Pricing game consoles at the pawn counter
Short answer: identify the exact model, edition and storage, check that it works and that the owner's account is signed out, count what comes with it, and price it from real recent sales of the same version.
Model and edition
Consoles of the same generation come in versions: with or without a disc drive, different storage sizes, special editions. A digital-only version and a disc version are different products with different prices. Read the model from the label or the system settings.
What comes with it
- Controllers: how many, original or third party, and whether they charge and connect.
- Power and video cables.
- Games included, which you may price separately.
- The original box, which helps the sale.
Check that it works
- It starts, reaches the home screen and connects to the internet.
- The disc drive reads a disc, if it has one.
- No overheating, loud fan or error messages.
- Ports and controllers respond.
Accounts and locks
Ask the customer to sign out of their account and, if possible, reset the console to factory settings in front of you. A console still linked to someone's account is harder to sell and can cause trouble for the next buyer.
Timing matters
Prices of a console can drop when a newer model or a slimmer version is announced. That is why recent sales matter more than last year's prices.
How PawnMeter helps
The clerk types the console model, storage and condition. PawnMeter shows the median of real recent sales of the same version at participating shops, with the sales behind it, or says it has no comparable sales.
PawnMeter: Type the item. PawnMeter shows the resale price and a suggested loan, calculated only from what comparable items really sold for. When there is not enough data, it says so instead of guessing.
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