A website called Worthy is aiming to give the pawn shop a makeover with a message of female empowerment — but some customers are cringing.
The used-goods site, pitching itself as a venue for used wedding rings, posts glossy photos on Instagram with captions like “The end of an error” and “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness never paid for a divorce.”
Worthy also hosts a podcast on topics like “toning down conflict in co-parenting” and a blog that addresses whether to get a divorce in a “sexless marriage.”
But some women say it feels “cringey” and even “manipulative” to use “girl power” language to draw someone into selling their wedding ring — especially for those who are vulnerable as they navigate a divorce.
One source told On The Money she decided against selling her diamond on Worthy when she realized it was “literally a pawn shop.”
“They were only going to give me less than a 1/4 of what we originally paid,” said the source, who decided to keep the gem.
“You don’t need to make cute digs about marrying the wrong person, you just need to prove to me you’ll get me the best bang for my bling,” another woman told On The Money.
“Had I sold my ring to them I would have gotten between 20% – 50% (20% for the fee they charge; 50% if I had gone with the actual offer after they received my ring) less,” the disgruntled user said.
Meanwhile, some women say they’ve noticed a dramatic uptick in Worthy’s marketing of late. Some speculate it could be ramping up advertisements as recession fears loom and real wages drop amid inflation.
“Feels like they’re preying on people going through hard times,” a source added.
Worthy didn’t respond to requests for comment.