Do Pawn Shops Buy Broken TVs & How to Increase Your Payout

by Timothy Ronaldson

If you have an old TV that you don’t use anymore or that doesn’t work, your first instinct might be to throw it out in the trash. 

But, there are ways that you can make money from TVs that don’t work anymore, and selling to pawn shops could be a great option.

Can you get money for a broken TV?

If you have a broken TV, don’t instantly just throw it away. Look around and see if there are any places where you might be able to pawn or sell your broken TV. 

Some people and places might take it, as they can use the parts to sell separately, or they might be able to fix it and re-sell it for a profit.

Tactic for Success

Always be upfront about your TV’s condition. Tell the person or place that you’re selling it to that it doesn’t work and/or describe what happened to it. They will appreciate you more for this honesty, and be more likely to deal with you.

This is a great example of the old saying, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” 

In other words, what you might look at as pure garbage, someone else might see as a great opportunity to fix up and sell for money.

As a result, they might actually pay you money for your TV, even if it doesn’t work.

Trend on the Rise

Facebook Marketplace is one of the best sites to sell broken TVs and other goods online. Each month, there are more than 2.91 billion users on Facebook Marketplace. That represents nearly 35% of the entire population on Earth!

Where can I sell my TV for cash?

If you want to sell your broken TV for cash, you will have many different options. 

These range from places where you can meet up with people in-person, retail stores, pawn shops and even online marketplaces.

Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages, so make sure that you look into all the details of each before you make your decisions.

Generally speaking, here are some of the top options for selling your broken TV for cash:

  • eBay Online – eBay is one of the most popular online marketplaces. It’s an auction site, but you can also set a “Buy It Now” price. People are always looking for great deals.
  • Facebook Marketplace – This is Craiglist for Facebook users specifically. It has billions of users each month who are looking to browse the online yard sale of sorts for various goods.
  • Buyback Boss – This is a website specific for selling broken TVs. Upload information to their site, and you will get an offer for your TV that you can either accept or decline.
  • Pawn Shop – If you want to take your TV to a store and get cash, pawn shops are a great option. They give you money right on the spot for your goods.

selling-your-broken-tv-online-pros-and-cons

How much will a pawn shop pay for my TV?

There are a number of different factors that a pawn shop will consider when they’re putting a value on your TV

They will not only look at whether or not your TV is working, but what specifically might be broken about it as well.

The advantages to selling your broken TV at a pawn shop is that they are well-versed in dealing with broken televisions, and can give you an offer on the spot. 

This means that you won’t have to wait for your cash, or go to great lengths to get it.

The downsides are that pawn shops may undercut you on price, since they have to re-sell it for a profit. 

Factors in the TV Price at a Pawn Shop

tv-price-factors-at-pawn-shop

When a pawn shop is putting a value on your broken TV, they will consider:

  • TV Brand – The better the brand, the more money your TV will be worth. Some of the best brands are Song, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.
  • TV Age – The newer the TV, the more valuable it will be. This is because newer TVs often have the best features and are the most desirable.
  • TV Features – This ties into the above. The more features the TV has, the more valuable it will be. This includes resolution, refresh rate and others.
  • TV Size – The bigger the size, the more valuable it is. People always like to buy big TVs from pawn shops, since they can get a nice discount off regular retail price.
  • What’s Wrong With It – How much it costs the pawn shop to fix your TV will affect how much they’re willing to pay you for it. 

Wrapping Up

Pawn shops will buy broken TVs from you and pay you cash for them on the spot in many cases. 

So, if you have a broken TV that no longer works and that you no longer want, look around at your options for selling it before you just throw it out.

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Tim is a classically-trained journalist who loves to share knowledge and information with others. In the past, he has worked in TV, online and print media, and currently works with companies to help design, create and strategize their messaging.

About the Author

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Tim is a classically-trained journalist who loves to share knowledge and information with others. In the past, he has worked in TV, online and print media, and currently works with companies to help design, create and strategize their messaging.