Bravo's compliance to Laws and Regulations is the best in the Industry!

Don’t get bogged down when you have an item confiscated by law enforcement.  It’s a part of business.  Bravo’s systems methodology is the best practice for compliance, carefully reporting accurately each and every item in a rich and consistent format.  We systematically assist in driving down the risk of stolen property.   Better results for Bravo users without any extra effort.  Bravo does the heavy lifting.

We were absolutely reverent on solutions to avoid taking in stolen merchandise.  My point about helping our customers, saying “yes” as much as possible, being understanding and showing respect from my perspective is the ‘badge’ that we wear.  Most of our customers come to us because they have too.  We need to be compassionate.  Its good business and its where we have chosen to be.

So, does this mean to knowingly take in stolen merchandise, of course not.  I don’t believe asking customers questions and suspecting every item as stolen is an effective way to deter taking in stolen merchandise.  I believe it demeans our business and certainly our customers.  And the facts are, we nearly never take in stolen property.  When we find ourselves defending something that rarely happens, and when we try to defend ourselves in an subject where  it’s impossible to completely avoid taking in a stolen item, in a way it makes us look bad.  Yes, “It’s a part of the business”

I am a system guy, so we would look for ways to avoid taking in stolen items.  We would look for “Tells”.  Tells are signals, signs, tip offs.  It would drive me crazy when an outsider would say, “ you should have known it was stolen”.  What does that mean?  But we took that message to task and found several ways to try to monitor activities that might give us a “Tell”, and when this happened we would opt to ask questions, avoid the merchandise, or the customer.  Our goal was a number of transactions (1500) to every police hold.  That was 50% better than the national average.  Our system methodology and processes assisted our employees in achieving the positive result.  We lent as much money as possible with confidence that it was with legitimate people and merchandise.

I think systems driven solution is the most effective way to manage this challenge effectively.  In my last CAPA email I suggested methods that I believe CAPA could assist as well.  Running an compliant business is complying to the laws and regulations that this business requires as a best practice.  For me, being “compliant”, the effort has to be for a score of 100%.

Be compliant, get the transaction completed efficiently and as fast as you can, say yes more often, win customers for longer, have more fun, these are “Tells” of well run business.

Time to change your system - No more reasons why you can't have it all - Bravo has arrived !

I was introduced to this business when I was nine years old. At that moment I knew I would join the three generations before me and become a pawnbroker. I began working alongside my mom and dad, they taught me everything they knew. Cameo Jewelry and Loan was established in 1959. I would head down to the shop every Sunday to learn the ins and outs of the business. My first substantial contribution came about that summer, when I invented a manual loan inventory location process. My parents continued to use “the loan finder” for the next 10 years.

After receiving an accounting and systems degree from Arizona State University I was home-bound for Reno in my ‘72 green and white Capri. My mind was imagining every possible way to improve our store performance. With only 5 employees there were a lot of hats that needed to be worn. In the years that followed and still even today, Pawn Systems became my hands-on directive. It is the essential element that led our company to unparalleled success.

In 1986, an Apple IIe came out of pawn. Thrilled, I hired two customers whom were engineering students at the University Nevada – Reno. They wrote my first computerized inventory system. From that $200.00 program, Tom and Ed started their own company and I became their primary customer.

In 1999, after 2 generations of Pawn operating systems, a complete IT department and a 3 million dollar budget, we launched PRIMA. Pawn – Retail – Internet – Management – Analysis system. PRIMA was the first and is still the ONLY enterprise operating system for Pawn.

On the cusp of an Internet revolution, we knew where we wanted and needed to be. PRIMA’s design enabled us to move forward with both a comprehensive multiple store enterprise and a complete ecommerce solution. Five years later, coupled with a 2 million dollar a year budget, PRIMA became the eminent system. No other operator in the pawn industry has been able to duplicate it.

