Middle schooler buys unpriced ping-pong paddles for 148,900 won — stationery store refuses refund

A stationery store allegedly sold a middle school student two ping-pong paddles with no price tags at well above market value — and then refused his mother's request for a refund.

The story surfaced recently on the online community Bobaedream, where a parent identified only as A posted about an experience at a neighborhood stationery store involving her first-year middle school son.

According to A, her son had visited the nearby store to buy supplies for a physical education class.

The boy picked out two unpriced ping-pong paddles, ping-pong balls and a ballpoint pen and paid for them, but said he was not told the total at the time of purchase.

A learned of the charge when she received a card approval text message showing a total of 148,900 won ($110). She then called her son to find out what had happened.

The receipt listed the paddles under the category "miscellaneous goods" at 70,000 won each, for a combined 140,000 won. After checking the product's price online, A requested a refund just 17 minutes after the transaction was completed.

The store refused, citing a "no exchange or return on sporting goods" policy printed at the bottom of the receipt.

A subsequent check found the same paddle model sold online for just 16,000 won.

"My minor child has a limited understanding of money and assumed it was a normal price because there was no price tag," A said, adding that the sale proceeded without any price display or notice. "The store also did not tell my child that sporting goods cannot be refunded. My child only found out the price after looking at the receipt once the transaction was done," she added.

The following day, A contacted the stationery chain's head office to request mediation.

According to A, the head office relayed the franchise owner's position that individual franchisees are free to set their own prices. The head office reportedly acknowledged that the sale price was unusually high and recommended a refund, but said it could not compel the franchisee to comply given the store's pricing autonomy.

"I also contacted the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center, but was told that it is generally difficult to unilaterally cancel an in-person retail transaction if the parties cannot reach an agreement," A said.

Online commenters reacted with disbelief. "Unbelievable," wrote one. "That store is going to close over 100,000 won," said another. Others questioned how a store could sell to a child without displaying prices, with some predicting the backlash would spread quickly.