Walmart sold me a PS vita box with a PSP in it. WTF?!

[Adultism]

I went over to walmart this evening because I wanted a new Vita, mostly because of persona but I digress. My girlfriend and I went to open the box and can you guess what was inside?

A refurbished looking PSP. We even sat there for like 20 minutes trying to see if it was a PSP Vita hybrid. Well obviously that was not the case, so we headed back up to walmart only to be made to wait an hour and a half before saying "All of our consoles are factory sealed, you got what you paid for." Note that all the Vita accessories were in the box, but with a PSP.

They told me to call Sony and bug them about it, but I have a feeling that conversation will go the same way, though I will try. I want my damn Vita. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life, and I'm obviously pretty pissed off that I paid 200$ for a PSP.

Anyone got any advice?

UPDATE: Probably screwed.

 

[mattttherman3]

Didn't sony announce that vita development was now soley in the hands of 3rd party developers? Bad purchase, essentially a dead handheld. BUT that doesn't answer your question! So here goes:

Honestly the only thing I can think of is call them, and if you get nowhere then make a huge stink on social media about it, on their facebook page preferably, shit gets done when the bad PR comes across.

 

[Frezzato]

I went over to walmart this evening because I wanted a new Vita, mostly because of persona but I digress. My girlfriend and I went to open the box and can you guess what was inside?

A refurbished looking PSP. We even sat there for like 20 minutes trying to see if it was a PSP Vita hybrid. Well obviously that was not the case, so we headed back up to walmart only to be made to wait an hour and a half before saying "All of our consoles are factory sealed, you got what you paid for." Note that all the Vita accessories were in the box, but with a PSP.

They told me to call Sony and bug them about it, but I have a feeling that conversation will go the same way, though I will try. I want my damn Vita. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life, and I'm obviously pretty pissed off that I paid 200$ for a PSP.

Anyone got any advice?

Hang on, what does it say in the front? Does it say PSP or Vita [http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/news/23/23277/PS-Vita_vs_PSP3000.jpg] on the front? Is it really a PSP?

 

[Adultism]

I went over to walmart this evening because I wanted a new Vita, mostly because of persona but I digress. My girlfriend and I went to open the box and can you guess what was inside?

A refurbished looking PSP. We even sat there for like 20 minutes trying to see if it was a PSP Vita hybrid. Well obviously that was not the case, so we headed back up to walmart only to be made to wait an hour and a half before saying "All of our consoles are factory sealed, you got what you paid for." Note that all the Vita accessories were in the box, but with a PSP.

They told me to call Sony and bug them about it, but I have a feeling that conversation will go the same way, though I will try. I want my damn Vita. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life, and I'm obviously pretty pissed off that I paid 200$ for a PSP.

Anyone got any advice?

Hang on, what does it say in the front? Does it say PSP or Vita [http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/news/23/23277/PS-Vita_vs_PSP3000.jpg] on the front? Is it really a PSP?

PS vita borderlands edition, the PS vita cables were inside. Couldn't find a memory card, only the charger and the PSP with the vita books and borderlands voucher.

OMFG so i just looked at the PSP closly and realized theres no info on it, no serial code. Where the serial code usually sits (you can feel the indent) theres nothing there.

Meaning I bought a unregistered PSP? What sort of scam is this?

 

[Sniper Team 4]

It sounds to me like Walmart screwed you over, not Sony. Odds are someone bought that system, carefully opened up the box, took out what they wanted, and replaced it with an old PSP. Probably one they either stole, or bought second-hand. After that, they just went back and returned the item, making sure that the packaging and seals were back in place. This happens a lot actually. At my store, Target, for a long time we got I-pads back that were just boxes with bricks in them, but still had the plastic wrap on them. It got to the point where we now open EVERYTHING electronic and check to make sure everything is there. I once had a guy attempt to return a PS3 on me without the controller. He told me everything was in there, but I dug around anyway before I took it back. When I saw there was no controller, he was like, "Yeah, it's still at my house. Do I need to bring that back too?" Considering those things cost sixty-plus dollars, yes you do.

