ripped off:$195 for 128mb CF

[CYRN]

Actually, getting ripped off isn't a good feeling. In Sg, there's nothing much you can do about it.

But for it to happen, both the buyer and the seller is at fault.

Firstly, for the seller, unethical exploitation of buyer as well as giving "attitude" services. Of course, there are forced selling or plain lying..telling you actual price $XXX...give you discount, already near cost price at $XXX, in actual fact, it's still MUCH higher than street pricing.

For the buyer, it's also lack of market research...thus don't know the street price. In this case ignorance is not a bliss. Similar to your day-to-day living, being ignorant does not mean you are innocent.

Since by law, there is nothing much we can do. If we have facts to back us up and not to overly do it. I don't see why not putting up post in forums so that others can make "informed" choices...ie, go to this shop, expect this pricing (just like the coke example above).

That being said, I almost have a "experience" with CP @ M.Sq. I requested for e-quote fo a 10D setup. When I walked into CP, I ask the sales guy for the same setup price, without showing him the e-quote...it differs by more than a hundred bucks... when I show him the e-quote, he seemed suprised. Buth that being said, he honored that e-quote and the service her provided is OK. In that end I don't feel cheated, I'm just more informed about the prices.

 

[ed9119]

Actually how much did the entire camera/cf card package cost your mum?

 

[Elizabeth Tan]

the point is ...in a free market economy, seller is free to set whatever price he wants to sell. the price could be way above the current market price. the buyer is free to buy or walk away if he feels the price is too high. in the case of the mother, apparently she didn't and bought the CF at the price the shop is quoting.

the fault therefore lies with the buyer for not finding out the market price. The shop cannot be faulted for earning excessive profits if there is a willing buyer, and if it did not force the buyer to buy or to misrepresent the CF. the shop's behavior is not a recommended way of doing business. Sooner or later market forces will ensure such shops go out of business.


BTW i am not from the shop in question nor the enemy of the original poster.

also disagree with this as its not the same comparison. disco, foodcourt, NTUC, mama shops are essentially different model of business. hence, customers get differentiation of products & services. In disco, u get to enjoy *free* music, see pretty gals etc. then of coz the coke is $8.

In the thread here, we're basically talking about similar business. Does the mentioned shop provide *extra* services worth 3x the market price?

 

[Winston]

Wha, everybody seems to be attacking Winston now.. hahaha

alright, let's all give him some love aiight. he did nothing wrong. All he did was to enlighten us on the law aspect of this issue..

Also, look at the tone and words that Winston chose to use, i think it's pretty neutral to me..

Alas, it's one of those bad shopping experience aye? I had my A70 "chopped" off by $80 extra, due to pressure.. That was a awhil ago though. Aahahah

Hmm... It's okay to me.
Usually in complain posts, it is considered "bad" to go against the victim and generally, most people tend to think the guy is probably in league with the shop.

Using your words carefully on the net is Basic Netiquette. using angry tones and vulgarities don't add punch to messages anyway.

I had my share of rip offs in the past when buying PC stuffs since newbie then.

I guess the point I am trying to say is...

When a forum user posts his experience, generally we tend to believe him and especially when the shop mentioned is not a very favourable one.

While I DO NOT mean to call anyone a liar, I really don't think just by reading his story everyone should jump in and add on by saying "Yeah the xxx shop is wrong", "You should go do this and that to the shop".

I read such stories in HWZ and other forums, I noted the shop names in my mind and if I did see a "fanasatic offer" from their shops, I will be on my guard and be more careful.

I don't need to join in the fray and start agreeing with the thread starter or start my own version of bad experiences and condemnations.

With regards to the government having rights to control prices...etc
"To each his opinion"

(Though since the DPM is the Finance Minister, do listen to his speeches/interviews now and then...)

 

[Pinoy]

When a forum user posts his experience, generally we tend to believe him and especially when the shop mentioned is not a very favourable one.

Don't forget that somebody else has seconded the original poster's claim. So it's not something that's made out of thin air.

Anyway, this thread has gone unbelievably long. FWIW, both buyer and seller share the blame for this mess. The seller for knowingly and intentionally overcharging the buyer. And the buyer for not doing his part, which is to check for the current market price.

