Selling or pawning a TV is a different proposition than selling a smartphone. TVs are harder to ship, take up shelf space, and have a narrower resale audience. Pawn shops that do buy televisions run through a specific checklist — and understanding it will help you get the best offer for yours.
Brand
Brand is the first and most important factor. Each brand carries a reputation for performance and reliability that determines how quickly a shop can move the TV and at what price. In general terms, brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG command the strongest offers. Lower-tier brands — even at the same screen size — will earn significantly less.
For example: a 55-inch TV from a premium brand will typically draw a meaningfully higher offer than a 55-inch TV from a budget brand in identical condition.
Screen size
Larger screens generally command higher offers, because retail prices for large TVs are higher and the secondhand market reflects that. As a rough frame:
- Under 26 inches: minimal offers, sometimes declined entirely
- 32 to 42 inches: moderate offers depending on brand and condition
- Above 42 inches: higher offers, assuming the TV is relatively recent and a recognized brand
These thresholds assume the TV is in working condition and is not more than a few years old. An older large-screen TV from a premium brand may still earn a decent offer; an older large-screen TV from a budget brand likely won't.
Technology type
Know what type of panel your TV uses. Plasma screens, which were common in the mid-2000s through early 2010s, are generally worth less than equivalent LCD or OLED screens — they are bulkier, less energy-efficient, and increasingly difficult to repair. Any TV that still has a coaxial antenna port as its primary input will earn little to nothing; the resale audience for analog-input TVs has effectively vanished.
Current standards — 4K resolution, HDR support, smart TV functionality — make a TV more attractive to a shop. Older HD-only televisions without smart features are harder to move.
Completeness
Bring the remote, all cables, and the stand if you have it. A complete setup is easier for a shop to test, price, and display, and completeness consistently adds to the offer. A TV without a remote, for instance, requires the shop to source one or sell it at a discount.
Editor's note — April 2026
This guide was written in August 2015, when 1080p HDTVs were the market standard. Since then, 4K has become the baseline for new TVs, OLED panels have grown more common, and plasma TVs have been out of production for over a decade. The valuation framework — brand, size, technology, completeness — is the same, but the specific technology tiers have shifted. A 1080p television today occupies roughly the same position that a standard-definition set occupied in 2015. If your TV is 4K with smart features and a recognized brand, you are in the best position to get a meaningful offer.