History Main / HonestJohnsDealership

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'': Bobby Bolivia. "Honest" enough to present an old, battered Camaro (which wasn't there yesterday) as a very awesome ride. Ironically, that Camaro turns out to be Bumblebee, a very awesome HumongousMecha...

** Grunkle Stan. Before he started running a tourist trap, the majority of his adult life had been a cycle of "settle, scam, flee angry mob, repeat", often with the scam involving some type of defective product. These questionable products have included cleaning rags which were poorly dyed and left dye smears on surfaces, adhesive bandages which gave people rashes, and pitchforks which fell apart easily, among countless others. After creating the Mystery Shack, he went over to selling merchandise which isn't much worse than your standard gift shop fair, but his attractions are fraudulent and his merchandise is sometimes ''absurdly'' overpriced.

These are the guys who'll attempt to sell you anything, mostly items that FellOffTheBackOfATruck. The items may be off warranty , withdrawn by the manufacturer in your country, returned items that broke and got refurbished, salvaged from a wreck, or out-of-date models. The "gently used car" was probably an Uber or police car. They sell anything that is just barely legal.

The prices are usually dodgy too, either TooGoodToBeTrue or obnoxiously overpriced. (The former usually catches more people out than the latter.) Sometimes there's big hidden fees and charges. Sometimes, there's there's a catch hidden on page 26 of the agreement. All in all, [[{{Greed}} their main goal is quick money]].

Like its cousin trope, the FriendInTheBlackMarket, Honest John can fit anywhere on the neutral or chaotic side of the CharacterAlignment spectrum: a good comparison would be the LoveableRogue JerkWithAHeartOfGold [[Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses 'Del Boy' Trotter]] or [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Mr. CMOT Dibbler]] types VS {{Jerkass}}es like [[Literature/{{Matilda}} Mr. Wormwood]] or [[TheSociopath Sociopaths]] like [[Film/TheThirdMan Harry Lime]]. After all, selling malfunctioning blow-up dolls is a far more forgivable occupation than selling TheAllegedCar that [[MyCarHatesMe hates you with a passion]] or [[SnakeOilSalesman fake pharmaceuticals to orphanages.]] If the "Honest John" character is genuine, ''pure'' evil, then you've got a DealWithTheDevil on your hands. More likely he's just a {{Slimeball}}, but however you slice it, you're probably not coming out ahead on this deal.

Compare and Contrast FriendInTheBlackMarket, who also sells items at a premium but at least guarantees he's giving you the good stuff. May also overlap with a ShadyScalper, who generally will gain the items they sell legally, but in doing so inflate the prices to profit. In a military setting, this trope is almost guaranteed to overlap with TheScrounger.

See also SnakeOilSalesman, ShadyRealEstateAgent, NewJobAsThePlotDemands, CrookedContractor, MedicineShow, TheBarnum, and TravelingSalesman. Only tangentially related to RichardNixonTheUsedCarSalesman, as that doesn't actually require characters to have this job, just a different one than in real life. Related to UnknowinglyPossessingStolenGoods, where a character gets in possession of items that are stolen, which can be sold from one of these dealers.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' had an episode play off the Grandpa's description of car salesmen being sharks, and it turned into a pseudo-''Jaws'' parody.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Flim and Flam start off as a ShoutOut to Robert Preston's character from ''Theatre/TheMusicMan''. They're charming, fast-talking, and will sell anything for a quick bit, including "health tonic" that may or may not simply be apple juice and beet leaves. Subverted with the Cider Squeezy 6000, which actually was a legitimate, working machine.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'': Bluto often takes on this role in ''Popeye and Son''.

Compare and Contrast FriendInTheBlackMarket, who also sells items at a premium but at least guarantees he's giving you the good stuff. In a military setting, this trope is almost guaranteed to overlap with TheScrounger.

See also SnakeOilSalesman, ShadyRealEstateAgent, NewJobAsThePlotDemands, CrookedContractor, MedicineShow, TheBarnum, and TravelingSalesman. Only tangentially related to RichardNixonTheUsedCarSalesman, as that doesn't actually require characters to have this job, just a different one than in real life. Related to UnknowinglyPossessingStolenGoods, where a character gets in possession of items that are stolen, which can be sold from one of these dealers.

** ''Film/IronMan2'': His goods may be a quite a bit more high dollar than your average Honest John, but Justin Hammer certainly has the attitude down pat as well as the [[TheAllegedCar cluster of malfunctions]], if the videos from the Senate Briefing at the beginning are any good sign. Later in the film, Rhodey and the Air Force go to him to weaponize the Iron Man MkII, and he demonstrates his complete ignorance (or apathy) of basic firearms safety when he flags numerous airmen with weapons that he never even bothered to clear, ''with his finger on the trigger''. The Air Force still buys from him.

