Bad experience at The Camera Workshop

[surrephoto]

I've not been into photography long enough to rmb the "glorious" days of TCW. I remember buying a 580EXII from them at a decent price and that the lady boss is quite a nice person.

But however all happy experiences have been erased by repeated bad experience.

I think nelson and the staff at TCW really needs to mind their customer satisfaction factor once more and prevent themselves from being reduced to a "SLS chopper shop" rep. An extreme case of shop reputation gone downhill. :sweat:

 

[night86mare]

I rather go across to Cathay or John 3:16 if you're in the vicinity.

j3:16 has never given me a good quote for prices.... always $30-$50 more than everyone else. :cry:

 

[pikapig]

J316 is not really about lower price, but their customer service...which if i know what i really want, i wont go there...they handle each and every customer so long...and i got to queue for so long...lol

 

[chikubang]

I think they should be fired and hire me instead. I will gove you guys cheap cheap prices. LOL.

 

[madmartian]

I think they should be fired and hire me instead. I will gove you guys cheap cheap prices. LOL.

Then you'll be the first one being fired..............:bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[bigpond]

I once wanted a 77mm Nikon centre pinch lens cap, and TCW quoted me a price that was * double * what I eventually bought directly from Nikon Service centre.

Like they say, you can only fool some people some of the time, but in this Internet day and age... :nono:

 

[nikkie]

Thorny Carrot Wackshop? i used to find them selling things at competitive prices. Was good service before. Maybe a good four to five years back.
Perhaps the high rent is driving everyone crazy.

 

[Zackt87]

J316 is not really about lower price, but their customer service...which if i know what i really want, i wont go there...they handle each and every customer so long...and i got to queue for so long...lol

same feeling too .. wait too long liao ..

 

[KeeFy]

On the same context, but slightly OOT. When i first purchased my 50 f1.8, i called MS to check how much. This lady quoted me $145. I was like why so ex? She say this is the price they're selling everywhere. RUBBISH. As i was leaving for a holiday that afternoon, i decided to just grab the lens for the sake of it. I bought the lens @ $105 instead.

So i thought it was a mistake on the woman's part. A couple of months back, i called to enquire about battery grip for 7d. I was quoted $240 @ AP SLS, $255 @ OP, $340 @ MS. I asked the lady if she got the right price, she said ya battery grip for 7D BG-E7 and repeated $340. I said other shops sell at $240, and she blew up at me saying cannot be, etc etc. I felt it was useless talking to her, politely decliced and said i'll buy it somewhere else. The guys @ MS are great, but what's with the phone sales?

 

[Cartman2000]

On the same context, but slightly OOT. When i first purchased my 50 f1.8, i called MS to check how much. This lady quoted me $145. I was like why so ex? She say this is the price they're selling everywhere. RUBBISH. As i was leaving for a holiday that afternoon, i decided to just grab the lens for the sake of it. I bought the lens @ $105 instead.

So i thought it was a mistake on the woman's part. A couple of months back, i called to enquire about battery grip for 7d. I was quoted $240 @ AP SLS, $255 @ OP, $340 @ MS. I asked the lady if she got the right price, she said ya battery grip for 7D BG-E7 and repeated $340. I said other shops sell at $240, and she blew up at me saying cannot be, etc etc. I felt it was useless talking to her, politely decliced and said i'll buy it somewhere else. The guys @ MS are great, but what's with the phone sales?

Very OOT indeed. This is a thread meant for sharing experiences(whether they be good or bad) at TCW, not MS.

 

[iMac08]

I bought my flash there and a tamron lens 2 yrs ago. It was ok. But now i wont go there. Is pure crap svc. I mean overpice plus i get this feeling they enjoy making u look like a fool if u ask them any qn. Is like so buay song then open shop do business for what? If i know i wont ask u. And the pricing is crazy. He quoted me a hood more than 3 times the original price, a grey lens more than the local set etc...

 

[egnaro]

After hearing all these bad story, not sure if they will honor their so-call shop warranty...

