My unhappy experience with Alex Photo

[maxtheevil]

maybe, maybe.

but i am wary of his claims after detecting a few points,

he claim he sells 'NEW' lenses, and not New Grey lenses,

why is it that he has that ONE and ONLY lenses, which he could not facilitate for change,

he holds only an older (obsolete) model, and does not carry the current range, and

insist he is an reseller which when i confront him that his records are not in the distributer's list, he explained that he can sell them too though he is not in the list... (this caused me to have more suspicions on his explanations)

if he is not an authorised reseller, why would he claim he is one in the first place?

why does he not admit he carries NEW GREY set, which is fully acceptable to me. (but, buying a New set, and knowing it is a second hand grey set, is something else)

if you were in my shoes, what would you feel?

in my opinion, camera shops should be honest in their dealings as their some of their business are rely on 'returning' customers too.

but Alex Photo experience made me a One-Off customer, wary of his shop from then on.

 

[zod]

sometimes, they just tell the truth selectively

by saying "new" he is already telling the truth, just not the whole truth

 

[maxtheevil]

do you still want to sell your 50mm lenses?

$20? I can offer u double the price instead!

It's an open market, and hes free to buy and sell in whichever fashion he sees fit. I'm just sharing my experience and pass no judgement.

The Main thing is that while he is free to buy and sell in any fashion he desires,

providing half-truths, would only harm his own business in the long run!

if he is not a re-seller, he should not say that

if it is a grey set, he should not say it is NEW. if it is a grey set not used before, just say so. it is ok.

He is a 2nd hand shop dealer, he is not expected to carry new sets. but if he carries new set thru grey market, just say so. don't need to claim he is a re-seller.

he was speechless when i told him the distributer said he is not an authorised re-seller.

the feeling of buying a Grey Item thinking it is New is not a good feeling.

how to do business in the long run with such business tactics?

 

[JW73]

Are you paying cheaper than the Brand new non-grey set?

 

[maxtheevil]

Selective Truth

if he chooses to say 'Selective Truth' then he ought to pay the price of such actions.

potential camera buyers ought to know of his practises, so that he either

(i) turn honest, so that the general camera consumers benefit.

(ii) take some time off to review of his practise of 'selective truth' business marketing... :nono: and see the potential damage he cause on himself.

one thing for sure, my friends and I gotten a few cameras and lenses both new and grey, but we do not patronise his shop.

such is the product of his 'selective truth' marketing tactic on me.

after a bad shopping experience, I as an informed consumer would naturally avoid him.

maybe he ought to take a cue from Apple, keep up good business practises, and you have legions of fans supporting you, even though there are companies like Creative trying to eat into their Mp3 Market segment.

action and reaction. what goes around, comes around.

he is an adult already, he ought to know about 'ethical business practises'

 

[meng]

Pls go read up more on the definition of "grey sets".
And there are lots of resellers of different products around, authorised or not, it's up to them to tell the customers, and for the customers to find out. By posting all your claims here, you are damaging their reputation and could be inviting trouble for yourself.

 

[maxtheevil]

JW73 Are you paying cheaper than the Brand new non-grey set?


paid SAME price for the set,

as a brand new one.

 

[ibs]

do you still want to sell your 50mm lenses?

$20? I can offer u double the price instead!

bro its a 1.4 lens. i sold it here for $300!

 

[maxtheevil]

ibs,

that was meant as a joke to the low pricing they offer.

i don't expect to buy a lenses at such a price.

whatever it is, the incident is over.

i am just doing my part as a consumer to inform the rest of my own shopping experience with him.

that is all.

 

[JW73]

It's not right then. I have bought stuff and trade from Alex P many times though. And has no problem.

Try writing to CASE?

 

[maxtheevil]

nope, i am over with this case.

just sharing my 2nd hand camera shopping experience.

that is all.

anyway, not into photography now.

 

[Stereobox]

instead of starting a renegade witch-hunt and taking the law into our own hands, i concur with JW73, go to CASE. they will know what to do.

personally, my dealings with Alex Photo has been a-okay. as with any shops, know what you buy, and you'll be fine.

 

[boopoo]

ummmm ..... grey sets are new sets, just not from authorised channel.

TCW Also have Grey set to my experience if u want to buy new stuff go to Allan PHOTO MS COLOR or CATHEY sure the thing is new.TCw sold my FM3a as a new set to one of my friend friend. Cause i wrote down the series number whenever i sold my stuff .. what do u think cause my FM3a only use d three time....

 

[blurblock]

TCW Also have Grey set to my experience if u want to buy new stuff go to Allan PHOTO MS COLOR or CATHEY sure the thing is new.TCw sold my FM3a as a new set to one of my friend friend. Cause i wrote down the series number whenever i sold my stuff .. what do u think cause my FM3a only use d three time....

Those will be classified as second handed copy passing off as new set. The definition for Grey set is brand new set that was not from authorised dealer.

 

[meng]

You are just trying to make a "joke" out of yourself here.
I repeat again, unless you can prove that the lens that you bought is not new (grey is still new), you are not buying a second hand lens.

nope, i am over with this case.

just sharing my 2nd hand camera shopping experience.

that is all.

anyway, not into photography now.

 

[Woodman]

JW73 Are you paying cheaper than the Brand new non-grey set?


paid SAME price for the set,

as a brand new one.

I mean if it's the same price, why you had chosen to buy from a 2nd hand shop and not a bigger shop like Cathay Photo? :dunno:

 

[Splutter]

Yes, like what meng said, Grey doesn't mean that it can't be new.

 

[ricleo]

Hmmm... from reading this thread, it seems to me that the thread starter doesn't quite understand the meaning of "Grey sets".

1) Grey sets refer simply to sets not distributed by the authorized distributor in singapore. They can simply be parallel imports from other countries... think parallel car imports. They are still new sets.

2) The thread starter made the assumption that the lens he got from Alex Photo is definitely 2nd hand just simply because he doesn't have another piece of the lens, or newer ranges from the same brand. Unless you can see signs of usage on the lens, I don't see why you can be so adamant that the lens was 2nd hand.

Hope this clears things up.

 

[max007007]

maxtheevil, I think you got the meaning of "grey set" wrong.
"grey set" doest not mean "2nd hand or used", the lens can be new(unused) but usually warranty is covered by the shop itself rather by canon.
Your "new set" I presumed you mean unused lens straight from disturbutors with local/international canon warranty.

 

[theITguy]

IMO no business in this world is 100% honest, just more or less. When you go to a 2nd hand shop to buy something, you have to be on your guard for items passed as new.

To the thread starter:
1. Is your len new?
2. Is there signs of usage on it?
3. Is there warranty by the distributor? (Note this is important when you buy an item, I even check when I buy from Cathay Photo or even for other non-photography items)