You're in a sticky situation; you need to get something and there doesn't seem to be a cheap or legal way of getting it. (It could be banned, rationed, expensive, from overseas or possibly just made in extremely limited quantities). If you're unlucky, you'll have to visit [[TropeNamer Honest John's Dealership.]] While this trope focuses on used cars, it covers anything sketchy that a pushy salesperson tries to sell you.

You're in a sticky situation; you need to get something and there doesn't seem to be a cheap or legal way of getting it. (It could be banned, rationed, expensive, from overseas or possibly just made in extremely limited quantities). If you're unlucky, you'll have to visit [[TropeNamer Honest John's Dealership.]]

These are the guys who'll attempt to sell you anything, mostly items that FellOffTheBackOfATruck. The prices are usually dodgy too, either TooGoodToBeTrue or obnoxiously overpriced. (The former usually catches more people out than the latter.) All in all, [[{{Greed}} their main goal is money]].

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' featured two sketches in the early-90's with the character of Uri Shurinson (Creator/TomHanks), a salesman who repeatedly tried to haggle customers into purchasing [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct shoddy electronics]] that were either off-brand and claimed to have the internals of a name brand, or outright lying about what the product is. The first sketch featured Shurinson as a host on the "Sabra Shopping Network", which constantly claimed to be going out of business, and twice sold a VCR that was claimed to be the last one in stock. The second, better-known sketch featured Shurinson hosting ''Sabra Price is Right'', a show conning contestants into thinking they were appearing on ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'' by offering such "prizes" as a television antenna claimed to be a satellite dish with "Toshiba guts", a "[[ExactWords cordless telephone]]", and a "microwave" that is actually a toaster oven. Shurinson proceeds to haggle everyone's bids, and the "winner" is dragged backstage and forced into paying for their prize at the price they bid at. At one point, he also makes a contestant buy one of the ''buzzers'' after reporting that it wasn't working.

** Lampshaded as a plot point in the episode "One for the Angels", where the CMOT Dibbler type uses his schtick [[spoiler: to distract and delay Death, saving a young girl's life]].

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' featured two sketches in the early-90's with the character of Uri Shurinson (Creator/TomHanks), a salesman who repeatedly tried to haggle customers into purchasing [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct shoddy electronics]] that were either off-brand and claimed to have the internals of a name brand, or outright lying about what the product is. The first sketch featured Uri as a host on the "Sabra Shopping Network", which constantly claimed to be going out of business, and twice sold a VCR that was claimed to be the last one in stock. The second, better-known sketch featured Shurinson hosting ''Sabra Price is Right'', a show conning contestants into thinking they were appearing on ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'' by offering such "prizes" as a television antenna claimed to be a satellite dish with "Toshiba guts", a "[[ExactWords cordless telephone]]", and a "microwave" that is actually a toaster oven. Shurinson proceeds to haggle everyone's bids, and the "winner" is dragged backstage and forced into paying for their prize at the price they bid at. At one point, he also makes a contestant buy one of the ''buzzers'' after reporting that it wasn't working.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' featured two sketches in the early-90's with the character of Uri Shurinson (Creator/TomHanks), a salesman who repeatedly tried to haggle customers into purchasing [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct shoddy electronics]] that were either off-brand and claimed to have the internals of a name brand, or outright lying about what the product is. The first sketch featured Uri as a host on the "Sabra Shopping Network", which constantly claimed to be going out of business, and twice sold a VCR that was claimed to be the last one in stock. The second sketch featured him hosting ''Sabra Price is Right'', a show conning contestants into thinking they were appearing on ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'' by offering such "prizes" as a television antenna claimed to be a satellite dish with "Toshiba guts", a "[[ExactWords cordless telephone]]", and a "microwave" that is actually a toaster oven. Uri proceeds to haggle everyone's bids, and the "winner" is dragged backstage and forced into paying for their prize at the price they bid at. At one point, he also makes a contestant buy one of the ''buzzers'' after reporting that it wasn't working.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' featured two sketches in the early-90's with the character of Uri Shurinson (Creator/TomHanks), a salesman who repeatedly tried to haggle customers into purchasing [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct shoddy electronics]] that were either off-brand and claimed to have the internals of a name brand, or outright lying about what the product is. The first sketch featured Uri as a host on the "Sabra Shopping Network", which constantly claimed to be going out of business, and twice sold a VCR that was claimed to be the last one in stock. The second sketch featured him hosting ''Sabra Price is Right'', a show conning contestants into thinking they were appearing on ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'' by offering such "prizes" as an a television antenna claimed to be a satellite dish with "Toshiba guts", a "[[ExactWords cordless telephone]]", and a "microwave" that is actually a toaster oven). Uri proceeds to haggle everyone's bids, and the "winner" is dragged backstage and forced into paying for their prize at the price they bid at. At one point, he also makes a contestant buy one of the ''buzzers'' after reporting that it wasn't working.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' featured two sketches in the early-90's with the character of Uri Shurinson (Creator/TomHanks), a salesman who repeatedly tried to haggle customers into purchasing [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct shoddy goods]] at high prices. The first sketch featured Uri as a host on the "Sabra Shopping Network" (which constantly claimed to be going out of business), while the second sketch featured him hosting ''Sabra Price is Right'' -- where he haggles the bids of contestants (who thought they were appearing on ''Series/ThePriceIsRight''), on items such as a television antenna claimed to be a satellite dish with "Toshiba guts", a "[[ExactWords cordless telephone]]" that's just a rotary phone with the handset's cord snipped off, a "microwave" that is actually a toaster oven, and even one of the buzzers after a contestant reported that her's wasn't working). When they guess "correctly", they are then dragged off stage and forced into paying for the "prizes".

