My Cathay Experience

[faa]

Went shopping for a UV filter earlier today. Dropped by Cathay @ Peninsula and was greeted by a middle-aged salesman.

Told him i need a uv filter, preferably the tokina 67mm..

quoted me $19. was rather surprised cuz if my memory din fail me, it shud only cost around $15-$17.

but i tot i remembered wrongly so went ahead and paid him 19 bucks and left, feeling a tinge of uneasiness..

headed to marina square and happened to walk past Cathay @ Marina Square. out of pure curiosity, i went in and asked for the exact piece of tokina filter. guess wat, lo and behold, the salesman here quoted me $15!!

a friggin $4 difference!!

i immediately called back Cathay Peninsula and asked for the reason why is there such a price discrepancy.

my call was directed to the salesman who served me and he said, "ok wait ah, i go and check my SPECIAL BOOK..." wad the hell is the SPECIAL BOOK MAN?

so after a min or so, he returned to the phone and said, 'sorry, i made a mistake. u can come back and we'll refund u the $4 and issue u a new receipt."

i really doubt that the salesman made any mistake.

i find it really, really appalling that reputable shops such as Cathay Photo practice such unscupulous pricing tactics..

hope that fellow CSers will practice more caution when buying products from such retailers.

 

[juste_millieu]

this is common because u don't know them or the salesperson don't know u :bsmilie:
compare price from few shops before u decide to buy it

u lost few $ only... i lost few ten $ or nearly $100 :bsmilie:

this kind of case will happen in all so call reputation shop;p

 

[faa]

yah lor.. next time muz compare prices b4 buying...

 

[lesneo]

I had good and bad experiences with Cathay over the years... during the early days when I was still in art school (some 15 years ago), I went there to enquire about camera equipment. This sales woman gave me very obligatory quotes and very listless in her expression. Sensing her "enthusiasm", I left the store. However, when I turned back to look at some lowe-pro bags, there she was at the counter, smiling and answering questions with glowing radiance to a "ang moh" couple... sigh... though it was so many years ago, the image was as if captured by an "L" lens in my mind...

To be fair, the staff are generally kind and helpful. Though Cathay is not the store I would always go to for cam and equipment, they are throughly the pioneers and the number of years they are there and expanding, speaks volumes. Just glad that at least the salesman admitted to his mistake and was willing to refund. Imagine such a scene in Sim Lim, I don't think anyone will even entertain your call...

Food for thoughts...

 

[mailaddr]

It is time wasting, nerve racking and $ for traveling lost.

Been in the same position before.
Wish there is a simpler way around.

Maybe someone can suggest/propose?

 

[geeteethree]

Cathay is the best.
I never knew how good cathay was until i had lost a receipt of my 24-70.
When i took it in to CSC, with a damaged USM motor all i had was the warranty card.
I went to cathay and in minutes they had a new receipt printed and ready to go, with my exact purchases that date.
Always top service.

 

[Campy]

I never had bad experiences there cos I always look for my favourite sales person, Florence.

I guess its good to stick to your preferred sales person and it will never go wrong.

 

[rex]

Went shopping for a UV filter earlier today. Dropped by Cathay @ Peninsula and was greeted by a middle-aged salesman.

Told him i need a uv filter, preferably the tokina 67mm..

quoted me $19. was rather surprised cuz if my memory din fail me, it shud only cost around $15-$17.

but i tot i remembered wrongly so went ahead and paid him 19 bucks and left, feeling a tinge of uneasiness..

headed to marina square and happened to walk past Cathay @ Marina Square. out of pure curiosity, i went in and asked for the exact piece of tokina filter. guess wat, lo and behold, the salesman here quoted me $15!!

a friggin $4 difference!!

i immediately called back Cathay Peninsula and asked for the reason why is there such a price discrepancy.

my call was directed to the salesman who served me and he said, "ok wait ah, i go and check my SPECIAL BOOK..." wad the hell is the SPECIAL BOOK MAN?

so after a min or so, he returned to the phone and said, 'sorry, i made a mistake. u can come back and we'll refund u the $4 and issue u a new receipt."

i really doubt that the salesman made any mistake.

i find it really, really appalling that reputable shops such as Cathay Photo practice such unscupulous pricing tactics..

hope that fellow CSers will practice more caution when buying products from such retailers.

Think its a small issue, such thing happen every where not only cathay. As long as they are willing to act on your complain i think its should be ok to practise forgive and forget.....more over its only $4.... it happen to me many time especially in queenway shopping centre when u buy shoes...but as long they react i think we should give them benefit of doubts.... just my 2cents worth

 

[stevechoo]

I am also a very happy customer of CATHAY, Marina Sq outlet is the one I frequent.
Frankly, its difficult to find the lowest price in town, and I also strongly believe that as a consumer, we also have to take responsibility of our own buying decisions. Doing our homework of visiting the popular outlets would be a good idea before making the purchase.
The sales person at the Peninsula outlet could have responded better when you were asking for the $2 refund, but the reality and good thing is, you managed to get it back. Another thing you could have done, or try, is to explain and show cause, especially if you were in possession of a receipt, to the folks or even the Manager/Supervisor that you have been overcharged the $2 and you never know, it could even have been resolved at Marina outlet.
Honestly, at times I know that I could be paying them a little more, but its because I still find them reliable and service acceptable.

 

[dlens]

No comment on the $4 overcharge but the sales people there are also human. Same like if you go to your favourite roti prata place. After a few times the guy will remember you and give extra service. For Cathay, the prata multiplier is of course in the hundreds or thousands.