Odds are someone, or several someones, at Walmart did not do their job when they returned that. They probably just looked at it, saw the receipt (assuming the guy even had it), and returned the thing without bothering to check. The fact that you say the PSP has no serial number makes this even more likely. If you want your money back, I suggest going to Walmart and demanding to speak to management. Because it it HIGHLY unlikely Sony is going to do anything.

 

[Adultism]

Oh man I'm so fucked. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me, sony tells me to fuck off, and walmart does as well.

GREAT. I maybe should find a new hobby

 

[Adultism]

Oh man I'm so fucked. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me, sony tells me to fuck off, and walmart does as well.

GREAT. I maybe should find a new hobby

Read the rest of the replies in the thread. This is entirely Walmart's fault. Go back and demand either the thing you payed for
or your money back. Demand to talk to the management if you need to, and threaten legal action if they wont give it to you.

I went in after closing and freaked out, cop actually talked to me. Managed to keep my cool and explain the situation and he agreed that yes, it was shitty, and I should come back in the morning that they would do right by me.

I hope so.

 

[Elfgore]

Some tips when you go back, keep your cool. Causing a big scene isn't good and could lead to other problems. If management gets involved, make sure the final say comes from the store manager himself/herself, not a depertment manager. If the store manager says no, move it up to corporate.

The story as you've explained it clearly shows you getting screwed. You have the box and the device, you could easily make a case of "this isn't what I paid for".

 

[DementedSheep]

I don't know how consumer rights work everywhere but it's probably the same where you are. For future reference if you buy a defective product or for whatever reason you don't get what you paid for, it is the store that sold the product to you that is responsible for sorting it out with you, not the manufacturer. It's the store you have a deal with. If the manufacturer is at fault it is the stores job to chase them up to compensate them and they do that after they have given you a replacement or refund. If they tell you to contact the manufacturer they are trying to pass the buck or get you to give up.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

I've heard stories like this way too often, regrettably. And it's usually coming from Walmart. It's surprising, too, how this still happens even with big consoles, since their boxes should have a window to scan the bar code sticker on the consoles itself. A friend tried to return a legit, opened 360 to Walmart that he got for free as a promotion from Best Buy. The Walmart employee scanned it and said it came from Best Buy. I don't know if the Vita box has that little window, but it's something they should start adding to more product boxes if this keeps up.

Anymore, we all have to open expensive stuff right after we check out to make sure that factory seal really is "factory." Don't even do it in your car. Move your cart out of the way right behind the register and check your stuff there to make sure you have no problems with them blaming you for any funny business.

As others have said, don't give up. Keep calmly fighting it, going higher and higher in the chain of command. If you are told to speak to corporate or they will get in touch with you and you don't get the issue solved within a few days, go to the media. Local news, consumer websites, anything. Consumerist.com is one site that has customer service stories like this all of the time. You could try emailing them all the details if Walmart won't play ball. Even threatening to go to the media will usually get corporations and the store managers to loosen up and fix things fast.

 

[Adultism]

I've heard stories like this way too often, regrettably. And it's usually coming from Walmart. It's surprising, too, how this still happens even with big consoles, since their boxes should have a window to scan the bar code sticker on the consoles itself. A friend tried to return a legit, opened 360 to Walmart that he got for free as a promotion from Best Buy. The Walmart employee scanned it and said it came from Best Buy. I don't know if the Vita box has that little window, but it's something they should start adding to more product boxes if this keeps up.

Anymore, we all have to open expensive stuff right after we check out to make sure that factory seal really is "factory." Don't even do it in your car. Move your cart out of the way right behind the register and check your stuff there to make sure you have no problems with them blaming you for any funny business.

