Selling console to GameStop vs. Pawn Shop

[Rxanadu]

I'm about to sell my Xbox 360 for some cash, but I'm not sure where to sell it right now. I've looked into selling it on Amazon or Ebay, but I don't have enough cash on me to afford shipping (even if I get the buyer to pay for shipping). Thus I cannot sell my console online.

 

However, I have two retail options around me: a local pawn shop and GameStop. I know GS is going to take all they can from the trade-in, but I'm even more cautious about the pawn shop. I've been inside once or twice and noticed an Xbox 360 and a Genesis with a controller, so they seem to accept consoles. I'm just not sure how to haggle with the clerk if it comes down to that. 

 

A 250 gb 360 is about $130 on Amazon, so that's my reference point. Given my experience with GS in the past, I'm expecting $50 - $75 at best. However, I assume I could get around $110 from the pawn shop if I haggle well enough.

 

The reason I came here, however, is to confirm if my theories are correct about selling my 360 at retail around me. If anyone has any pointers for selling my 360, please let me know. 

[clyde]

I cannot imagine a pawnshop would give you $110 for an xbox 360.

I'm not good at negotiations, but all I do is predetermine what I am willing to accept before the encounter, tell them what I want for it and then leave if they aren't willing to give it to me. All of this may change if they have something that I would be willing to take in exchange. For instance, if the pawnshop had a bass guitar I was interested in or something. Places typically give you less value if you want cash.

[Bjorn]

If you just want cash, I'd say go with Craigslist.  You'll get more than any pawnshop or Gamestop will offer.  If you're worried about having someone come to your house or meeting a stranger, just insist on meeting at a convenience store during the day. 

[clyde]

If you just want cash, I'd say go with Craigslist. You'll get more than any pawnshop or Gamestop will offer. If you're worried about having someone come to your house or meeting a stranger, just insist on meeting at a convenience store during the day.

And be prepared for them to offer or solicit for drugs and/or sex and related paraphernalia.

[Bjorn]

And be prepared for them to offer or solicit for drugs and/or sex and related paraphernalia.

 

I've actually had mostly positive CL experiences, but since other humans are involved, there chance for shitty/creepy/bad possibilities are always there.  Just don't even fuck around with negotiating if someone tries to talk you down in person after agreeing to a price over email.  Those people are the worst, just walk away from them.  This is one advantage of having them just come to a place that's more convenient to you than them, they've got more of a time/gas investment in it than you do. 

[Jake]

I've never had a bad craigslist experience but maybe that's because I live in the San Francisco area, where Craigslist started and literally everyone seems to use it (as opposed to just skeevy people)?

(It's also what I'd use to sell an old console.)

[clyde]

I've had one guy ask me where he can get shrooms when I bought a audio cassette-deck and one guy show me his trunk full of bondage-gear when I picked up a roll of leather for a friend. They weren't bad people or dishonest, but being the prude that I am, it would have been less awkward if I had just expected that they might deal or desire taboo items in addition to the initial deals.

[TheLastBaron]

I wish my Craigslist experiences were that interesting, but despite having bought and sold a bunch of stuff on it the only awkward encounters I've ever had were related to language related (not being able to find someone and calling them only to find out they don't speak English. It eventually worked out fine.)

I would also put in a vote for Craigslist over a pawnshop and certainly Gamestop, though like Jake I'm probably biased living in the bay area.

[Gormongous]

I've never had a bad craigslist experience but maybe that's because I live in the San Francisco area, where Craigslist started and literally everyone seems to use it (as opposed to just skeevy people)?

(It's also what I'd use to sell an old console.)

I've had one guy ask me where he can get shrooms when I bought a audio cassette-deck and one guy show me his trunk full of bondage-gear when I picked up a roll of leather for a friend. They weren't bad people or dishonest, but being the prude that I am, it would have been less awkward if I had just expected that they might deal or desire taboo items in addition to the initial deals.

 

My only bad experience was buying a TV when I had maybe a hundred bucks cash to my name after moving to a new city. I responded to an ad for a like-new TV and met some lady in a public park. I had the cash ready, then I saw the TV, which was clearly about a decade old and had been in a house with a heavy smoker, and started to put away my hand. She stepped over, snatched it from me much more quickly than seemed possible considering how pregnant she was, and drove away as I just stood there shocked. It turned out that the TV also didn't have any RCA jacks and had probably been dropped, considering how bad the CRT shutters were out of alignment. Several phone calls to the number she gave and one to the police gave me nothing. I really just learned a fifty-dollar lesson.