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' featured two sketches in the early-90's with the character of Uri Shurinson (Creator/TomHanks), a salesman who repeatedly tried to haggle customers into purchasing [[ShoddyKnockoffProducts shoddy goods]] at high prices. The first sketch featured Uri as a host on the "Sabra Shopping Network" (which constantly claimed to be going out of business), while the second sketch featured him hosting ''Sabra Price is Right'' -- where he haggles the bids of contestants (who thought they were appearing on ''Series/ThePriceIsRight''), on items such as a television antenna claimed to be a satellite dish with "Toshiba guts", and a "[[ExactWords cordless telephone]]" that's just a rotary phone with the handset's cord snipped off, a "microwave" that is actually a toaster oven, and even one of the buzzers after a contestant reported that her's wasn't working). When they guess "correctly", they are then dragged off stage and forced into paying for the "prizes".

%%* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': Dan Aykroyd's early character, Irwin Mainway.

%%* ''Webcomic/AwfulHospital'': The Crooked Spine runs one of these.

* ''Series/ThePhilSilversShow'': Sergeant Bilko. While henever has a formal store, it doesn't stop him from always thinking about profit and acting accordingly. The trope is invoked in "The Empty Store". After one of Bilko's men loses the squad's money in a poker game, Bilko gets it back by renting out an empty store. ''Everyone'' assumes he's starting one of these, and are desperate to get in on it. Eventually he sells a third of it to each of the guys who ran the game. All three of them. The episode ends with Bilko congratulating the card sharks on ''their'' ownership of an empty store, and asking what they intend to do with it.

%%* ''Series/ThePhilSilversShow'': Sergeant Bilko.

%%* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'': Goblins are pretty much Ferengi [-[[RecycledINSPACE IN VANA'DIEL!]]-]%%Don't rely on other examples for context.

%%* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest'': Tristam the {{ninja}} indulges in this.
%%* ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'': The Merchant of Miracles from the 2015 game.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/ErkyPerky'': Frenzel.

%%* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Referenced in the first episode.

* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': Lina Inverse.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Vamp}}'', there is a team of [[VampireHunter vampire hunters]] known as Otherworld Welfare Inc., Branch 666, that has a website that sells garlic spray, stake kits, and talismans, in addition to exterminating vampires themselves. They admit that this is done purely for money and that their wares aren't necessarily effective in fighting vampires.

%% ** Mr. "Honest" Jack Slacker, a mention only character from ''Literature/MonstrousRegiment'', who fits this trope completely.

%%* ''Series/FTroop'': Sergeant O'Rourke.

** [[ProudMerchantRace The Addisons]] outright proclaim all they do is advertise, and besides the Pink Addison's tea, none of their items are good, with them tricking you into buying from them by using ExactWords. One of them offers "free samples" of shoes (as in, a single shoe with a toothpick through it), another sells a dress for 300 Dark Dollars (with the mannequin attached, making it [[LethalJokeItem almost]] completely useless). Funnily enough, they actually used to be friends with Spamton when he was an unsuccesful salesman, but after he became a big shot with the help of his AnonymousBenefactor, they became envious of him and left him behind, believing he no longer needed them. If you interact with them after fighting Spamton, they will claim that they either haven't heard his name in a long time, [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain refuse to talk about him]], or outright {{Unperson}} him by denying any connections. [[spoiler:After you defeat Spamton in his OneWingedAngel BonusBoss form, the Addisons gather around his shop to mourn for their fallen friend]].

%% Moderator note: Per https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1451131543031736300&page=1 the previous image was most likely a copyright violation.
%% Do not add it back.

* Parodied and inverted in a couple of Whittaker's Peanut Slab adverts, including [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeSGEYyFqGU&index=2&list=PLD9EBBDD84BB18077 this one]].
* Then there was Joe Isuzu, fictional spokesman for Isuzu cars and trucks in the late 80s and early 90s (and again briefly in the early 2000s), as played by David Leisure from ''Series/EmptyNest''. He would frequently make outrageous claims about the car he was pitching (which would then be immediately contradicted by captions at the bottom of the screen). However, iconic as they were, it also caused a case of WhatWereTheySellingAgain. When Joe made his brief 2000s return, he was more about selling and/or pointing out the Isuzu, rather than making weird claims.

