US swimmer Michael Phelps kisses his mother Debbie after the medal ceremony for the men's 4 x 200m freestyle relay swimming final at the Beijing Olympic Games in this photo taken August 13, 2008. [Agencies]

Michael Phelps' mom has been getting goods cheap using her son's fame as a bargaining chip.

Debbie Phelps was in Xiushui Street hunting for calligraphy, reported Beijing Evening News, and the sales assistant insisted on selling a calligraphy scroll for 600 yuan ($88).

Phelps' mom offered the sales assistant her name card and told her who she was, after which she got the scroll for 380 yuan ($55). She also bought two fans with calligraphy on them.

Signing on fee

When a Jiefang Daily reporter queried the online store owner if this was a bit much he said it was cheap and would only become more expensive.