fuel, year and kilometres: how to choose real comparable car sales for a pawn loan, and why a car with no comparables should get no automatic price.
How to set your loan percentage at the pawn counter
The loan percentage is a business decision, not a constant. What it has to cover, why it should differ by category, and how to review it with your own data.
How to check a phone before taking it in pawn
A counter checklist for second-hand phones: activation lock, IMEI and blacklist, battery, screen, water damage and storage, before you lend a single coin.
Testing gold at the pawn counter: acid, electronic testers and XRF compared
How the three common ways to test gold work, what each can and cannot tell you, and why a hallmark alone is not proof of fineness.
How to price a used laptop at the pawn counter
Model, processor generation, memory, storage and condition: what moves a used laptop's price, and how to find real comparable sales instead of guessing.
Pricing watches at the pawn counter: what to check first
Brand, model and reference number, box and papers, service history and condition: what decides a used watch's price, and when to call a specialist.
Pricing game consoles at the pawn counter
Model, edition and storage, controllers and accessories, signed-out accounts and a working disc drive: how to check and price a used console.
Pricing a used TV at the pawn counter
Screen size, panel type, resolution, smart features, age and condition: what decides a used television's price, and the checks to do before lending.
Why real pawn sales beat price guides and marketplace listings
Price guides age, listings show what sellers hope for. Why pooled, anonymous real sales from pawn shops give a better lending price, and what their limits are.
How to price a used tablet at the pawn counter
Model and generation, storage, Wi-Fi or cellular, account lock and screen condition: a short checklist for pricing used tablets from real sales.
Pricing bicycles and e-bikes at the pawn counter
Brand, frame size, components, battery health and proof of ownership: what decides the price of a used bicycle or e-bike, and what to check first.
How to price consistently across pawn shop branches
Why the same item gets different prices at different counters, and four practical steps to make pricing consistent across branches and shifts.
What pawn shops share with PawnMeter, and what they never share
The exact data a pawn shop shares to get pooled real prices: product, price, condition and date. No customer data, no shop name shown to others, and a way out at any time.
Pricing gold coins and bullion bars at the pawn counter
How to value gold coins and bars from their fine gold content, with the sovereign and the Krugerrand as examples, and when collector value is a separate question.
Pricing headphones and speakers at the pawn counter
Brand and exact model, battery health for wireless models, pairing and account locks, and accessories: how to check and price used audio equipment.
Pricing household appliances at the pawn counter
Brand, model, age, working condition and space: how to decide whether and how much to lend on vacuum cleaners, coffee machines and other household appliances.
Pricing desktop and gaming PCs at the pawn counter
Graphics card, processor, memory and storage decide what a used desktop or gaming PC is worth. How to read the configuration and price it from real sales.
How to spot fake or plated gold jewellery at the counter
Warning signs of fake or gold-plated jewellery: worn edges, odd hallmarks, magnet pull and wrong weight, and why only a proper test settles it.
Pricing smartwatches at the pawn counter
Model and size, cellular or not, activation lock, battery and band: how to check and price a used smartwatch from real comparable sales.
Five numbers every pawn shop should track
Redemption rate, time to sell, sale-to-loan ratio, losses per category and pricing exceptions: five numbers that show whether your lending prices are right.
Stones and diamonds in pawned jewellery: why the gold comes first
Why pawnbrokers usually lend on the gold weight and treat stones separately, what decides a diamond's value, and when a gemologist is needed.
White, rose and two-tone gold: how to value them at the counter
White and rose gold are valued like yellow gold, by weight and karat. What the colour means, why white gold is often plated, and what to watch in two-tone pieces.
Documents to check before a car pawn loan
Ownership, registration, outstanding finance, identity numbers, keys and service history: what to check on paper before lending against a car.
A written condition scale for pawn shops
Five condition grades with plain definitions, so that every clerk describes items the same way and prices stay comparable across counters and branches.
Daily gold reference price or live spot price at the pawn counter?
Why many counters use one official reference price per day instead of a live spot price: consistency, explainable receipts and fewer disputes.
How to price a used iPhone at the pawn counter
Exact model and storage, Activation Lock, battery health, screen and repairs: what decides a used iPhone's price, and how to price it from real sales.
Pricing gold chains and bracelets: hollow links, clasps and weight
Why two chains of the same length can hold very different amounts of gold: hollow links, steel springs in clasps, and how to weigh and test chains correctly.
Pawn loan or buy outright: how to decide the offer
When to offer a loan and when to buy an item outright, and why both offers should start from the same real resale price.
Sharing prices across a franchise pawn network
How a pawn network with owned and franchised shops can price consistently without centralising its customers: shared anonymous prices, one account per shop.