Look, I will set you straight right out the gate. Any pawn shop that has to rely almost solely on Ebay is doomed from the start. Ebay plus paypal rape you solid in fees horribly cutting into you profit margins. So unless your planning on taking these people worst than Rick on PawnStars your going to be living off thin profits.

50 hours a week just tagging & managing inventory on ebay? It just all adds up to mismanagement of time & probably funds if this is how they run it. Another point I'd like to make is if they are in DEBT now then they are buying items with DEBT. Which means even if your 8k makes them solvent on say a Interest bearing loan, they are still everyday acquiring new debt to remain able to purchase items.

Your not clearing their debt, it's basically like them going to dinner & stiffing you with the bill promising in return that you get to eat with them everytime they go out.