In 2005, I sold Superpawn to Cash America. Superpawn’s purchase price was unprecedented by every valuation method used. Superpawn’s historic worth was created by PRIMA. The essence of Superpawn culture was the diversity of the people. Our company was comprised of old school pawnbrokers, managers from Fortune 500 companies, graduates from great Universities, and regular hard working people. PRIMA enabled all of these people to each reach the highest level of competency and contribution. I always believed you need to give the best people the best tools – and that’s what we did! Our system’s purpose was 1) make it simple for employees to operate the store 2) enhance the employee’s opportunity to spend more time with the customer. As an operator, I envisioned the system to do the heavy lifting; I wanted my employees always to have the time to make the important investments in taking care of the customer.

In January 2010 a confluence of resources emerged - I got bored and (more importantly) two former engineers became available through the devastation of the current economy. These guys wanted to continue pursuing our dream to deliver a PRIMA “light system” through the web utilizing the latest Microsoft technologies for small companies; offering outstanding value at the lowest cost. And that is what we’ve done with the introduction of Bravo – all of the powerful attributes of PRIMA but for single-store operators. Additionally, we have resurrected the availability of PRIMA for mid-size and large companies. PRIMA is better than the operation systems of Cash America, EZ Corp, and First Financial… COMBINED! Seriously, it really is.

I am ecstatic to introduce our products to you. Together we can do away with the system deficiencies this industry has come to accept-for once and for all!

Bravo Update ATF compliance.

Bravo Update ATF compliance. 

One of Bravo’s key features is its complete administrative and management for firearms.  Bravo’s efficient processes assists store operators complete compliance with minimal effort.  Great News for firearms dealers.

This has been an extraordinary experience.

We decided to introduce Bravo to the ATF offices for a non-official review. 

As one of the prerequisites business owners are obliged to file a variance to use software to assist in the management and record keeping for ATF licensees.  The feedback to software vendors then comes through the businesses second hand.  In order for our customers to avoid this, we decided to make the first move.  A visit with ATF.

We met with a 25 year veteran compliance officer and a senior officer of the ATF.  “ We always said this would be nice if someone could provide this information to us”  This was said with reference in accordance to what the ATF is permitted to see.  “ This would make our jobs easier and our audits more efficient, the store operator should like this”.  More efficient for the ATF means less work for store owners.  Music to my ears, needless to say.

Of course there was one caveat.  My heart started to pound, here comes the F-bomb.  “ We need to see this report, as shown in our regulations, exactly this way “.  Done in 2 weeks (example included) !

After 45 minutes showing the live version of Bravo in their spooky offices.  Which was pretty cool on  many levels.  One of the officers offered to organize a visit to Washington D.C. to meet with the top brass of ATF and show them this system.

Off to Washington D.C. we go.

Bravo Store Systems

The future of Pawn

Make more profit with less ! Great systems can do this !

It is my personal mission to help business make more profits and become more competitive. 

This article includes 3 key ingredients.  Make more Net Profit with less cash.  Turn your cash faster.  Keeping a close eye on your scrap process. 

Our competitors are coin , scrap, refiners, buy & sell, and like acquires.  Some of these businesses have regulatory advantages.  The business of Metal exchange (cash for gold) is a line of business and should not be analyzed or viewed as a stand-alone business model.  It is one of the many lines of businesses that a business can add to their other businesses lines like the watch battery business, car stereo, musical instruments and hundreds of other niche opportunities.    

High margin businesses like the Gold exchange business, which is easy to do, attracts competition.  As an example, the payday industry are currently expanding into this business and they will inevitably push the margins down.  

Market competition dictates the margin, and competition will push there competitive advantages in a direction that suits there business model.  It’s just prudent for us to be prepared and get ready for more competition.  Just hope someone like Wal-Mart does not come to the market.

Gold is cash.  It’s the most liquid hard asset we take, which means there is virtually no inventory carry cost.  You can send in the material and receive cash in your account faster than a head of lettuce.

If you run a well-organized business, working on small margin, as low as 3 - 5%,  you could have a pretty nice business model.  The transactions needs to flow with precision and frequency.  We need to build our internal competencies so that we make it hard for others even to think about getting into one of our business lines.

Whether it’s a new metal gun, or a refiner that pays 100% of the metals they refine ( I spoke to a Pawnbroker in Florida that said his refiner keeps his stones and diamonds), or a better process to create operational efficiency (acquiring the items properly at the counter can result in as much as 6% more net profit),  we as an Industry need to be the leader through smart competitive strategy and execution.