 

[Odyssey-Boy]

Thanks ! Give me another tip for not stepping into this shop !...

 

[FireHouse]

There are some black sheeps there (TCW) but Daniel, Don n the 2 ladies there are OK.

 

[kiwitan]

There are some black sheeps there (TCW) but Daniel, Don n the 2 ladies there are OK.

Caqn u tell us who are the blacksheeps

 

[egnaro]

Caqn u tell us who are the blacksheeps

the sheep that has a black coat on it.. :bsmilie:

 

[Knighthunter]

There are some black sheeps there (TCW) but Daniel, Don n the 2 ladies there are OK.

Don is the owner of TCW and Daniel been with TCW since only operating from corner shop.
Nelson is sales from defunct Photoguide (it was a good shop opposite Cathay last time), I saw him in MS Color before move to TCW. Never deal with their newer salesman. The lady in the cashier also old timer.
Anyway I felt shopping in TCW doesn't feel like in their old glory days and their price not so attractive like before. Last time their their shop warranty is ok for gray product (they swapped my damaged 2 weeks D2h with new unit under shop warranty), I am not sure now.

 

[cephaschew]

I confirmed that the Camera Workshop is a dishonest camera dealer. Started last sat when i wanted to trade in my sigma 18-250mm (bought from nelson 2 yrs ago), daniel psycho us to keep the lens & says tamron no good. But before going to their shop, me & my wife check with another shop first, the lady said, the important chip board in the lens is good & fine except cosmetic not so good! But yesterday we went back to trade in again upon our decision cos, very lay chay, gotta calibrate when me & wife wanna share lens! Dis time, daniel ask nelson to make decision whether wanna take in or not? The boss there also taiji the decision to daniel & nelson! So nelson check2 & then say can't take in, cos chip board spoiled! It's a blooody lie!! So we left! So, we conclude & agree that those guys r crooks!!! Even if u buy things from them have no guarantee that you can trade back to them!

 

[edutilos-]

So, we conclude & agree that those guys r crooks!!! Even if u buy things from them have no guarantee that you can trade back to them!

Have not needed to patronize Camera Workshop ever, but just commenting on the sharing of experience above..

I don't think it's a fair expectation to say that buying things from a shop means you can trade in the item later on. That's like saying I can throw the gear from 20th storey 20 times and then bring it back and expect them to take it in later on.

Perhaps you mean, there is no guarantee that they will take in working condition second-hand items? In which case, my personal view (which you may not agree with) is that it is also up to them. For example, why would a second-hand shop take in obsolete items, e.g. casette tapes from old days past, if they can't get rid of it? The Sigma 18-250mm may not be a very popular lens and it may be hard for them to sell it off later on - so why should they be a charity and throw their money away to make you feel good? Though I agree that if the chip board is indeed working, they should not use that reason.

Have you considered selling to the other shop since it seems willing to take it in? If it isn't, then... I guess there's even less reason to blame Camera Workshop, no? Cheers.

 

[eleveninth]

I've not been into photography long enough to rmb the "glorious" days of TCW. I remember buying a 580EXII from them at a decent price and that the lady boss is quite a nice person.

But however all happy experiences have been erased by repeated bad experience.

I think nelson and the staff at TCW really needs to mind their customer satisfaction factor once more and prevent themselves from being reduced to a "SLS chopper shop" rep. An extreme case of shop reputation gone downhill. :sweat:

This.

My first lens upgrade was from them. Grey 17-40. pretty good price. Don't know what changed but yes the shop reputation went down. I stopped going when I wanted to get a qoute on an ND filter. I asked for qoute then I was told " why want to buy this brand, I show u a better one." He than proceeds to take out a brandless ND filter it only had "77mm" printed on it and told me it was better.

The next thing he did, I don't know if I was being trolled or what. He put both the lens up to his eyes. Branded on one eye Brandless one on other eye, then he say " u try see.. This one (brandless) one is better!"

Never went back again. This was very long ago already. Also the qoutations were def. over priced.