Scrapping

Refining Views2.jpg“I’m waiting on $1,250 price.”

I’ve only got 500 dwt.”

“I’m flush with cash now from tax time.”

“I need diamonds back for National.”

When is it time to scrap? It’s time to scrap when it’s right for you. Everyone has LOTS going on in their lives and shops but if your gold or silver is not selling, you need money, metals have come out of pawn or the price is right; it’s the right time.

I have personally always told my clients when it comes to price, “You’re never going to hit the absolute high in the market – take the price when you feel like you want/need to move on materials and go on to the next thing on your daily to do list.” You’ll have more gold in the future, it’s what you do. Remember, metals markets are like an elevator, they’ll go up and they’ll go down.

Don’t be afraid to call, text or email your Rep… Communication is always key. Keep in mind, no one will ever know what the price will do from minute-to- minute, day-to-day. Sometimes you have to go with your gut. Sometimes you have to follow the dollar, activities overseas, etc. I watch metals by the second, most hours of the day and I am constantly reading articles and watching reports on TV. My responsibility is my clientele and advising as best I can but with regards to the market, sometimes you just have to get lucky.

This is an important point I’d like to go over. When you lock or hedge or price (gold, for example) and “shake hands” on a price with your refiner, that is a binding deal. If you hedge gold, silver etc. with your refiner; know that it can and does go down as easily as it goes up. Commitment and trust has to be mutual with every transaction. If you lock 10 toz at $1,250; your first 10 toz of your lot will be priced at $1,250. If the market goes up – your first 10 toz are still at $1,250. If the market goes down to $1,200; your first 10 toz are still going to be priced at $1,250. The balance and what to do should be discussed with your Rep. You can price at settlement, consign or even take bullion back – you should always have options and you should know them.

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Firearm FAQs

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Lately I have fielded a lot of questions about pawning and selling firearms.  If you have an Federal Firearms License (FFL) or have been thinking about obtaining one, there are many things to know about the compliance requirements and how PawnMaster can help you manage them. For some shops, pawning, buying and selling firearms are a significant part of their business model, which comes along with many rules, procedures and paperwork. Therefore our PawnMaster software and support staff must stay current on the laws and best practices in order help to keep shops in compliance. 

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Signs Your Vendor is Floundering

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The 2016 unrest in the market at the vendor level has spilled over into 2017.  Many have burned Plan A because they were forced to. This trend is continuing and even though our market is comprised of some very intuitive people we felt it important to tool them with even more solid information on how to spot inevitable vendor failure to avoid some of the recent pitfalls. 

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To Silver or not to Silver….

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You: “So you would like to sell this Tiffany™ Silver necklace & bean. I can give you $25.”

Customer: “….but this silver bean was $250 and I just bought it six months ago in Vegas with my now exboyfriend at Tiffany’s in Caesars Forum Shops….”
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Have you had a conversation like the one above? Is it the reason you don’t buy silver? Or maybe it’s one of the reasons below…

  • You don’t want to “offend” your customers knowing silver quotes are low
  • Not sure what to pay for silver? How do I buy it right ?
  • Is it sterling and if so will it run actual 92.5 or will it run less – more like 90% or 89%
  • What about knife handles and blades and candle stick holders, how do I account for extra weight ?
  • How do I ship it ? It’s going to be heavy as heck and probably be expensive ?

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How to avoid getting flagged on Craigslist

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What many people do not realize is that Craigslist is policed by its users, (not a team of moderators chosen by Craigslist). This means that users like you and I can flag any listing for any reason. One of the biggest reasons you may get flagged is reference to a listing on eBay, your eBay store, advertising that you sell things on eBay, etc. Craigslist users do not like the word eBay and will consider your listing spam. There are three flagging categories on Craigslist.

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91% Will Say Yes

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Being in business over the years, we all have a very steady customer base of business and I’m certain we all have those customers that really stick out to us. Many people want to grow their business to ensure their income levels and increase their business valuation as the years go by. We can always count on that solid base of business, but to achieve these goals we may look for new business acquisition. Many of us invest in marketing, take our business to the internet, or pump up special promotions along with so many other outlets to drive new business. (more…)

What’s Your Favorite PawnMaster Feature? Kari Rinehart, Sales

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We asked our employees what their favorite PawnMaster feature is, and why.  Here’s what they had to say:

Being at Data Age for 4 years, I have seen the wants and needs from our customers when it comes to add-on modules and services. The add-on’s we offer not only make work easier for our customers and their employees, but also help make their business more money. With that being said, my favorite service we offer would have to be Text Messaging and here’s why:

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Shipping scrap… it’s so easy

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Working with your refiner has to be simple. Shipping scrap is easy, simple and it’s safe. There are pawnbrokers and Jewelers that have never shipped scrap and they’re weary of the process. Will it make it!? Is it insured? How do I get the label? Where do I take it?!  Etc… (more…)