This would make a funny ongoing series.

Although most items were likely purchased from China for less than $1 each.

I guess I don't really get it. We all know items are marked up - this isn't news. Also, the video really isn't funny, so there's no value in that department. What's the point? Did I miss something?

@joemono: I agree, two guys walk into a shop selling overpriced trinkets and find that the trinkets are...gasp...overpriced. Wheres the humor or point?

@joemono:

I agree...

But after reading that they were "eventually asked to leave" I was interested in seeing the video. The only problem? They didn't show it.

Lame.

I don't have a problem w/ this if they did it on their own, for a lark, but posting video really makes them seem like they're just rude jerks.

If you don't like something's price, fine, but unless the store wronged you in some way, why the public mocking?

Plus, it wasn't funny.

Exactly, you're in a tourist trap in San Diego what the hell do you expect?

I think this is another example of the Consumerist going a little too far and being unreasonable.

The store did nothing wrong, it's the free market at work. If you don't like the price, don't buy it. Some people apparently think that crap is worth the money - otherwise the store would be out of business.

This site does a great job for the most part - but if they want to be taken seriously, they've got to be fair and reasonable, not just go out and harass a small business because they (no kidding?) mark up kitschy crap.

@mantari: Actually, this seems a little offensive to me. they appear to be expecting cheap Chinese imports, when these look to be ethnic handicrafts- I don't understand why this is supposed to be funny.

The guy in Blue is a hot biscuit.

Something is only overpriced if people don't buy it. I might think BMWs are overpriced, but legions of BMW owners prove me wrong.

In the world of "trinkets" nothing is overpriced. I know people who collect this crap, and have witnessed them handing over their credit card to purchase $700 worth of nothing.

Consumerist, why is this news worthy?

Holy cow! I sort of skimmed the headlines and watched the video, falling on the assumption that they were in a shop in Mexico. I was thinking, "Well, that's overpriced but it's a tourist trap and I can't argue with a shop in Mexico trying to eke out a small fortune."

But SAN DIEGO? I re-read the post and it said San Diego! Geez!

OMG I must have it ALL, please tell me they take credit cards!?!?!

I bet it was a lot funnier there and if you were in on it. Here, still kind of neat but I agree not Consumerist worthy?

Ahhh the Gawker posting quota rears its ugly head again. You guys shouldn't be forced to post stuff that is pointless just to fill space.

college boys gone wild... errr shopping?... if they were in home theater store looking at an overpriced and ridiculous $100,000 system, they'd all be creaming their pants... sounds like a good commercial script. thanks consumerist, think i'll keep that for the stock file!

----------------
FADE IN:

$100K HOME THEATER ROOM - DIMMED LIGHTS

POV (CAMERA PHONE). We glance around the most amazing home theater room. We see several typical college boys drooling in a state of ecstasy over all the amazing parts of the theater room and finally to the screen. The CAMERA PHONE pans down to the camera holders' pants.

VOICEOVER
Dude, I just [BLEEP] in my pants.

FADE TO BLACK:

Manufacturer logo(s), taglines, disclaimer, and/or jingle.

After watching the video, I think that it may actually be a fair trade shop they are in and that the items they are labeling would be high quality, handmade, and the person producing it would be paid a fair wage.
I'd also agree that it is not conusmerist worthy. What would be worthy is the same thing at walmart, and then finding out what walmart actually pays for it with the negotiated contracts they have....

Of course the trinkets are overpriced. If they were not overpriced then people will think they're cheap junk and not buy it! If it costs a lot of money then it must be worth something.

this is like going to disneyland and being surprised a tshirt costs 30 dollars.

like everyone else said, im disappointed consumerist posted this, especially since it seems meghann just wanted to get her friends on the site. it wasnt funny, or surprising, and the bigger question is:

how the you people think a stupid story like this would stack up against REAL consumerist issues, like the post about best buy or any of the riaa posts.

if this were my first visit to the site, i probably woulnt come back. very amateurish.

I think the Consumerist needs to differentiate between true consumer-oriented stories, and just "negative stuff about nasty mean evil businesses and corporations". There's a line between "capitalism-bashing" and truly standing up for the rights of consumers. Defining that line is essential to what has made this site more powerful as of late, and ensuring The Consumerist's reputation in general.

I understand where Meghann and her friends are coming from; who hasn't said "can ya believe how much they charge for this crap?" at certain stores.. But a true consumer rights issue it is not, and without a whole lot more facts and context, it was really unfair and even a little mean-spirited.

Really, is a trinket worth ANY amount of money? I never get people who buy that stuff. It does nothing, and there's no way of displaying it without taking up useful space that could be used better.

that's hilarious, because i've been there too and shocked at the prices, it's madness meant for tourists, haha.

Although we've never used a video camera, my wife and I often play a similar game at furniture stores. It's especially funny to see their prices on pictures, lamps and other accessories. The same lamp that might be $30 at Target will be $125 in a furniture store. Same for framed prints - $75 at some place like Kirklands; Lower quality, unattractive prints at a furniture store - $199.

And that's before you get started on the sales guy bragging about their 60% off sale on stuff that's marked up 400%.

Yet we all lament the prominence of wal-mart and Target, and cry about the demise of mom and pop shops and main street USA.

You can't have it both ways. The only reason Target and Wal-Mart are so cheap is because they can buy in volumes that small shops can't even fathom.

Sure, some of it is mark-up by "specialty shops" that make no sense, but that's the tradeoff.

If you people don't like reading articles like this... How hard is it to just scroll past it and just move the fuck on?

I think this video points out the catch-22 of having a small business trying to compete in a market that gets harder and harder to jump into while still pulling a profit.

@i4ni: Because we are consumerists and we've been trained to read the fine print.

@homerjay:

Ohhh... How tactfully witty.

@i4ni: If you don't like reading comments like ours... How hard is it to just scroll past them and just move the fuck on?