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Woman buys a $1000 PSP, says she was 'shocked' photo

Remember when you were younger and your parents bought you Tecmo: Secret of the Stars instead of Tecmo Super Bowl? In Singapore, a mother bought her daughter a $1000 PlayStation Portable complete with a “license” for software. A salesman obviously keen on the mother’s pocketbook and negligible knowledge of the PSP performed the dupe at a shop in Signapore. The man first offered her a $3,550 PSP, complete with antivirus software. The mother, seeking a deal, eventually narrowed the price down to the $2,600. After getting the gadget home, she realized she was duped and insisted on the ultimately fair price of $1,000.

When the local newspaper asked the mother for comment, she said her friends “all say I’m so stupid.” Of course, they probably said that even louder after the mother admitted that she knew that other retailers were selling the PSP at retail cost. She said she was afraid to walk away from the clerk’s false promises because it would have been “irresponsible.”

This is probably just me, but does this not seem absolutely insane? Being cornered and feeling obligated to buy something is what we all deal with when we walk into a GameStop. Being sold something overpriced knowingly is a completely different issue. This story makes me remember all the terrible games my mother used to come home with when I was younger. What was the worst “deal” or game-related present your parents purchased for you?


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39 comments | showing # 1 to 39

The-Excel's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:02
The-Excel

I wish I could be that shocked.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:06
MechaMonkey
If they were smart, everyone she knows would pressure her into buying inane items from them for exorbitant prices.
eternalplayer2345's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:09
eternalplayer2345
This is like a bad joke
"new game 200 dollars!"
"that's outrageous!"
"Ok, Ok 150"
"sold!"
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:09
Cartman
If that was my mom, i would have hunted the salesman down and make him eat his parents.
Furnimus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:13
Furnimus
@Cartman: Lol like Cartman did to that one kid on the South Park with the chili?

@ Story: What a retard parent. Ever heard of price research? I'm glad my parents are smarter. When my mom bought me a laptop she got a Toshiba with 1 gig of Ram, 15 inch screen, dual core processor and 120 gig HD for 300 dollars brand new.
pendelton21's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:14
pendelton21
I hope she got the enhanced firewall like I did for my DS.
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:14
Corak
I'll hire this salesman.
Blind assassin's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:14
Blind assassin
Despite being extremely anti-feminist I do feel sort of sorry for what was likely a bad person preying on a stupid and vulnerable woman.

Obligatory niceties aside, I really don't know how someone can would willingly do severe damage to their bank account out of a misguided desire to not hurt the salesman's feelings.
BahamutZero's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:15
BahamutZero
worst game purchase? well, my parents bought me a SNES when I was 11.

JUST KIDDING. my dad had killer taste in games
Nand69's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:15
Nand69
My mom bought 'lair'

That says enough
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:17
king3vbo
SHOCKING
heretrix's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:19
heretrix
"Being cornered and feeling obligated to buy something is what we all deal with when we walk into a GameStop"

God, I love when that happens.The look I get after I completely shut them down is uplifting. Not all of them though. Just the obnoxious ones. Some of the clerks were pretty cool when I used to shop there.
DV2FOX's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:31
DV2FOX
someone give me a Facepalm image Star Track style...
Matlox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:35
Matlox
Speaking of Gamestop, the very last time I shopped there (last because they sold me Counter-Strike: Source without a cd-key and then refused to replace it), the guy asked me if I wanted to pre-order Wrath of the Lich King. After telling the guy no, he responded with a snide "Awwww, cmon." I didn't know if he was kidding or not, so I just said "I don't play MMOs." The guy, once again, just said "aww cmon," but looking down at the cash register and a bit softer this time. I didn't know whether or not I was supposed to be laughing afterwards, but I did anyways. Turns out the guy wasn't joking, he was just being a douche.

This "aww cmon" incident is still a running joke amongst my friends.
moominsean's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:39
moominsean
maybe it's 1000 singapore dollars, which is probably like $75 US.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:42
Holyetheline
Wow that woman is quite naive.
balth's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:44
balth
I've got a PSP to sell...

Only $500 and it comes with Vista Ultimate!
brainderailment's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 16:45
brainderailment
I bought a Virtual Boy at Target for $30 biggest rip-off ever.
Syn's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 17:08
Syn
She should've came to me, my PSP has .NET FCL so you can write your own games on it! All for the low low price of a hundred kajillion fafillion gazillion million....yen.

Seriously though, I actually feel bad for this woman. I can think of tons of things that would be better to blow a G on. I'm glad my mom was actually into games so she knew better.
mix's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 17:15
mix
Wow, just wow.
Tyrian3's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 17:22
Tyrian3
Oh my goodness, somebody please call a doctor...a GOOD one!
I fell sorry for her anyway, it's a very stupid thing to do and I bet she feels like crap now.
Iron Gamer's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 17:49
Iron Gamer
My mom bought me an NES instead of a Sega Genesis... I never apprciated the confusion, until I actually played it. I love when my mom makes mistakes like that...

Mom: "Oh they were all out of wii's so I bought you a PS3 instead..."

Me: ...
AlucardX24's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 18:16
AlucardX24
Here it comes:

gabisthesux's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 18:33
gabisthesux
i got sonic spinball instead of sonic CD one christmas.
DV2FOX's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 18:40
DV2FOX
Thx Aluxard XD
Koholint's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 18:49
Koholint
My dad bought Sonic 2006. But it was like, five bucks.
JonDarkwood's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 18:58
JonDarkwood
That never happened, my parents were smart and, shockingly, they also actually listened when I talked.
Altair78's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 19:55
Altair78
ba dum, tish
SeventhSense's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 20:55
SeventhSense
"Being cornered and feeling obligated to buy something is what we all deal with when we walk into a GameStop."

- I know it's the cool thing online to hate on Gamestop, but if you're getting cornered into buying something then you seriously need to go to a different Gamestop (They don't even make commission, so wtf? lol). The local Gamestops near my house have some of the nicest workers I have met.
parrothead's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 21:58
parrothead
It never happened to my parents, but I do have some magic soy beans I would like to sell that lady
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 01:16
vexed alex
....
Skylance's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 02:34
Skylance
32X. Of course, it wasn't that stupid of her. I was the one who asked for it, after all.
Xymplx's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 03:41
Xymplx
"aww cmon" Virtual Boy's not that bad.
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 04:52
Burnt Meatloaf
I used to sell cameras. When I started working at that job, I could not believe how many people literally just walked into the store to buy a camera, and had no clue what features they wanted, let alone how much the cameras cost.

This was a while ago, but not before Google. I'd imagine things aren't any better today. Thank goodness I don't work retail, anymore.
ry mc's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 15:57
ry mc
So is this Singapore Dollars or USD? Big difference. ;) She still got ripped off either way, but much less so if we're talking the actual Singapore $.
Crumpet Lips's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 20:32
Crumpet Lips
Hah what a stupid bitch
Krahsh's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/09/2008 02:26
Krahsh

best investment evar!!!!
Ninevolt's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/09/2008 14:12
Ninevolt
my grandma bought me spiderman 2 for the ds....wtf.
Minte3's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/08/2008 19:52
Minte3
-facepalm-

I remember when my gramma got me some dinky sports game (NFL or some crap) instead of FF8. ...Bit of a difference there...
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