My Dreadful Experience with Bally Photo

[geraldkhoo]

Not really lah, cold storage stuffs are more expensive than in NTUC, would you say cold storage is cheating you?

Not just Cold Storage, but 7-11, Cheers, etc.

I guess the issue is the variance of which they charge. Some people scream "SCAM!" and "CHEAT!" for just $20... which I think is extreme... but when my fren's mother went to a shop in SLS to buy her daughter a wide angle lens for her birthday and got talked into buying a wide angle adaptor for $600+, that is truly cheating!

 

[spree86]

Not just Cold Storage, but 7-11, Cheers, etc.

I guess the issue is the variance of which they charge. Some people scream "SCAM!" and "CHEAT!" for just $20... which I think is extreme... but when my fren's mother went to a shop in SLS to buy her daughter a wide angle lens for her birthday and got talked into buying a wide angle adaptor for $600+, that is truly cheating!

Wow, that is really a scam case. I've noticed that there are a lot of cases where wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters want to do something nice for their family members but in the end kena cheated. Because of this I told my girlfriend not to buy any camera equipment for me as a gift, I rather get it myself.

 

[strikeback4]

was looking for GSS screen protector at Funan today...

ask many shop but all state don't have or no stock, for some reason i avoided bally photo on 2nd floor =\

after asking at J316, i notice opp them was a shop with no signboard, than i tot i try my luck, they say have... but...

i look around and saw their namecard "bally photo" so i immediately was like ermm... no thanks

thank goodness i walk out fast, or else i will really buy the GSS screen protector from them at $50...

 

[hotchoco1ate]

was looking for GSS screen protector at Funan today...

ask many shop but all state don't have or no stock, for some reason i avoided bally photo on 2nd floor =\

after asking at J316, i notice opp them was a shop with no signboard, than i tot i try my luck, they say have... but...

i look around and saw their namecard "bally photo" so i immediately was like ermm... no thanks

thank goodness i walk out fast, or else i will really buy the GSS screen protector from them at $50...

Good call. My first time to bally photo today. Their shop really looks like a legit shop from outside. If i didn't know better (from the peeps here), i might have even BROWSE in their shop..

 

[hotchoco1ate]

Not really lah, cold storage stuffs are more expensive than in NTUC, would you say cold storage is cheating you?

Okay my harsh words. Let's just say overpaid, not cheated.

Everytime i pass by the COURTS in tampines mall, i always (without fail) will play with their Canon cameras on display just for fun. To the point they - the salesmen - give me the "stare" liao. But i still heck care just try try the ergonomics of the new cameras. Sad that the Nikons available are just the entry level d3000 and d5000..

 

[strikeback4]

Okay my harsh words. Let's just say overpaid, not cheated.

Everytime i pass by the COURTS in tampines mall, i always (without fail) will play with their Canon cameras on display just for fun. To the point they - the salesmen - give me the "stare" liao. But i still heck care just try try the ergonomics of the new cameras. Sad that the Nikons available are just the entry level d3000 and d5000..

no d3100?

 

[hotchoco1ate]

no d3100?

Nope. Outdated like hell. Plus the cameras cant even on. And you know Nikon cameras when cannot switch on is dark viewfinder one.

 

[strikeback4]

darkviewfinder? is it the camera have no lens in the 1st place

my nikon with lens and not on still can use the viewfinder =.=

 

[hotchoco1ate]

darkviewfinder? is it the camera have no lens in the 1st place

my nikon with lens and not on still can use the viewfinder =.=

Maybe not all models. I don't mean viewfinder blackout. Its just dimmer..

 

[spree86]

Maybe not all models. I don't mean viewfinder blackout. Its just dimmer..

Same for my D80, when no battery loaded, the viewfinder is dimmed

 

[Technospaz]

Ouch. I appreciate the heads-up from TS. That's unfortunate.

These days, don't just buy anything at the suggestion of the salesperson. Yes, many offer good advice but you owe it to yourself to do some homework before coughing up the money, especially $1.5k. If you're not in any rush, take a breather, go back, check CS and head back the next day with your decision. Better yet, if you have a smartphone, check it while you're browsing... My shopping escapades are so much better these days thanks to my iPhone Never feel pressured into buying anything. This rule applies more for certain shops, of course.

 

[bartman]

Rule of thumb when shopping for things in general - Be extra careful whenever there is no price transparency.
Meaning, whenever pricing is not displayed for a given product for sale, exercise extra caution as the seller can quote you any price that they deem satisfactory to themselves.