* The narrator of ''Advertising/BigBillHells'' [[CardCarryingJerkass cheerfully admits to this]], all while believing you're still dumb enough to fall for their bullshit.
-->''Bad deals! [[TheAllegedCar Cars that break down]]! Thieves! If you think you're gonna find a bargain at Big Bill, you can kiss my ass! It's our belief you're such a stupid motherfucker, you'll fall for this bullshit, guaranteed!''

* One AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho audio drama starts with the Doctor visiting one of these in search of a material needed to repair his TARDIS, as the alternative is going home and begging for it.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Mafalda}}'': Played for laughs with Manolito, a grocer's son who fancies himself a future Wall Street magnate and often tries to get his friends to buy his father's products by talking up pickles and sausages in the way a car salesman talks up his wares.
* In ''ComicBook/AlanFord'', the seldom-seen Bing (and perhaps his brother) is such a dealer. Sir Oliver is usually seen conducting business with him over the phone, and then not buying but selling stuff fallen from the back of... well, everyone.

* ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'': One comic has Archie buy a snowmobile from a place like this to impress Veronica, and it's likely the worst model they had. Reggie, naturally, has a ball laughing in Archie's face (wagering he can circle the block in his newer model ten times before Archie can even do so once) until Mr. Lodge [[GrailInTheGarbage recognizes the heap Archie bought]] for a rare antique and offers Archie his own (the snowmobile version of a Lambourgini) $500 in spending money ''and'' use of his chauffeur for the day. Reggie actually goes back to the dealer (who's still smug because he ''thought'' he had conned Archie) and pleads for a similar "deal".

* ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'': Weird Pete routinely fast-talks B.A. into buying whatever he's trying to unload by talking it up as "just what he needs" for his game. Weird Pete and his customers are themselves regular targets of sharp dealing from game publisher Hard Eight Enterprises.
-->'''Weird Pete:''' I'm tellin' ya, B.A., ''Orcs at the Gates'' is the largest, most comprehensive ''Hackmaster'' campaign set ever published...\\
''Weird Pete's spiel finally convinces B.A. to spend $89.99 for it. After he leaves....''\\
'''Weird Pete:''' ''(on phone)'' Gamin' Dick? Ha, ha, guess what! I just unloaded that piece of crap ''Orcs at the Gates''! Finally!
* ''ComicBook/SuskeEnWiske'': Theofiel Boemerang, a vacuum cleaner salesman who prides himself to be trustworthy, but really isn't.
* In ''ComicBook/AdventureTimeMarcelineGoneAdrift'', Suspencer is an obnoxious, greedy, hipster who appoints himself keeper of the (falsely believed) dead Marceline's memory and produces tons of tasteless merch before finally looting her house for memorabilia.
* The ''ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel'' comic book established that Cobra Commander used to be an unscrupulous used car salesman.
* ''ComicBook/{{Varmints}}'' has Smilin' Jim. He manages to swindle Ned from the very impressuce horse he was eyeing, and sell Ned [[spoiler:a mule]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'' actually ''has'' a character named Honest John. However, he is more of a LoveableRogue politician trying to get people to vote for him. Including ''dead'' people (in other words, he symbolizes the political machines of TheGildedAge).
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster'': The Television poses as one of these in a fake commercial as he tries to get the attention of the Master in an attempt to save his friends from the junkyard, which he calls Crazy Ernie's Amazing Emporium of Total Bargain Madness.

* ''Series/{{KYTV}}'': The spoof radio comedy ''Radio Active'' features frequent appearances by, and commercials for, a highly dubious businessman called Honest Ron, whose debt collection methods mainly revolved around half a dozen out of work jockeys with sledgehammers. Adverts for his extremely questionable products and services were invariably accompanied by his trademark jingle, sung in a near-tuneless drone which did not inspire confidence in the prospective buyer:
-->''Honest Ron, Honest Ron, the others are a con... honest.''
* In ''Radio/TheNavyLark'' C.P.O. Pertwee will be glad to sell you anything from a pen lid to a Battleship (usually the same one he has sold to 3 other different people too). He has an extended clan of Pertwees that run the navy as their own personal supermarket.

%%* ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'': The Yasuki family has been described as "the Wal-Mart of Rokugan".%%Meaning what?
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': One of Creator/{{TSR}}'s add-on books for 2nd edition ''AD&D'' has an Underdark merchant playable class. As a class perk, this character is not only expected but ''required'' to moderately cheat any customers. If the character does a completely honest transaction, underdark [=NPCs=] such as drow assume it's a ruse for something even worse and automatically attack.
* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'': According to the campaign books, this is ''encouraged'' for game masters who run full-length campaigns in especially questionable parts of space, such as the Periphery. The books encourage the GM to do their best to scalp players for actual goods in the Periphery, anywhere from two to ten times the going rate in the Inner Sphere--while at the same time trying to fob off awful, lower-quality stuff for cheaper than the going rate (but still far more expensive than it's worth). This is particularly bad in regards to [[HumongousMecha Battlemech]] related technology, where the markup can be up to ''twenty'' times the going rate. A ruined ''[[TheAllegedCar Assassin]]'' in the Periphery can cost as much as a new ''[[LightningBruiser Marauder]]'' in the Inner Sphere!

