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

4:06 PM on 08.06.2008, Brad Nicholson 43 comments

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

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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eternalplayer2345's Avatar
eternalplayer2345 at 08/06/2008 16:09
This is like a bad joke
"new game 200 dollars!"
"that's outrageous!"
"Ok, Ok 150"
"sold!"
Cartman's Avatar
Cartman at 08/06/2008 16:09
If that was my mom, i would have hunted the salesman down and make him eat his parents.
Furnimus's Avatar
Furnimus at 08/06/2008 16:13
@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
pendelton21 at 08/06/2008 16:14
I hope she got the enhanced firewall like I did for my DS.
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 08/06/2008 16:14
I'll hire this salesman.
Blind assassin's Avatar
Blind assassin at 08/06/2008 16:14
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
BahamutZero at 08/06/2008 16:15
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
Nand69 at 08/06/2008 16:15
My mom bought 'lair'

That says enough
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 08/06/2008 16:17
SHOCKING
heretrix's Avatar
heretrix at 08/06/2008 16:19
"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
DV2FOX at 08/06/2008 16:31
someone give me a Facepalm image Star Track style...
Matlox's Avatar
Matlox at 08/06/2008 16:35
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
moominsean at 08/06/2008 16:39
maybe it's 1000 singapore dollars, which is probably like $75 US.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 08/06/2008 16:42
Wow that woman is quite naive.
balth's Avatar
balth at 08/06/2008 16:44
I've got a PSP to sell...

Only $500 and it comes with Vista Ultimate!
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 08/06/2008 16:45
I bought a Virtual Boy at Target for $30 biggest rip-off ever.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 08/06/2008 17:08
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
mix at 08/06/2008 17:15
Wow, just wow.
Tyrian3's Avatar
Tyrian3 at 08/06/2008 17:22
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
Iron Gamer at 08/06/2008 17:49
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
AlucardX24 at 08/06/2008 18:16
Here it comes:

gabisthesux's Avatar
gabisthesux at 08/06/2008 18:33
i got sonic spinball instead of sonic CD one christmas.
DV2FOX's Avatar
DV2FOX at 08/06/2008 18:40
Thx Aluxard XD
Koholint's Avatar
Koholint at 08/06/2008 18:49
My dad bought Sonic 2006. But it was like, five bucks.
JonDarkwood's Avatar
JonDarkwood at 08/06/2008 18:58
That never happened, my parents were smart and, shockingly, they also actually listened when I talked.
Altair78's Avatar
Altair78 at 08/06/2008 19:55
ba dum, tish
SeventhSense's Avatar
SeventhSense at 08/06/2008 20:55
"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
parrothead at 08/06/2008 21:58
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
vexed alex at 08/07/2008 01:16
....
Skylance's Avatar
Skylance at 08/07/2008 02:34
32X. Of course, it wasn't that stupid of her. I was the one who asked for it, after all.
Xymplx's Avatar
Xymplx at 08/07/2008 03:41
"aww cmon" Virtual Boy's not that bad.
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar
Burnt Meatloaf at 08/07/2008 04:52
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
ry mc at 08/07/2008 15:57
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
Crumpet Lips at 08/07/2008 20:32
Hah what a stupid bitch
Krahsh's Avatar
Krahsh at 08/09/2008 02:26

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