The bottom line is the bottom line.  Net Dollars in our pocket.  We can make more if our margins go down. We can make more profit dollars by being more efficient, make less mistakes, and make sure we are getting the highest return from our refiners.  And, if we can increase or maintain our margin forever, even better.

How BRAVO can help you...

I believe that every category of merchandise that we can acquire in our stores are a line of business.   Tools 36% margin, TV’s 30%, Purses 42%, Bikes 52%.  Firearms 26%, as an example.   Bravo Store Systems includes 650 categories with the ability to see margin and turnover at a glimpse by Manufacture and Model.   If high margin categories is your interest, there are many categories that reach up to 80% margin.  Bravo Store Systems also shows by category the dollars that are generated.  So, although you might be making $10,000 on Tools with a 36% margin,  you might be making $30,000.00 on TV’s with a 30% margin. 

With Bravo, now it is easy for Store owners to see the roll up of this activity, down to the specific item, real time, anytime, anywhere.  Bravo is 100% web based. 

The first to sign up get the entire system for $149.00 per month, per store.  I am offering a live web demonstration of Bravo.  Just give me a call. 

Bravo Security - Encryption - Platform - Windows - .Net - more...

Written for Technically minded reader:

For encrypting transmissions between the client and the server,
in production we use 128-bit SSL.  The Bravo client talks to the data
center servers over 128-bit SSL (https).  The client-facing DC servers are
a series of hardware load-balanced servers, each running web services under
IIS.  This allows for an N-tier architecture which provides both
scalability and fault-tolerance.  The backend web servers run WCF web
services behind a firewall that provide the business logic layer (stateless
business objects).  Behind his layer, the business object servers talk to
the database, which is a MS SQL-Server Enterprise 2008 R2 cluster.  For
disk level encryption in SQL server, we use AES-256 encryption (with a dynamic
key) for all customer sensitive information (Personally Identifiable
Information).  

Bravo is written in WPF, .Net 4.0, and C#.   We chose
the .Net framework because there are a large number of engineers that know this
technology and it is a mature platform, having been use now for more than 8
years.   We also like the platform’s maintainability, scalability,
and support of MS Windows operating systems.  Most Point-of-Sale systems
run on inexpensive MS windows PC’s. 

Written by Kelly York

BRAVO priced at $49.00 per month? How?

There has been a lot of buzz about Bravo Pricing and yes it is only $49.00 per month.  I would like to explain in some detail our pricing format and the basis for what Bravo is trying to provide and accomplish.  First,  what are you paying for?

There are two areas of expertise Bravo brings to its customers.

1.  We are experts in Pawnbroking, Buy/Sell, and Online & In-Store Ecommerce.
2.  We are experts in Software & Service.  Developing pawnshop software for 30 years.

No one understands your needs better than our team!  Of course we would be happy to give you a list of our customers, but also, ask the employees of these companies that have used our products.  The everyday user love our system.  Our products speaks for itself.

Pricing Philosophy - We want small businesses to prevail.  In today's  business environment big business have so many advantages.  One of them being their IT resources.  Even in our Pawn Industry the publicly traded companies spend hundred's of millions of dollars on IT.  We want independent stores to have IT supremacy.  You will have the best.

PRIMA our legacy enterprise Pawn system is legendary and still out performs the IT resources of the Public companies.  Our Bravo tech team are the experienced developers of Bravo.

TODAY - technology has changed so that software through the Internet can distribute powerful software and services.  You have heard of Cloud computing and companies like Salesforce.com.  These are SaaS - Software as a Service.  Bravo is a Software as a Service.  In order to run Bravo in your stores in a traditional sense with all the software and hardware required would cost 2 million dollars plus a IT team with a price tag $500,000.00 per year.

Bravo is priced at $49.00 per store!  What is even more exciting is that Bravo is designed to increase your revenue, reduce your cost, and make your employees happy.  It enhances Pawnbrokers abilities in hundreds of ways.  You just have to put your hands on it to believe it.  I promise you will be excited!  Sign up for a live free demonstration on your PC.

HOW and WHY?