* Advertising/BigBillHells, a ParodyCommercial that's a sterling example of what an "honest" dealership would really sound like.
-->''If you think you're gonna find a bargain at Big Bill's, you can kiss my ass! It's our belief that you're such a stupid motherfucker, you'll fall for this bullshit, guaranteed!''

* ''VideoGame/BeyondTheEdgeOfOwlsgard'': One of these is represented by the ferret in town, who tries to sell Finn some (fairly useful) junk. He goes as far as to try to sell Finn a tissue when he mentions his family's missing.

* ''VideoGame/OneThousandAndOneSpikes'' has Conseil's Duty-Free, which has elements of this. All of the costumes you buy are explained as an advertising contract where you have to buy the uniform yourself, leading to a humiliating cutscene trying to advertise the shop. The outfits themselves seem to be subpar, such as the Knight Armour being made of flimsy materials or the kung-fu suit smelling pretty strongly of BO. However, the rest of his goods, such as extra lives and the Skull Detector are all perfectly fine, and to be fair, some of the jobs Conseil sends you on for the Extra modes are legitimate.

* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'': The "wind brahmin" salesman, a Nightkin who tries to sell you ''tumbleweeds''. Due to his schizophrenia (which all Nightkin have), he mistakenly believes they are a new species of brahmin.
-->'''Courier:''' Oh, you're crazy, aren't you?\\
'''Nightkin:''' [[InsultBackfire Crazy with low prices on wind brahmin!]]
* ''VideoGame/SuperDarylDeluxe'' -- Paul and Alan's Textbook Emporium is based entirely on selling textbooks that have been stolen from the school classrooms. Paul and Alan are (as a pair) also a BadBoss who demand their employees commit crimes, including arson and murder. What they offer in exchange is pages torn from a self-help book that (they think) is worthless.
* ''VideoGame/BeyondSkyrim'' has "Razzada the Resplendent", Bruma's resident back-alley enchanter. Casual interaction with him makes it clear that he puts more effort into his [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness Speechcraft skills]] than his shoddy enchantments, none of which work as he claims (though some he can get away with by {{exact word|s}}ing in his sales pitch, the rest are just BlatantLies). When pressed, he hides behind a strict "No Refunds" policy, and it's also revealed that the citizens of Bruma have had similar frustrating experiences with his crappy merchandise.
* Moneybags from the ''[[Franchise/SpyroTheDragon Spyro]]'' series has an interesting relationship with this trope. In ''VideoGame/Spyro2RiptosRage'', he plays this trope straight by offering services that are upfront on the surface level, but ultimately hinges on him abusing loopholes that imply that you could've done things without his help. In ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon'', on the other hand, he constantly flip-flops between this and being a flat-out [[{{Blackmail}} extortionist]], offering to free prisoners of the Sorceress in exchange for Gems, coughing up threats such as, "Sheila won't stay in jail forever! ...The Sorceress is thinking of having her executed next Thursday!" By the time of ''VideoGame/SpyroAHerosTail'', however, Moneybags backs down on both of these practices and becomes a genuine, honest-to-god salesman.
* At one point before the events of ''VideoGame/BugFables'', [[MosquitoMiscreants Shades]] sold Vi the stolen A.D.B.P./Beemerang without mentioning that it was stolen. And when Vi calls him out on this, he states she should've known this would happen, and then adds that he never gives refunds. It's also heavily implied that the rare medals he sells are also stolen.
* ''Videogame/{{Deltarune}}:''
** [[PerversePuppet Spamton G. Spamton]], as a seeming embodiment of spam mail, certainly has the attitudes of one, often aiming for your [[InsistentTerminology KROMER]] and trying at every turn to make an important-sounding deal with you, seeking to make you a [Big Shot] in exchange for your SOUL. He started out as an unsuccessful one, too, but then started working with an AnonymousBenefactor he talked with only through phone calls, which [[RagsToRiches sent him soaring into success with their advice]]. After the benefactor left Spamton behind, everything fell apart without their influence, aside from [[BrownNote one last call that made everything go to hell]]. Now, [[AxCrazy Spamton is so utterly messed up]] he can't even [[WordSaladHorror speak properly]] and the prices in his shop fluctuate ''extremely'' wildly, from two to five digits, by the second. And everything he sells in there other than the Keygen is utterly mislabeled and mostly unusable, if not outright harmful.
** [[ProudMerchantRace The Addisons]] outright proclaim all they do is advertise, and besides the Pink Addison's tea, none of their items are good, with them tricking you into buying from them by using ExactWords. One of them offers "free samples" of shoes (as in, a single shoe with a toothpick through it), another sells a dress for 300 Dark Dollars (with the mannequin attached, making it [[LethalJokeItem almost]] completely useless). Funnily enough, they actually used to be friends with Spamton when he was an unsuccesful salesman, but after he became a big shot with the help of his AnonymousBenefactor, they became envious of him and left him behind, believing he no longer needed them. If you interact with them after fighting Spamton, they will claim that they either haven't heard his name in a long time, [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain refuse to talk about him]], or outright {{Unperson}} him by denying any connections. [[spoiler:After you defeat Spamton in his OneWingedAngel BonusBoss form, the Addisons gather around his shop to mourn for their fallen friend]].
* ''VideoGame/HiddenCity'': Alford Stone is an antiques dealer who frequently replaces his clients' goods with fakes while keeping the original artifacts for himself. Most of his customers know too little about antiques to notice that their purchases are phoneys.

* ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'': Subverted in [[http://www.misfile.com/index.php?page=144 this]] story arc. The car dealer is "honest John" to a tee, but Ash is enough of a WrenchWench to play him at his own game.
* ''Webcomic/{{Adventurers}}'': One strip features [[http://www.adventurers-comic.com/d/0111.html "Honest Cid's Used Airships."]]
* ''Webcomic/TalesOfTheQuestor'' features Merchant Max, a rather slick secondhand-goods salesman who isn't above selling cartloads of (mostly) total junk to a drunk Questor. To his credit, he later gave Quentyn some really canny advice of how to bargain for the quest items that would be in someone's possession. Yes, this was an excuse to make the hero take on a ship's load of low power magic trinkets as trade goods, but the general intent is decent.

* ''Webcomic/JoeVsElanSchool'': One of Joe's temp jobs while living in New York City as an adult is at a sketchy call center that sells junk to elderly people, and celebrates using deceptive tactics to do so. He finds that this place doesn't delete caller info even if the caller requests it, and often keeps buyers' card info on file so they can be upsold and charged without knowing it. Joe is absolutely disgusted by all of this, so he figures out the hotkey for permanently deleting callers' contact info, spends four days doing so while pretending to make sales (which the center doesn't check), and then walks out for good.

* LetsPlay/HatFilms have this as an extension of Hat Corp in the ''WebVideo/YogscastMinecraftSeries'', selling land to various members of the LetsPlay/{{Yogscast}}. [[spoiler:The trio gives LetsPlay/SimonLane a ton of gear and a new deed to Craggy Island after the Jaffa Factory explodes, but they hint afterwards that they scammed him with some dodgy terms and conditions, and plan to scam Simon and LetsPlay/LewisBrindley too. Unfortunately for them, [[IsThisThingStillOn Simon can still hear them]].]]

%%* ''Third Leg Studios'' gives us [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnFPQpUk6Ug a subversion]] of this trope PlayedForDrama.
* ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' has Agil's counterpart, Tiffany, gain notoriety from playing this role in-game.
-->''"Boss won't get off your back? Girlfriend won't stop nagging you? Did that fuckstick Tiffany sell you a bullshit dagger that broke almost immediately despite the fact that you spent half your goddamned Col on it?! Have you considered '''murder'''?"''

