Pawnbroker Rules and Customer Rights
Some of the stories we hear from our customers about their experiences with pawn shops in Massachusetts are amazing. And frankly, some are a little upsetting. We hate to hear stories about pawn shops that try to take advantage of customers by not telling them upfront about their rights and how the pawn process works. In other states, are regulated by local authorities. There are set rules in place that pawn shops must follow, and rights that customers need to be aware of. At Empire Loan, we want our customers to know the rules and understand the process. To borrow a brilliant phrase from an old ad campaign: at Empire Loan, we believe “an educated consumer is our best customer”.
Since opening in 1985, Empire Loan has worked hard to be honest and straightforward with our customers. We want you to know upfront what we charge, how and when to make your payments, and how we decide how much we can lend. Here’s a quick overview of things our customers need to know:
How much does a loan cost?
In all of our stores, we charge a monthly interest rate that is set for us by local authorities. For this reason, rates at Massachusetts pawn shops may be different from rates at pawn shops in NH. But at all Empire Loan locations, our pawnbrokers are instructed to let you know upfront what our rates are. If you visit a pawn shop that is not willing to tell you what they charge, take your business elsewhere. You wouldn’t buy something without knowing the price, and a pawn loan is no different. The pawnbroker should be able to explain exactly what you are getting and what the payment terms and options are.
How do we determine what we can lend?
When it comes to loans on gold, Empire Loan’s professional pawnbrokers will test and weigh your items and tell you just how much we can lend. There’s no guessing, no estimates and no bargaining. Our scales are regularly checked by the Department of Weights and Measures to insure accuracy and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We use “Pennyweight” as a unit of measure, but some shops may use “Grams” or another unit of measure. Regardless, our pawnbrokers will gladly tell you what your items weigh and how much we can lend.
On items such as electronics and musical instruments, we search the internet to find the used retail price of the item. We check sites like Amazon and Ebay. We will generally offer about 20% on a loan and a little more if purchase the item. If you encounter pawn shops in Massachusetts that are not willing to explain how they determine the amount they are willing to lend you, find someone who will.
In movies and TV shows, pawn shops are often portrayed as dark and seedy places where they try to take advantage of customers. In most cases, that’s not what you will encounter in today’s pawn shops. We can assure you that when you visit any of Empire Loan’s 8 locations, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the experience. Your experience….and ours!