I love Pawnbroking.
I love Software Development.
I love Small Business.

I sold my company in 2004 and made more money than I ever expected.  In 1981 I got into the pawn business to change the industry, and I did.  My fortune was made in the Pawn business developing great software. 

I decided Jan 2, 2010 with my former colleague's Mike and Kelly that we wanted to create a version of PRIMA for single and multiple stores.  We put together a team that is currently 12 people in creating a product that will move the needle for our customers everyday.  Bravo has exceeded by expectations.

In Five years we believe that 5000 stores will be on our Store System.  Bravo will have improved dramatically with features that will enhance our customers revenues, reduce the cost to operate, and increase your employees morale.

If you are one of the first customers that join, take advantage of our introductory rate of $49.00 per month. Join now at www.bravorevolution.com

Thanks for your time

Bravo - ATF Report Generator - 10 file formats to choose - Save & Send

Reports by Bravo - AFT report generator

 
Bravo Store Systems will include a complete suite of reports designed by pawnbrokers for pawnbrokers.
Bravo will also offer you the flexibility to modify the reports the way YOU want.  Bravo Store Systems is a complete Pawn Brokers solution that can also meet the custom needs of a single store or multi-store operatorwith its back office controls.

We currently are offering live one on one demonstrations over the Internet.  Sign-up at our Website.  www.bravorevolution.com.

The drop down menu to the right, shows the variety of file formats to choose from.  Your report, delivered how you want it.File and email report export - select the format you want - in seconds the report is created, printed, saved, or emailed.  See it for yourself - Bravo ATF report - (click to download sample report). 

Meet all Government requirements with Bravo's easy to use -  ATF Report Generator.

I look forward to sharing with you more information about Bravo - please call  888.407.6287

 
www.bravorevolution.com

Our promise and what to expect

Bravo systems compliment the novice user and enhance the expert.  Businesses time invested in front of a computer terminal day in and day out should do more than print tickets, tags, and end of month reports.  Bravo’s approach transforms your effort into yielding profit from every click!  Its design was to cut out paperwork, reduce footsteps and eliminate missteps.  We reutilize every aspect of your daily activity to create efficiencies so that everyone in your store can do more – and smarter.  In today’s business environment this is a critical opportunity.

Bravo makes ‘Pawn sense’.  Our business is unique.  We are great retailers that sell used stuff.  We acquire merchandise from the public, one item at a time.  The Pawn business must maintain healthy margins.  Since the products we sell are used, we need to be critical of its condition and quality.  When we acquire products well, there is usually a good outcome. 

Microsoft and Bravo will be the latest and best solution ever brought to market. With the advance of the ‘network’ and ‘technology’ there has never been a better time to develop a new system solution.

·         You should expect complete functionality and dependability.

·         You should expect a complete system to cost a lot less.

·         You should expect features to exceed your expectation.

We took the time in making an investment in our team to retool and update their skills.  Our technical teams are experts in the used good and the pawn business.  Great technologies and experienced business knowledge make for great systems.

Are you ready for a new system?  All we can hope for is that you consider our opportunity and follow the progress.  We have included and will be adding feature videos.   Please sign up for Bravo so that we can keep you informed and in the end, earn your business.

Thanks, and please join the Bravo Revolution.

We are looking for a few good PawnBrokers

We plan on beta launch  March 31.   BRAVO basic will include all of the functional features that you currently have but with today's latest technology. The first point of sale of its kind, BRAVO will be a complete web solution based on Microsoft WPF - WCF - .net4 - Visual Studio 2010. This new technology will run on your browser. No new hardware will be required. It will reduce your hardware commitment by 50%.   Each workstation will accommodate up to 6 USB appliances. The BRAVO dashboard will graphically direct your attention; you will feel like the captain of your ship. Command and Control.

We are looking for 5 operators that would like to participate as our Beta Team directors.  The first stage of release will only require you to test and comment in demo mode with test data. Over this 30-day period, we will make changes that will reflect your comments and opinions. Our Beta Team members will be given the option to participate with the Go Live version, and for their participation, will receive the product FREE for the first year.

If you have interest in participating please contact me at Steve@ztradingpost.com.