** In ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'', Niccolo is revealed to be from an entire ''race'' of traveling cat-people merchants.
* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'':
** Tom Nook has almost complete control over your town's economy, forcing you to buy a house, and then upgrade it several times [[ButThouMust without really giving you a choice]]. He has two young-looking twins work for him when his store is fully upgraded, so he's also ([[VagueAge potentially]]) into child labor. He even manages to get control over the hair industry, having a salon in his store. And it's kinda creepy how he stalks you when you run around his store because he wants to be sure [[KleptomaniacHero you don't steal anything]]. It should be noted that all this gets slowly downplayed throughout the series, though -- the salon splits off by ''City Folk'', and in ''New Leaf'' he's moved exclusively into the housing industry, and this time he actually gives you a choice as to whether or not you want to expand your house. Plus, even the old shop, now run by Timmy and Tommy, isn't nearly as economy-dominating since the selling function was moved to a separate shop, Re-Tail. This is dropped in ''New Horizons'', but the itinerant vendors who drop by once a week still give good alternatives for selling your stuff. In ''City Folk'', he even lampshades his dismal reputation among players.
** Crazy Redd is a competitor of Nook's who specializes in selling furniture that FellOffTheBackOfATruck and counterfeit paintings -- a built-in mechanic in his transactions requires you to work out whether the painting he's selling you is the genuine article or a worthless fake.
* ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'': Bosco games from Telltale Games, mainly in the first season, where he sells the Freelance Police various overpriced (but strangely effective) HomemadeInventions. In Season Two, he's too preoccupied with his conspiracy theories to sell Sam and Max any goodies. He lampshades his role as an Honest John at the end of the first season: when Sam and Max complain that Bosco's newest invention has a price tag of one hundred billion dollars, he points out that he keeps coming up with ridiculous prices, and yet Sam and Max ''always'' get the money he's asking for: he has a captive market of an anthropomorphic dog and a rabbit-cat-thing, so why not get all the money he can?
* ''VideoGame/StarControlII'':
** The Melnorme Traveller-Traders act a lot like this, selling the player a variety of useful goodies as the end of (nearly) all sentient life steadily approaches. That said, without the information and technology they provide, the game is [[SelfImposedChallenge substantially harder]]. They also aren't exactly in it for the profit, their culture just considers it unethical to give without receiving (and that goes both ways. If you have something for them, even if you are willing to give it for free, they ''will'' find something to give to you in return).
** The Druuge as well: they consider profit to be of utmost importance, therefore they will do ''anything'' they think they can get away with if it will net them a profit. Trading with them can yield some useful items, but one must be very careful in how one does it. (They don't have a problem with slavery, or using said slaves as ''reactor fuel''.) Also, unlike the Melnorme, who are generally quite honest about their merchandise, the Druuge are quite comfortable selling the player useless baubles and hyping them as powerful artifacts. Happily, the game does give you a chance to solidly screw over one of the Druuge captains on a deal, and it's quite satisfying if you manage it.
* ''VideoGame/VivaPinata'': Costalot ([[MeaningfulName it's all in the name]]). While she probably wouldn't sell her own grandmother for a buck, she is doubtlessly extremely greedy -- she doesn't cotton to window shoppers at all.
* ''VideoGame/{{Startopia}}'': Arona Daal is the absolute epitome of this trope. He'll be selling you ''anything'' you're looking for, all top quality; swear on all six of his grandmothers' graves. And at those prices, too; he's slitting both his throats.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', Wakka calls out Rin on the fact that, if they fail to defeat the upcoming Boss, everyone would be in trouble. However, Rin calmly affirms his confidence in their abilities and charges them for his goods anyway. Which is actually kind of funny, noting that said boss is usually considered to be ThatOneBoss.
* Several in the ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' series:
** Ribald Barterman in ''Shadows of Amn'', proprietor of the "Adventurer's Mart", has the lingo, but most of the stuff he sells is actually good.
** There is however a merchant in the first game who sells potions who is this trope to a tee. (each potion will increase one of your stats to 25... And lower all the others to 3)
** Another flamboyant merchant whom you can encounter in the wilderness between Beregost and Nashkel will offer you one of three items for a much lower price than they are actually worth. All three of them are cursed.
** A halfling near the Ulcaster Ruins tries to sell a "Gem of Seeing" for 1,000 gold that turns out to be a nearly worthless non-magical zircon.
** Baldur's Gate proper has ''Lucky Aelo's Discount Store''. Every single item for sale there is cursed, including the cool-looking leather armor.
* ''VideoGame/FableII'': Murgo is a classic example. He sells you several cursed quest items, and while he offers a variety of clothing, makeup & hairstyle cards, and other items, most of them are merely [[AndYourRewardIsClothes aesthetic in purpose]]. The real invoking of this trope comes from his spiel about items he's selling in the "childhood" portion of the game as well as the things he'll hawk when you're standing near his kiosk as an adult. He actually does have some real magical items, but only sells them to serious customers (read, those who can defend themselves against the monsters in the places that said items teleport them to.)
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfKyrandia'': One of the salesmen on Volcania in Hand of Fate'' is like this. If you keep gathering seashells, coins, and starfish for him (not required and takes a long time), you eventually become so pissed off you punch him out.
* ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryII'': Ali Chica in ''Trial by Fire''. His goods are guaranteed the best in town or you no getta your money back. However, he does sell two useful items: the map and compass. In the AGD Remake, he also sells a souvenir snow-globe. Of a desert city.
* ''VideoGame/DiabloII'': Gheed, one of the two merchants in Act I, is one of these. He offers you a lifetime guarantee and a two-day warranty on all items (presumably on the basis that he doesn't expect you to last any longer as a hero in a world swarming with monsters). He doesn't, of course, in gameplay terms, charge any more than any other merchants. He probably also qualifies as A Friend in the Black Market, as Warriv intimates that Gheed's goods are of high quality.