As others have said, don't give up. Keep calmly fighting it, going higher and higher in the chain of command. If you are told to speak to corporate or they will get in touch with you and you don't get the issue solved within a few days, go to the media. Local news, consumer websites, anything. Consumerist.com is one site that has customer service stories like this all of the time. You could try emailing them all the details if Walmart won't play ball. Even threatening to go to the media will usually get corporations and the store managers to loosen up and fix things fast.

Managed to go and speak to the GM and explained my situation. He was hesitant at first telling me it seemed like someone tampered with it, which I told him it probably was (which when I got my new one it was perfect, so this was obviously a return and funny thing is, if i really wanted to, i could screw over the person who's PSP that was, had all of his wifi data saved including the IP.) managed to convice him that it was a knock off (obviously built with off brand parts even that battery was off brand) and he gave me another.

Will be checking my games and consoles before I leave store from now on. That was bullshit. Also I did have a bit of a panic attack because working minimum wage 200$ is a lot of money to have nothing to show for it. Thanks for the help everyone!(Except sony who told me that it was either my fault or walmarts, thanks for the confidence in your loyalists)

 

[Kopikatsu]

I've heard stories like this way too often, regrettably. And it's usually coming from Walmart. It's surprising, too, how this still happens even with big consoles, since their boxes should have a window to scan the bar code sticker on the consoles itself. A friend tried to return a legit, opened 360 to Walmart that he got for free as a promotion from Best Buy. The Walmart employee scanned it and said it came from Best Buy. I don't know if the Vita box has that little window, but it's something they should start adding to more product boxes if this keeps up.

Anymore, we all have to open expensive stuff right after we check out to make sure that factory seal really is "factory." Don't even do it in your car. Move your cart out of the way right behind the register and check your stuff there to make sure you have no problems with them blaming you for any funny business.

As others have said, don't give up. Keep calmly fighting it, going higher and higher in the chain of command. If you are told to speak to corporate or they will get in touch with you and you don't get the issue solved within a few days, go to the media. Local news, consumer websites, anything. Consumerist.com is one site that has customer service stories like this all of the time. You could try emailing them all the details if Walmart won't play ball. Even threatening to go to the media will usually get corporations and the store managers to loosen up and fix things fast.

Managed to go and speak to the GM and explained my situation. He was hesitant at first telling me it seemed like someone tampered with it, which I told him it probably was (which when I got my new one it was perfect, so this was obviously a return and funny thing is, if i really wanted to, i could screw over the person who's PSP that was, had all of his wifi data saved including the IP.) managed to convice him that it was a knock off (obviously built with off brand parts even that battery was off brand) and he gave me another.

Will be checking my games and consoles before I leave store from now on. That was bullshit. Also I did have a bit of a panic attack because working minimum wage 200$ is a lot of money to have nothing to show for it. Thanks for the help everyone!(Except sony who told me that it was either my fault or walmarts, thanks for the confidence in your loyalists)

Eh? Sony said it was either your fault or Walmart's, and it ended up being Walmart's. So they were right. What's wrong with what they said?

 

[visiblenoise]

You cannot logically expect to have to resign to being "screwed" here...

 

[Qizx]

Also for future reference just because you seem to get flustered about this kind of easily. Go to the manager. Always. If something like this happens it's quite likely the person you're talking to is telling the truth that they can't do it. So talk to the person who can, go up the chain. I've had to do this several times and after having worked at lower end retail jobs I know that there's only so much the schmuck behind the counter can do.
NOTE: Please only do this when there's an actual issue, don't be those dicks who take advantage of the system.

 

[gigastar]

(Except sony who told me that it was either my fault or walmarts, thanks for the confidence in your loyalists)

Eh? Sony said it was either your fault or Walmart's, and it ended up being Walmart's. So they were right. What's wrong with what they said?

TBH the last thing id want to hear from customer service is "Its your fault" even if theyre right.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Glad it worked out for you OP, although to be honest I was pretty confident it would. Would be rather exceptional for a large chain like Walmart to not accept the return of a clearly tampered-with product.