Sneak Peak at Bravo

BRAVO MOCK UP
 

We are very excited to show you the advanced mock version of BRAVO.  You can simply click on the image for an enlarged view.  Customer Information - will contain the essential information that is required for all transactions and easily accessible at all times.  BRAVO customer search enables smart technology to minimize duplicate customer records.  BBI - Bravo Business Intelligence is the next generation of useful data compilation.  Users at the customer counter don't have the time to cipher through charts, graphs, and reports.  Users need directives and answers.  Is this a good customer?   How good?  Why are they good?  What areas of the services our store offers do they utilize.  What can I do for this customer to enhance their customer experience and loyalty.   BRAVO will offer a variety of drop in BBI-components in the same manner as Apple Apps.  You get to choose what you want to see.

Employee Feedback - BRAVO will track each signed in employee/user.  There will be 3 levels of participants.  Gold, Silver, and Bronze.  Users will be awarded tokens for superior performance.  Users will be rated against their peers with in your store, company and Global BRAVO community.  Our success is determined by the accurate and participative input each person signs into BRAVO daily.  Each year BRAVO will award cash and recognition to outstanding users.

SMART SEARCH - is a BRAVO exclusive that recognizes Manufactures and Models, UPC codes, Store labels, Inventory Numbers, Receipts, and Reports that takes you to the process associated. Scan a inventory number it will forward you to the Point of Sale.  Type in Canon G11 it will forward you to the "Estimator" for accurate and up to date valuation for a Pawn, Buy, or Trade-in.  Its cool and smart!

JEWELRY ESTIMATOR - Another BRAVO exclusive is a way to no more guessing what a jewelry item is worth.  Hallmarks and Brands will be a breeze to associate to special piece of jewelry with BRAVO.  Select through a carousel of images to identify quality, color, and shape of Diamonds and Colored Stones.  BRAVO turns the novice into a productive identifier of product values saving time and broadening your expertise on the service counter.

Gmail - Integrated Gmail from Google.

Clock - Wow what a novel idea, click on it and "clock in".

Ebay, FedEx, MaxPawn, PayPal - no more double entry.  BRAVO will integrate all of these partners into a seamless accountable process.

We are moving quick so stay tuned and sign up for the newest announcements.

Steve

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing will become a standard platform for everyone's software. Microsoft will be our Cloud Partner as AZURE. Do you use Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, MSDN, or Lotus? All of these mail services are Cloud services. BRAVO will utilize Cloud services to lower cost and maintain and support; maximize stability 999; and add security. If you want to know more about Cloud Computing please read.  AZURE - Microsoft Cloud.

Our Team is set out to fullfil a dream - Bravo

What are we set out to accomplish? When I entered the pawn business in 1980, I wanted to change the face of the Pawn Industry. In Nevada, Arizona, and Washington - Superpawn's brand had accomplished a distinguished brand.

Our technology was a great part of Superpawn’s success. We only scratched the surface of what we know is possible with system innovation. When I sold Superpawn in 2004, we retained the rights to all of the technologies we had spent 15 years and nearly 20 million dollars developing. Our technology is called PRIMA.

Today, with technologies that have proven capabilities and dependability, we have finally decided to harvest the core components of PRIMA and create a systems company for Pawnbrokers with one store or more. An Internet based system with robust components that will foster operating opportunities for Pawnbrokers that have only been dreamed of. And, some completely new ideas as well. A multitude of products all under one umbrella, tightly knitted, and fully integrated.

The team we have selected are a highly experience, exceptional programming, and system engineers, with each having over 20 years of experience in the Pawn systems industry. We welcome back Kelly and Mike. They will be contributing to this blog and we look forward to your suggestions and opinions. Our systems administrator and hardware specialist, Norm, has 25 years of experience and has been with us for 5 years.

We expect to hire 15 other specialists during this build; and we will be interested in computer programming resources throughout the project. Talented, like minded, and experienced in the pawn industry are the core requirements that we will be interested in the future for this project. Please contact us if you or someone you know would be interested?