 

[faa]

No comment on the $4 overcharge but the sales people there are also human. Same like if you go to your favourite roti prata place. After a few times the guy will remember you and give extra service. For Cathay, the prata multiplier is of course in the hundreds or thousands.

lol.. food different ma.. maybe the uncle recognise u den give u more curry.. it is a non-durable product..

for cam equipments, u cant possibly give "extra ingredients" right? if its a filter den its a filter.. one diameter more or less, u cant use it.. its a more tangible product and thus all the more the price shudnt flatuate tat much?

 

[Old Man Lee]

U spent hundreds or even thousands on a camera setup, and here are complaining about being charged $4 ?:bigeyes:

Went shopping for a UV filter earlier today. Dropped by Cathay @ Peninsula and was greeted by a middle-aged salesman.

Told him i need a uv filter, preferably the tokina 67mm..

quoted me $19. was rather surprised cuz if my memory din fail me, it shud only cost around $15-$17.

but i tot i remembered wrongly so went ahead and paid him 19 bucks and left, feeling a tinge of uneasiness..

headed to marina square and happened to walk past Cathay @ Marina Square. out of pure curiosity, i went in and asked for the exact piece of tokina filter. guess wat, lo and behold, the salesman here quoted me $15!!

a friggin $4 difference!!

i immediately called back Cathay Peninsula and asked for the reason why is there such a price discrepancy.

my call was directed to the salesman who served me and he said, "ok wait ah, i go and check my SPECIAL BOOK..." wad the hell is the SPECIAL BOOK MAN?

so after a min or so, he returned to the phone and said, 'sorry, i made a mistake. u can come back and we'll refund u the $4 and issue u a new receipt."

i really doubt that the salesman made any mistake.

i find it really, really appalling that reputable shops such as Cathay Photo practice such unscupulous pricing tactics..

hope that fellow CSers will practice more caution when buying products from such retailers.

 

[CS TAN]

hope that fellow CSers will practice more caution when buying products from such retailers.

Everyone should practice caution when buying products from ANY retailers.

It is the buyers' responsibility to know how much the product costs and then make the decision on whether they want to purchase it at that price point.

At least you didn't get the filter at $80 and they did actually want to refund the $4 they overcharged you. Not like some shops in SLS, when you go back and argue, they either laugh at you or chase you out of the shop (or both).

 

[catchlights]

Went shopping for a UV filter earlier today. Dropped by Cathay @ Peninsula and was greeted by a middle-aged salesman.

Told him i need a uv filter, preferably the tokina 67mm..

quoted me $19. was rather surprised cuz if my memory din fail me, it shud only cost around $15-$17.

but i tot i remembered wrongly so went ahead and paid him 19 bucks and left, feeling a tinge of uneasiness..

headed to marina square and happened to walk past Cathay @ Marina Square. out of pure curiosity, i went in and asked for the exact piece of tokina filter. guess wat, lo and behold, the salesman here quoted me $15!!

a friggin $4 difference!!

i immediately called back Cathay Peninsula and asked for the reason why is there such a price discrepancy.

my call was directed to the salesman who served me and he said, "ok wait ah, i go and check my SPECIAL BOOK..." wad the hell is the SPECIAL BOOK MAN?

so after a min or so, he returned to the phone and said, 'sorry, i made a mistake. u can come back and we'll refund u the $4 and issue u a new receipt."

i really doubt that the salesman made any mistake.

i find it really, really appalling that reputable shops such as Cathay Photo practice such unscupulous pricing tactics..

hope that fellow CSers will practice more caution when buying products from such retailers.

buy whatever thing from whatever shop must do home work first, $4 for a lesson, cheap cheap only.

 

[catchlights]

anyway, since you are a good student, Cathay refund your $4 lesson fee.

 

[ShawnQuah]

I have been buying most of my equipment from Cathay Photo for the past 10 years. I always go back to the same sales guy that serve me. So far they have given me reasonable prices.

The price difference you have experience is very common in retail shops with no fix price... ie you can negotiate for a better deal if you purchase more items etc. Not only when you buy camera, furniture, electronics stuffs with no fix price you may experience different pricing/deals when you approach different sales personnel. Do check around for the prices before buying

A good thing is that they are willing to refund your money. I have experiences with other shops who will just tell you "Sorry, goods sold are not refundable"

 

[hjebat87]

ha ha ha ..a reputation shop ... i will never patronise this shop again ..after years with them and knowing some of the staff there ..they still quote me high .. and after some recomendation for my office in yearly FY... yet i am still treated as somebody new ..

well what i do now .. i will go to this shop for quotation and go to other shop to make purchase

and not to mention other story that i experience with them ...

perhaps they have become bo chap already ...

hapi shopping everybody ....

 

[Legoz]

U spent hundreds or even thousands on a camera setup, and here are complaining about being charged $4 ?:bigeyes:

U are missing the point. The point here is the discrepency between the two shop.. If there were any form of quality/price control, the 2 shops should offer similar quality and prices. Else, they should adopt different shopnames then. :what:

In all fairness, maybe the filter from Marina is of higher quality?? hahahaha...

 

[chalib]

Cathay is the best.
I never knew how good cathay was until i had lost a receipt of my 24-70.
When i took it in to CSC, with a damaged USM motor all i had was the warranty card.
I went to cathay and in minutes they had a new receipt printed and ready to go, with my exact purchases that date.
Always top service.

Of course lah bro.... if you have been buying ur whole gear list from them :bigeyes::bigeyes:

 

[phuakl]

I think depend on the salesmen.. had same experience in m.s also.. the price the salesmen quoted me and the price quoted by the e-quote were totally different.
:dunno: