Spot on, hookeye. "Ask" may be the start point in negotiation, but "Offered and Accepted" is the end point.
I worked in a pawn shop for six years. Without going into great detail, any offer to buy something over 50% of its possible final sale price will mean a loss. It takes from 20% to 40% markup just to break even, considering the cost of rent, salaries, insurance, taxes, loss to damage, utilities, advertising, and several more expenses. The pawn process is similar with regard to loan/sell back ratios. Typical loan is for no more than a third of the eventual - and theoretical - sale value.
A smart pawn dealer will explain that the lower the loan, the easier it will be for the customer to pay it off and the less interest he will pay. The dealer knows that a high loan is unlikely to be paid off, and he'll get no interest money, then will have to absorb all the record-keeping and storage expenses of an item that may or may not ever cover all that plus the loan and lost interest.
That's actual business.