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'': Saxton Hale supplementary materials is a [[TestosteronePoisoning Testosterone Poisoned]] version of this. He actually PRIDES himself in selling "dangerous, cheaply-made products that catch on fire!"
-->''"If you aren't 100% satisfied with our product line, you can take it up with me!"''
* In ''VideoGame/RecettearAnItemShopsTale'', you are playing one yourself. Or at least you CAN, since the price you can get for an item isn't just the item itself but the customer you are selling it to (the well-dressed man will pay more than the little girl) as well as your relationship with them (if you've given them "good deals" in the past, you can trade on that friendship to charge them more later). Not to mention taking advantage of the daily price fluctuations certain items are in/out of demand) when [[AnyoneRememberPogs a horde of shoppers enter the store, desperate for certain items]]. Not quite -- everything you sell is in working order, but you charge through the nose for it. [[ConMan Euria]] is a better example, selling [[SarcasmMode rare, wondrous]] items and accepting a wider spread of prices for them... with that spread centered at ''500%'' market value.
* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'': Pinstripe is implied to run one of a classic variety in the epilogue of ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacing''. While there's no suggestion of quality, he does apparently seal a deal more quickly once his tommy gun comes out. A less typical example in the same game that references the trope title would be "Honest Joe's Wedding Ring and Rare Gem Outlet". Joe was convicted for laundering Cubic Zirconias.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestHeroesRocketSlime'': Splodgy Dave comes off like this (he definitely got the name for it), but GameplayAndStorySegregation prevents it from affecting the stuff you buy.
* In ''VideoGame/EndlessFrontier'' practically half the people you meet all get a turn at this. It gets Lampshaded quite a bit too, especially the pricing part.
* ''VideoGame/{{Dizzy}}'': In ''Treasure Island Dizzy'', you need to buy a boat to get back to the civilization. Conveniently, you meet a shopkeeper who'll sell you a boat for one of the treasures you can find in the game ... with no motor. For the second treasure, you can buy the motor ... with no fuel. For the third, you get the fuel ... but you still need to buy the keys for the motor with the fourth treasure.
* ''VideoGame/{{Descent}}'': Lampshaded in the second game, where the cheat code "Honest Bob" gives you all weapons.
* ''VideoGame/LANoire'':
** One of these guys shows up in the DLC case ''The Consul's Car''. At first, he just seems like an overzealous car salesman, but when you successfully question him, it quickly becomes evident that he's kind of a sleazebag. [[spoiler: Bribing people in order to get them to buy his cars is just good business.]]
** Another DLC case, "A Slip of the Tongue" has one questioned in his relations to distributing stolen cars as legitimate ones. He's a little less sleazy than the last guy, but his sense of humor is so grating that [[DisproportionateRetribution your partner starts begging you to let him shoot the guy]]. After questioning this guy, your partner posits a chicken-and-egg question: "Do you think you have to be an asshole to sell cars, or that selling cars turns you into an asshole?" When Phelps thinks the partner is in a bad mood, the partner states he HATES car salesmen no matter what day it is, and loathes the fact they all think they're hilarious while only being funny as, quote, "a heart attack". Phelps then guesses that the more annoying they are, the faster the customers sign the paperwork.
* ''VideoGame/WildStar'': Phineas T. Rotostar, CEO and owner of Protostar. While his products are legitimate, the quality is dodgy, the prices "imperceptibly inflated," and he's not above some rather shady business practices.
* ''VideoGame/OneThousandAndOneSpikes'' has Conseil's Duty-Free, which has elements of this. All of the costumes you buy are explained as an advertising contract where you have to buy the uniform yourself, leading to a humiliating cutscene trying to advertise the shop. The outfits themselves seem to be subpar, such as the Knight Armour being made of flimsy materials or the kung-fu suit smelling pretty strongly of BO. However, the rest of his goods, such as extra lives and the Skull Detector are all perfectly fine, and to be fair, some of the jobs Conseil sends you on for the Extra modes are legitimate.
* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'': Tanaka of the "Tanaka's Amazing Commodities" home-shopping show in ''VideoGame/Persona3'' and ''VideoGame/Persona4''. Notable for being a Social Link in the former (each Social Link is modeled after a Tarot card -- his is ''The Devil''), for somehow managing to avoid being shut down between games despite his epilogue in ''3'' involving a massive class-action suit, for selling a mixture of legitimate merchandise and pure crap, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] for having one of the most infectious theme tunes ever recorded by human musicians.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'': Simeon Yetarian has made a business out of selling expensive cars on credit to people who he knows won't be able to fully pay them off, then sending [[PlayerCharacter Franklin]] and Lamar to repossess the cars once the payments stop coming in. Whenever anybody calls him out on his business practices, he claims that [[EverythingIsRacist they're being racist against hard-working Armenians]]. He eventually gets a dose of LaserGuidedKarma when [[PlayerCharacter Michael]], whose DumbassTeenageSon Jimmy bought a car from him, catches Franklin trying to repo it and forces him at gunpoint to drive it at full speed straight into Simeon's showroom, whereupon Michael gives Simeon a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown. Franklin, who was OnlyInItForTheMoney to begin with, tells Simeon to TakeThisJobAndShoveIt and starts working with Michael instead. Simeon shows up again in the game's online component, where he's portrayed as even sleazier than in the single-player game -- he flat-out steals some of his 'merchandise', sending players to steal valuable cars off the street and bring them to his garage.

%%* ''Film/UsedCars''.

-->''Bad deals! [[TheAllegedCar Cars that break down]]! Thieves! If you think you're gonna find a bargain at Big Bill, you can kiss my ass! It's our belief you're such a stupid motherfucker, you'll fall for this bullshit,
* Local car dealerships often portray their competitors/rivals as these in their commercials.
guaranteed!''