"140,000 won for two table-tennis paddles for a middle school student"... Dongtan price-gouging stationery store to remove its sign

[Financial News] The headquarters of Alpha Stationery has begun procedures to terminate the franchise agreement with a stationery store in Dongtan, Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province, after the store sparked controversy by selling two table-tennis paddles to a first-year middle school student for 70,000 won each.
On the 7th, an Alpha Stationery representative told EDAILY, "We will proceed with terminating the franchise agreement" with the store.
Earlier, a post appeared on the online community Bobaedream claiming that the poster's first-year middle school child had purchased two table-tennis paddles without price tags, among other items, at a stationery store in Dongtan, and was charged nearly 150,000 won.
According to the poster, Person A, the child visited the stationery store to buy supplies for a physical education class and selected table-tennis paddles, table-tennis balls and ballpoint pens. The child was reportedly not informed of the paddle prices, and there were no price tags.
The receipt showed two table-tennis paddles at 70,000 won each, totaling 140,000 won. The total payment, including the other items, was 149,800 won.
Person A reportedly requested a refund 17 minutes after the payment, but the store owner refused, citing a notice on the receipt stating that "sports goods cannot be exchanged or returned."
The story spread online, intensifying the controversy. It was also revealed that the store in question was an Alpha Stationery franchise.
An Alpha Stationery representative told EDAILY, "The products were not supplied by us. We checked elsewhere and confirmed that the consumer price was 25,000 won," adding, "We are receiving many complaints from other chain stores."
The representative continued, "It seems the situation has reached the point where we have to take some action," and added, "We are in a position where we must terminate the franchise agreement, if only for the sake of the other chain stores that are operating normally."
The termination process normally involves steps such as sending two certified notices. However, the headquarters explained that because more than 10 years have passed since the initial franchise agreement was signed, it can notify the store of immediate termination.
Once the franchise agreement is terminated, the stationery store will no longer be allowed to use the Alpha Stationery sign. It will also lose franchisee support, including private-label products, the independent shopping mall and promotions.
Returns of products stocked in the store are also expected to be restricted.

An Alpha Stationery representative said, "As a rule, goods that are more than one year old cannot be returned," adding, "The future operation of the stationery store will have to be decided according to the procedures."


[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter