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Pawn shops serve a variety of people. At least in LA.
I once talked to a guy on an airplane who was a pawn shop manager, he sure was proud about getting people to take low ball prices on everything, but it seemed like that was more a game than a scam to him (he never refered to anyone as a sucker, just that he would ask them what they needed or what they wanted and if that was low ball for the item he went with it, if asked the spot price for gold he'd give it, but he wasn't about to give everyone full worth).
What was really interesting was the range of goods he'd get, lots of people buying stuff they couldn't afford and selling it for pennies on the dollar to pay rent, but plenty of guys who had their wealth tied up in assets and not liquid. Guys who needed Vegas money, and would get loans on Rolex'es and would pick them up after the weekend, producers needing a bit more cash for an independent film pawning coin collections on the short term while they work out financing, and even one guy who he was certain pawned his high value items whenever he Air B-n-B'd his home on long weekends.
Are they awful? What's the alternative? No one else is going to do the high end, and on the low end these people are often unbanked and have awful credit, they have no where else.
I've never used a pawn shop, and the couple times I've gone into one to look for things I've had lost or stolen I found prices that were on par with new retail, no bargains at all.
I like to watch the show Pawn Stars. People bring in interesting things.
Pawn Stars has a lot of ringers bringing in staged items. Pawn shops tend to serve the same crowd that get pay day loans or car title loans they are people without traditional credit or very bad credit and they have limited options when unexpected or just everyday expenses come up. It is generally an endless cycle with these people.
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