My scammed experience in BALLY PHOTO ELECTRONICS @Funan

[SHLEW]

ffz,
My sympathies with you. Just treat this bad episode as an expensive lesson. If you stand by what you had narrated and felt short-changed, try posting your bad encounter in other world photographic sites so that the www (whole wide world) can see. It is not right that an unscrupulous company be allowed to fleece locals or tourists, especially those companies that tarnish our Singapore name by cheating tourists.

If you are new to photography, it will be greatly beneficial if you can join the various CS groups in their outings. Find out from other members what equipment and accessories they use to get that perfect shot. Most members are keen to share what they buy, from where and the prices they paid for. In this way, the chances of you getting conned :kok:in future will be minimised.

Cheers, Happy Shooting and God Bless.
LEW

 

[snowspeeder]

My friends and I have came to a conclusion when it comes to shopping for cameras. If we happen to see the sales persons slacking, reading newspapers, idling and strolling at their shop fronts looking for victims to cheat; more often than not, that particular shop is a scammed shop. Because good shops dun bother looking for customers.. customers go to them.

=)

Yup that's a good one. I don't enter shops when the sales people are just standing there doing nothing or typically hanging about at the shop entrance. Some can be reading, talking on the phone, digging their ears or nose....:bsmilie:

 

[snowspeeder]

Whether it's Funan or Sim Lim, newbies need to be cautious. It's a jungle out there. If you didn't do your homework or take proper precautions, you face the risk of being ripped off. Just because the aircon smells nicer at Funan or the place appears to be higher class, does not mean there are no wolves there waiting for the naive to walk into their bait. TS, you might want post your account on Stomp as well to expose these bad shops.

 

[catchlights]

My friends and I have came to a conclusion when it comes to shopping for cameras. If we happen to see the sales persons slacking, reading newspapers, idling and strolling at their shop fronts looking for victims to cheat; more often than not, that particular shop is a scammed shop. Because good shops dun bother looking for customers.. customers go to them.

=)

Yup that's a good one. I don't enter shops when the sales people are just standing there doing nothing or typically hanging about at the shop entrance. Some can be reading, talking on the phone, digging their ears or nose....:bsmilie:

I used to see Mr Toh the senior, of Cathay Photos standing at the front door seeing people walking pass ....... so if I happen to buy things not from their shop, I dare not to walk pass Cathay....

 

[fireflyzhu]

guys, please kindly help me to post my experience onto the other forums that you are familiar to remind more ppl not be scammed by this shop. i will post on vr zone, and hardware zone as well. thank you.

 

[catchlights]

guys, please kindly help me to post my experience onto the other forums that you are familiar to remind more ppl not be scammed by this shop. i will post on vr zone, and hardware zone as well. thank you.

I feel you, but Bally Photo is already notorious, just simply Google their shop name you will find many horror stories all over internet.
it is advisable to do some homework online before any shopping of gears.

 

[PaulKami]

http://forums.gameaxis.com/showthread.php?t=818530

Your friendly 'partner' since 2004

 

[henry soh]

Hi, buying 8G 30mbps sandisk at Funan, 6th fl @$92, 3r fl @$85, Basement @ $77.
Over to next shop,Peninsula @ $56. This shop got direct from oversea.

 

[ed9119]

Have split your original post up into smaller paragraphs for easier reading and understanding
of your bad experience at BALLY PHOTO AT FUNAN

 

[fireflyzhu]

thanks,

Have split your original post up into smaller paragraphs for easier reading and understanding
of your bad experience at BALLY PHOTO AT FUNAN

 

[Trickster]

Sorry for your bad experience Ffz. That's why sometimes I rather pay a little more and go to a familiar and reputable shop. We all learn an expensive lesson at least once in our life time.:cry:

 

[nightwolf75]

I used to see Mr Toh the senior, of Cathay Photos standing at the front door seeing people walking pass ....... so if I happen to buy things not from their shop, I dare not to walk pass Cathay....

eh... now is dorothy over at the studio lights section cos that's the first stall you will have to walk past. :bsmilie:

but seriously, caveat emptor. do your homework, find a shop that you are comfortable with and stick with them even if the prices may not be all that competitive to others. develop a relationship with them will probably save you a lot of heartache in the long run, than just shop-hop. dats wat i do over the years. take it as an expensive lesson, complain to CASE if you have to. but move it.