 

[cleonbus]

was looking for GSS screen protector at Funan today...

ask many shop but all state don't have or no stock, for some reason i avoided bally photo on 2nd floor =\

after asking at J316, i notice opp them was a shop with no signboard, than i tot i try my luck, they say have... but...

i look around and saw their namecard "bally photo" so i immediately was like ermm... no thanks

thank goodness i walk out fast, or else i will really buy the GSS screen protector from them at $50...

GGS=The glass screen protector brand

GSS=Great Singapore Sale

 

[AbsolutKev]

look on the bright side bro, its still less than the rrp.... so its an acceptable loss with the fact that u learnt your lesson. thanks for sharing it. most of us blacklisted bally long time ago and only go back to reputable shops. all the best and hav a good time with your gear, its a solid setup.

 

[strikeback4]

GGS=The glass screen protector brand

GSS=Great Singapore Sale

oops :embrass:

 

[DarkPlatinium]

I noticed that a lot of bashers are newly registered with less than 20 posts. It just amazed me that alot of them do not know of the existence of Clubsnap until they are scammed by Bally. And once scammed, they all know there is a Clubsnap where they can vent their fustration. Maybe the guys at Bally told them to post in Clubsnap if they are not happy.

Words are cheap. If we are all going to judge and be judged based on words alone, then a lot of people would have been hung. Anyway, as mentioned I am not standing up for Bally. I just find this whole situation of people starting threads to bash shops up using merely words to be unhealthy.

I have no intention to start a debate and will not respond any further on this.

Did you post count starts from 2000 the day you joined? If I started interest on photograhy20 years ago. I'll be calling you newbie instead.

Being newbie here does not mean we are not honest. I just happened to see this thread and supported the TS to remind ppl to be more weary of this shop as I had this bad experience with them myself. Lesson learned and I will NEVER walk into this shop ever again. Anything wrong for doing so?

Sorry to OT.

 

[Hanalore]

Everytime when i walk into harvey norman or courts, there are bound to be some couple (middle aged usually) who know nuts about DSLR but only hear from their friends, will approach the salesman for assistance. First of all, the salesmen only knows how to quote the brochure. I bet if i asked him about mirror lock up they sure give me :think: face. Most dont even know what is crop factor. I really don't know how they become camera salesmen then. Maybe they are there to con those who know nth, only know how to see megapixels and focal length.
QUOTE]

In a way, you can also kena chop at HN, Courts and BD, because many of the salespeople there are not the retailers’ own employees. Instead, they are promoters who each represent a brand and merely wear the store uniform. You can tell when the salesperson persistently tries to convince you of one brand over the others. Especially if their line of reasoning is utter nonsense. For example, “See, this design is much better than the others….”

 

[kwttan]

Everytime when i walk into harvey norman or courts, there are bound to be some couple (middle aged usually) who know nuts about DSLR but only hear from their friends, will approach the salesman for assistance. First of all, the salesmen only knows how to quote the brochure. I bet if i asked him about mirror lock up they sure give me :think: face. Most dont even know what is crop factor. I really don't know how they become camera salesmen then. Maybe they are there to con those who know nth, only know how to see megapixels and focal length.
QUOTE]

In a way, you can also kena chop at HN, Courts and BD, because many of the salespeople there are not the retailers’ own employees. Instead, they are promoters who each represent a brand and merely wear the store uniform. You can tell when the salesperson persistently tries to convince you of one brand over the others. Especially if their line of reasoning is utter nonsense. For example, “See, this design is much better than the others….”

Well, that's life... HN, Courts and BD are selling at RRP, thus they are NOT wrong too, they are just trying to make the maximum profit. Imagine the number of staff they have to feed.
For those popular stores in Funan, PP and AMK, they sell at a lower price and make lower profit. Perhaps this is how they stay alive and compete with the big stores above.

 

[ed9119]

you dont EVEN need to do a search of 'Bally Photo' ....... just go back a few pages and u will see thread after thread after thread about the great service you get at Bally Photo

 

[Astroben]

Imo everyone is here to learn, and everyone needs to learn something along the way(don't you, in everything you do?).
Which is why we never stops hearing ppl getting conned despite various encounters & advises(probably they don't even know CS exists since they're newbies or never logon for decades.. we shouldn't blame them hard)
That's how it goes...

So chill, for those who find these 'carrots' stupid enough.
And cheers to TS for minimizing loss to a minimum and taking time to share his experience.
Nice way to deal with an issue like this you somehow can't control.