Nikki Swies
Chief Revenue and Operations Officer
You’ve
finally had enough of all the stuff cluttering your home so it’s time for a clean out! As you move
through your house or apartment, you separate “keep” from “toss” until you have a huge pile
of items that you no longer need. “I have two choices for all this stuff,” you think. “I can throw it
away or I can donate it.”
However,
there’s another option and it’s one that is not only good for the environment but can also put some
money in your pocket — sell your things to a pawn shop!
Pawn
shops are often the unsung heroes of sustainability because they offer an opportunity to sell gently used items
in good condition for cash. Those items then are resold to others at a price less than if they were purchased
new.
Americans throw out A
LOT
According
to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. had 292.4 million tons of waste in 2018.
That’s nearly 5 pounds of waste per person thrown
into landfills each day. Can
you imagine throwing away your body weight in trash multiple times each year? If you’re 152 pounds, you’d
be throwing yourself away each month!
Part
of that waste comes in electronic form. We live in a world with rapidly evolving technology with
the average lifespan of most electronic devices being just 1-2 years. According to
Earth911.com, the U.S. generated nearly 7 million tons of e-waste in 2019.
However, it’s not always convenient to recycle electronics. In a 2019 International Telecommunications Union report, only
15 percent of potential e-waste is recycled in the U.S.
By
utilizing pawn shops for both selling and purchasing, you can reduce your carbon footprint while making a
long-term positive impact on your community and on the planet.
Save the planet and
make money
Pawn shops like EZCORP’s various stores (EZPAWN, Value
Pawn & Jewelry, USA
Pawn and Jewelry and others) procured more than
5.5 million used or pre-owned consumer product items in 2020 with a commercial value of $354 million,
and resold nearly 7 million used or pre-owned items with a commercial value of $445
million during the same time frame.
When
you bring in an item to sell or when you come in to purchase a pre-owned item, you’re doing a good
thing for the environment. When you reuse and recycle in this way, you reduce pressure on our landfills, cutting
out all the resources — both material and power — that goes into manufacturing something new.
Pawn
shops pioneered the notion of a circular economy — where
reusing, recycling and other refurbishment efforts minimize waste, carbon emissions and
pollution. The goal is to improve our resources’ longevity and usefulness so we don’t
have to keep making — and disposing — of new ones. Pawn shops are neighborhood-based stores that
sell pre-owned merchandise which is sourced and then recycled within each store’s geographic
area. They help to reduce the area’s carbon footprint by not selling items that directly come from
manufacturing facilities or distribution centers and eliminate the need for transportation services. Pawn
shops are unique, essential and sustainable.
What to take to a
pawn shop
While it’s commonly known that pawn shops take electronics like
computers, phones and TVs, as well as power tools and jewelry, did you know that you can take in
almost anything of value that’s in good condition? Here’s a few items that make the list:
- Vacuum cleaners (must have parts)
- Kitchen appliances like air fryers and crockpots
- Sewing machines
- Single-serve coffee machines, like Keurigs
- Designer purses and handbags
- Musical instruments
- High-end shoes
- Lawn equipment
- A/C wall units
- Tire rims
Remember
– the nicer or the item, the greater chance you have that a pawn shop is willing
to buy it. Do you have something brand-name? From Louis Vuitton®
to Apple® to Christian Louboutin, if you have a brand that’s known for high
quality, it’s worth taking it to a pawn shop for cash.
How to get top
dollar
Make sure it works! Pawnbrokers are going to test it so if
you try pass off something that doesn’t work or is glitchy, odds are they’ll question the
authenticity of the other items you’ve brought with you.
Before
you take in anything, make sure the item is clean and free of dust and debris. Remember, the newer the
item looks, the greater chance you have to get a better offer! Also, bring in the
manual, if you have one, as well as any accessories, parts or cords needed to use the item.
And
don’t discount broken jewelry! Pawn shops often take gold and precious gems, even if the
item is broken. Many will purchase your broken jewelry to be melted down or processed for other
uses.
The
next time you clear the clutter from your closet or garage, make a little green and help
keep re-sellable goods out of the landfill by taking items to your local pawn shop.

Nikki Swies is the Chief Revenue and Operations Officer at EZCORP. She
believes that pawn shops contribute to a circular economy where pre-owned consumer merchandise can be
purchased, used and resold, extending the use and lifecycle of millions of items each year.
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TAGS: Sustainability,
Reuse, Pawn