 

[NikF601]

You look like tourist?.. They smoke you with different len... Bad shop.. Ban Ban...

 

[kwttan]

I can feel your pain but think logically, it's you yourself is to be blamed. You initially took the right decision to call police but then you gave up.

To most of the people, a $2000 buy is a BIG BUY. It naturally requires a bit of research. Minimally research on
1. What model to buy
2. At what price
3. From where

In this internet age, don't complain about lack of clear information. :nono:

There had been plenty and plenty of bad news about Sim Lim in general, Bally, Alan and those. And there had been in general good remarks about Cathay, MS Color, OP. Just for your info, Cathay is just next building to Funan.

Sorry, I am a bit direct. Your intention of educating the other newbies are well appreciated...... but in reality this will happen again to another novice. I sincerely hope your this message will save atleast one novice .. but I doubt!!

Think positively, it's still not that bad, you hardly lost $100-200 only and you learned the lesson. There are many people who got chopped much more than that... that's the reason they are called chop shop.

Forget as bad nightmare and enjoy photography.

I really wonder, how these shops survives?

DO read TS email again, he made police report and police came. However, as he has settled the matter with Bally store manager before police arrived. Thus when police arrived, TS talked to the police and dropped the matter, which I don't see anything wrong here.

As mentioned by other CSer, TS has done his homework by checking around other shops on the price. However, he 'did not' know that Bally turns out to be a dishonest store.

Good for you if you check the 3 pointers for all your purchases.

Sympathize the experience TS has gone through. I suggest TS to just keep the 62mm filter for future lens, alternative sell it at some loses.

 

[fireflyzhu]

ppl here are all so nice, i also posted this on vr and hardware to warn more ppl not to be scammed by Bally shop, i do not know why some ppl thought it was my mistake and stand at the Bally's side, sounds like ppl should be scammed... guys pls give some support, if you have id in vr or hardware zone. thanks, the following are the links.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2957361
http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?p=8708442&posted=1#post8708442

 

[AbsolutKev]

Thanks for sharing. Njoy ur new cam. Faster get a filter to protect the lens.

 

[fireflyzhu]

thank you for the clarification, bro,

i know all CSer posts here are with goodwill, and really thank you for all your supports, let us try our best to resist these scamming shops such as Bally shop!!!

DO read TS email again, he made police report and police came. However, as he has settled the matter with Bally store manager before police arrived. Thus when police arrived, TS talked to the police and dropped the matter, which I don't see anything wrong here.

As mentioned by other CSer, TS has done his homework by checking around other shops on the price. However, he 'did not' know that Bally turns out to be a dishonest store.

Good for you if you check the 3 pointers for all your purchases.

Sympathize the experience TS has gone through. I suggest TS to just keep the 62mm filter for future lens, alternative sell it at some loses.

 

[lon3fly3r]

Those who should know would already know. Those who dont know before hand, never do homework, will never know. Than they get cheated and come here complain n warn others.
There are always people who buy without doing much homework and when a deal is too good to be true, it's really too good to be true.
Who in the right mind pass cash without even inspecting the goods? yes the shop is at fault but you yourself is at fault too.
Another lesson you might wanna let other people learn from is, CHECK YOUR GOODS BEFORE YOU PAY

 

[pikapig]

Bro next time u shld demand a full refund on spot....file a police report and call some wan bao or newpaper..they always like such news...

now u got to worry if the set u r holding is brand new or not, whether it is tampered before or not...

 

[sinned79]

you should also lodge a complain with Canon Singapore and get them to investigate this issue (they are trying to sell your a Canon kit set without the canon kit lens). I believe if they are found guilty, Canon Singapore may probably stop distributing their equipments to them.