 

I imagine the situation is different if you are the seller and can control the circumstances, though.

[Rxanadu]

I don't know about Craigslist. I don't have any friends nearby that could lend me a hand, and asking relatives and family could feel awkward at best and lead to annoyed refusals at worst.

 

I have a Barnes & Nobles nearby, as well as a few restaurants, but I don't trust anyone around to even bat an eye if someone made away with the console.

[syntheticgerbil]

I don't know, I sell everything on eBay if I am looking to get a good chunk of money. Just more work because you have to ship it and figure out all that eBay selling entails.

[Griddlelol]

I'm not sure how you couldn't have enough money to ship an item if you get the buyer to pay - that doesn't make sense at all and just sounds a bit like an excuse to me. 

 

I've done everything like that on ebay - craigslist in my area is chock full of fake ads. I also used to buy broken old Warhammer 40K pieces, fix them up, paint them and sell them again on ebay. Out of the many transactions I only had one problem and I learned quickly to always used signed for delivery.

 

Or I'd post something on my work ebulletin board, that way I know the person will be held accountable (but I work for a big university so that might not be an option for you if you work at a small company).

[Bjorn]

I'm not sure how you couldn't have enough money to ship an item if you get the buyer to pay - that doesn't make sense at all and just sounds a bit like an excuse to me.

 

Ebay put restrictions on payments on some accounts a few years ago.  Accounts that meet certain conditions (short time since registration, low feedback, etc) do not immediately receive a deposit in their PayPal account when selling in what used to be high fraud categories (electronics, jewelry, a few others).  Payment is held until the buyer confirms receipt, or until a certain number of days after online tracking shows it has been delivered.  It's a hassle for new accounts, but it had the most visible impact on fraud of anything they've done in the last decade.

 

I assumed that if he doesn't sell regularly, he might have such a restriction on his account.

[Gormongous]

I assumed that if he doesn't sell regularly, he might have such a restriction on his account.

 

I sell about a dozen items every year, mostly board games, and I have that restriction. I'm not even sure how to get rid of it. It's certainly a huge burden if you're selling on margin.

[syntheticgerbil]

Wow, I only sell an average about 20-30 things a year and I don't seem to have that restriction. It's been a few months though since I sold something last. Does it have anything to do with when you opened your account or how many positive feedback ratings you have? I don't think I've broken 200 and I've been selling since 2008.

 

I can't imagine that it protects against seller fraud more than the claim process before.

[Griddlelol]

Wow I didn't know that. That's a completely fair point! I can understand why eBay would do that though, less of their time has to be spent on bullshit claims. 

 

There's always the option of pick up, but if you're doing that, you might as well not use eBay and save 10%.

[Bjorn]

Here's the policy, I haven't looked at it in a while. 

 

 

New seller status ends once you've met all the following criteria:

• It's been more than 90 days since your first successful sale.

• You've completed more than 25 domestic sales transactions.

• You have more than $250.00 in total sales.

 

I was wrong about shipping though, or they have changed it since the last time I looked this stuff up:

 

 

If you print shipping labels on eBay (USPS domestic or First Class international), up to $15.00 of your buyer's funds will be available immediately to cover shipping costs for any order less than $50.00.

 

For any order with a total cost that exceeds $50.00, up to 30% of the funds from your buyer will be available immediately to cover shipping costs.

 

 

I can't imagine that it protects against seller fraud more than the claim process before.

 

I've been buying and selling a fair amount on eBay for around 10 years, mostly in computers (which was always one of the highest fraud categories).  The two biggest things I've seen impact fraud are the requirement to use PayPal and held payments for new sellers.  In both cases, it created a high enough barrier that the scammers went looking for easier prey elsewhere.  When I started, I could go into the computer category and find dozens of fraudulent listings in a few minutes.  If I had several things for sale at the same time in the computers category, I could count on dealing with at least a couple of scammers every week.  It was ridiculous.  But now, I haven't seen an obviously fraudulent listing in years, nor have I had someone try and submit a fake payment (since I quit taking mailed payments).

[Griddlelol]

Well then! If OP wanted to do eBay, it looks entirely possible. 30% of a 360's price would be more than enough to cover shipping (although admittedly I don't know how much shipping costs in the US of A).

 

The only "fraudulent" sellers I came across when dealing with models, was that the pictures taken were deliberately misleading, generally followed by condition: Very good, and "SOLD AS SEEN" in the description (which has always been a red flag for me). That's still around, but eBay definitely favours buyers over sellers if you argue long enough.