Customers Complain about “Mega Liquidation” Sale

Advertised Items not for sale, buyers say; promoter rejects criticism

The ads promise in-dash car TV's for $79, laptop computers for $199 and DVD players for $15. But angry customers say those deals were nowhere to be found, once they paid the $8 admission charge and actually saw the merchandise.

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The Mega Liquidation Sale is going on now  through Sunday, January 4 at the Community Concourse in downtown San Diego. The Mega Liquidation Club, which promotes the traveling show, is advertising heavily in San Diego. But several customers who left the sale empty-handed after quickly looking at the merchandise said there was nothing worth buying.

"It's so expensive for the price they have over there," said Geni Rodas, who was looking for a $99 computer. "They show on the TV and the paper that it was $100, but it's more than $100. I thought I was going to find the stuff that I wanted, but I didn't. That's why I'm going home."

Preston Jones was looking for a $99 LCD TV set for his wife.

"They had TVs for $259, $150, that's too much," Jones said. He demanded a refund of the $8 admission charge, and did get his money back from the show's promoters.

Phil Payton said it definitely was not worth the drive from his El Cajon home. Payton paid $8 to park downtown and another $8 for admission.

"I went around and looked at a whole bunch of junk that I could buy on the outside," complained Payton, who left the show after browsing the aisles for just a few minutes.

Sale promoter Bruno Vick defended his business, saying he carefully checks his advertisements every day, to make sure the advertised items are actually on sale. Vick said if any advertised item sells out, he posts signs inside the community concourse alerting customers about the lack of those items.

The San Diego City Attorney's office says it will investigate any complaints about the Mega Liquidation Sale. Dissatisfied customers can contact the City Attorney's Consumer and Protection Unit at (619) 533-5660.

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