During our first 2 months we will be collaborating, consulting, and educating ourselves. Our project calls out relationships, partnership, or alliances with these companies and government entities—Microsoft, Google, EBay, PayPal, Amazon, Apple, Western Union, Money Gram, NetSpend, ATT, T-mobile, Sprint, ATF, FBI, Homeland Security, and FTC.

Pawnshops selling online? - to much work? not anymore !

A system that completely lifts every item from your inventory to the Internet without any store effort.  This is not vaporware, this is a complete feature proven and tested throughout 50 pawnshops in 4 states - 100% less effort than EBay.  I believe that consumers can't get enough second hand products.  An alternative shopping portal for pawnbrokers to leverage their inventory for online shoppers.  This isn't a new idea, but what is new, is the way in which it could be done. 

PRIMA systematically posted every item from our inventory to our website and google everyday.  It was a phenomenal success?  We want to provide this feature to you!  This will change the way you will think of your business.  If you knew there was a easy and profitable way to take every item that came across your counter, would you?

When you write a loan/buy, the information that you collect is categorized and translated utilizing our product engine.  Every time you write a loan/buy you have completed the necessary data facts, you just didn't know that you completed the most difficult task in selling on the Internet.  We just translate that effort in a systematic way; collect additional data facts from 9 other sources and walla.  It's so cool! This becomes one of ten data sources that create our product template.  The proper product presentation for the Internet must have many required elements within the page in order to be complete.  Second hand merchandise must offer a complete description details of a pre-owned product.  You don't want customers disappointed of their purchase.

Here is the biggest secret in online pawnshop selling.  Most consumers want to purchase items from your store.  The reason they don't is 99% of the time you don't have what they want.  Its just not worth driving to your store looking for that specific item thats just not going to be for sale.  Who has time today.

Here is the second biggest secret.  If consumers knew you had the item they were looking for in your store; and it was in the vicinity of where they live, they will come to your store and purchase.  This is a reasonable purchasing effort.  In order to secure the item, customers will also pay for the item online and pickup at your store.  Wal-mart has this same feature - 2008. Think of this like a paid off lay-away.  How beautiful.  Internet purchase without shipping.  Now you don't let shipping stop you from selling on the Internet.  Consumers will drive 100's of miles for an item they know is available!  90% of these consumers have never been in a Pawnshop.  Nothing is better!  How excited am I?  Are you?

All of your inventory will be shown on the Internet, without effort, and for sale for free!  We only collect a completed transaction fee if it is purchased on our website.  These charges will be significantly less than Ebay and Amazon.  The money from the sale of your product is in your Paypal account instantly.

I have furnished these links from wayback.com.  I am experiencing a very slow connection.  This is where the 50 pawnshops that had these ecommerce services and examples of what it looked like from 2003 - 2007.

This is what Superpawn.com looked like!

Have a great day,

Hardware Options

Thumbprint scanner  this sells for 79.00.  It has been suggested that employees would scan their finger rather than utilize a personalized login.  Keep in mind you would have to add a thumb skanner to each work station.

Point of Sale scanners lots to choose from.  We have not tested these yet, but we are estimating that each of these will cost 150.00 - 200.00.  Scanning pawn tickets, sales reciepts, UPC codes most widely used for Games and DVD's, Item verification for disposition for Lay-aways, Loans, Internet item pick-up, Store to Store transfers.  Any other suggestions what scanners could be used for?

Wireless Point of Sale scanners Some of you have suggested the wireless version so that you can leave the workstation for multiple reasons.  Scan item and location assignment.  Any other suggestions how this could be used?

Signature Pads So, I am really excited what can be done with the electronic signature pads.  Federal Law acknowledges digital signatures.  This could eliminate an extra ticket and storage.  This could create signature verification, you could see the original signature and the current signature.  Every document that you are required to keep, might be digitally stored with these device, creating huge saving.  Would you spend 400-500 dollars for this device?

Monitor what size do you like?  Is there interest in touch screens.  150.00 vs 500.00.

Cash Drawer manual or electronic activated, this is the question.  75.00 vs 150.00.

Gold/Silver scale plug the scale into the workstation and eliminate having to key in the weight of the item.  400.00 per scale.  Could add accuracy and speed to the transaction.  What are you thoughts?  Is it too expensive?

Cherry Keyboard we think the mag reader-mouse pad-10 key and keyboard will meet your needs.  Mag reader is handy for ID's, Credit Cards, Debiit Cards, and Loyalty Cards.  $110.00 - $150.00 each.  What do you think?

Receipt Printers What is your favorite?  Paper costs? Do you require a printer at every work station or 1 with your sales register and 1 for your loan department?

Ring tag Printer  which ring tag printer do you use?  Which is best?  Zebra?

Printer  Lots of  printing options.  Laser or dot matrix.  Multiple trays? Are you happy with your printing cost?  It would be nice to incorporate leveraging your brand into the each printed article.  We would like to support a mass choice of style, but offer some individual personality with the printed product.  Your requirements include,  pawn ticket, buy ticket, sales receipt, report, optional FFL, lost ticket, and reports.  Can 8.5 x 11 fit your needs?.  If it can, then you can have flexibility, cost containment, and customization.

Tickets Burrell Printing Company has a great selection of choices.  We anticipate providing many printing choices.

Digital Camera I linked this to a full encompasing review of microcameras for POS.  We have cameras on our phones, laptops, and desktops, we believe it maybe an opportunity in capturing images from both sides of the monitor.  Essentially the customer and the employee in random sequence.  If it is a high value transaction it could be in video.

Camera Studio  Our Maxpawn solution minimizes the need to take pictures of product for the Internet or EBay.  But there are items of high value that require specific item images instead of stock pictures.  What camera do you like?

Wireless Cameras?

Star Printer TSP100 Seems to be a favorite for many Pawnbrokers.  Easy, cuts, easy to load.

Zebra LP2824 Also a favorite, Thermal for ring tags and regular merchandise.  Thanks Mike for recommendation.

ACER R1600 this compact desktop is half the size of a 1 pound box of Sees Chocolates and only $199.00.  This can accomodate 6 usb ports.

System Guarantee - Where? right here...

We believe there is a better software solution for Pawnbrokers. Well designed, simple, dependable. There are a number of Pawnbroker software products out there that are very cheap to own. We believe that in order to earn your business we need to be better and cost less.

So how do we accomplish such a bold challenge? This product will be delivered on the lightest services available through the Internet. This translates to a lower cost to deliver and we pass the savings on to you. The technologies that we want to use are ready to use and stable. James Cameron, the director of Avatar held on to his script for 5 years, until the technology was ready for him to exercise his dream. We have been waiting as well.

Our experience. Our team is of the same mindset and we believe we know what needs to be done. I am a Pawnbroker first and Software developer second. I grew up in the business working with my dad at age 9, and worked along with him to become the fourth generation pawnbroker in our family. I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Accounting and Information Systems. Later, I received a graduate degree from Harvard Business School. My first Pawn inventory system was created on an Apple IIe that a customer defaulted on. I hired a couple of college students who were also customers, Tom Hoops and Ed Rought, and for $200.00, we created our first inventory system.

By implementing basic inventory practices with a system that kept track of our inventory, we made record profits that year without factoring in an increase in sales. We found that internal theft was our biggest risk in running a pawnshop, and proved to have cost us 8% of our gross profits in the previous years. I will explain to you in a future blog how you are losing up to 10% margin. Many of the heartbreaking tableside discussions growing up were about dishonest employees. We started believing that after 3 generations, there were better ways to think how this business could be run.

We will share with you many more stories like this in our blog. Experience growing Superpawn over the years to 50 stores with the desire to change the face of pawnbrokering, coupled with my studies, which will make for a combination of expertise that created "best practices" in the Pawn industry.

Over the next 20 years, we would spend 20 million dollars in system research and development exclusively for Pawn. Building lengthy and meaningful relationships with the smartest technologists in the business, receiving awards and case studies from Microsoft and EBay, we just know how to do it well.

Utilizing best practices, latest technologies, and our experience, we will create "the best" products and services. We believe that this product will change the way Pawnbrokers think about this business.

We need your help! We pride ourselves in being really good listeners. We believe that we should know more. We ask you to share your stories and suggestions. Even the smallest suggestion drives progress. We will cherish every thought.

I appreciate your time and continued participation.