But as somebody said: "Learn from this lesson". Which leads to what this whole thread, IMHO, is all about: Why not share the lesson you've learned to others, instead of just keeping it to yourself? :think:

:Later,

 

[phyla]

What if your mum decides to buy you a 10D as a surprise birthday gift? :sweatsm:

You sure would be happy. But at the same time, fuming mad once you realized she got ripped off. :sweat:

:Later,

I sure hope that i have such nice moms.

 

[Watcher]

Disagree!!!!

If this is true, let's say I've a "magic" stone. And someone is willing to pay me $10,000 for this "magic" stone (which incidentally, I happen to pick it up during my walk last week along changi beach).
Would this constitute willing seller willing buyer?
charging at 3x is bordering on the line of cheating. esp. when ur customer is not savvy about electronic stuff.

A magic stone that cannot do magic is fraud. Users should make informed decision when they buy. Howver, if they agree to commit, under no duress but simply does not know the market price then legally, there is very little that can be done, even if we don't like it ethically.

"Only" a few hundred? What about thousands (tens of thousands or even millions) if you don't know the current prices of 2nd hand cars, houses, etc? The concept is the same. Due dilligence is in order.

 

[obviousdude]

i agree with the coke analogy, the price at ntuc and the price at an upmarket hotel can be as much as 10x different.

but at least at a hotel, you're paying for ambience, what ambience or exceptional shopping experience do you get to enjoy from standing at an old shop? i'd rather be at a glitzy showroom elsewhere, and paying less too.

ultimately it's not about whether it is legal to pay more for it or not, it's all about ETHICS. it will be fair for the showroom to charge more because they have spent more in creating an environment that is pleasant to be in, that will enhance the shopping experience. that costs money.

businesses should charge what is reasonable, after taking into account their costs, and considering the level of service they provide to their customers.

if only businesses will think about placing themselves in the place of the consumer, would they like it if they or their mothers got massively overcharged?

at the end of the day, there is alot of goodwill to be made by selling goods at reasonable prices.

it's fair to make profits.

but, it's also profitable to be fair.

 

[ed9119]

lets not jump to conclusions without knowing how much the entire camera/cf package cost. It might be a fair deal if seen in its totality....then again it might still be expensive.

...and perhaps how much more in % terms was paid vs. getting the exact same package at AP or CP.

 

[obviousdude]

you're right on that point, perhaps the total package is still a reasonable price.

but i think i feel that it might be misrepresentation if the sales staff make claims that it is cheaper. they shouldn't mislead the consumer

that's unethical.

anyone knows if it's illegal to mislead a consumer into buying something in this manner?

lets not jump to conclusions without knowing how much the entire camera/cf package cost. It might be a fair deal if seen in its totality....then again it might still be expensive.

...and perhaps how much more in % terms was paid vs. getting the exact same package at AP or CP.

 

[blurblock]

the point is ...in a free market economy, seller is free to set whatever price he wants to sell. the price could be way above the current market price. the buyer is free to buy or walk away if he feels the price is too high. in the case of the mother, apparently she didn't and bought the CF at the price the shop is quoting.

the fault therefore lies with the buyer for not finding out the market price. The shop cannot be faulted for earning excessive profits if there is a willing buyer, and if it did not force the buyer to buy or to misrepresent the CF. the shop's behavior is not a recommended way of doing business. Sooner or later market forces will ensure such shops go out of business.


BTW i am not from the shop in question nor the enemy of the original poster.

I agree it is a free market economy, it is also a free country with the freedom to identify the shop that is in question to inform potential buyer on the dishonest ways of the shop.

In Singapore, we cannot do anything to the shop by legal means as a contract is sealed, however, if we could spread the news to as many people as possible, provided the facts is there, the shop cannot do anything to us either. There is no defamation.

You are right to say the shop's behaviour is not a recommended way of doing business, thus it is for the victim to inform as many people as possible to prevent themselves from being duped.

By the way, the shop in question does not seems to operate in Penisula plaza 01-16 any more .... it has either been edged out or moved somewhere to dupe more innocent people.

 

[Shadus]

heh... nice clean discussion btw. HWZ thread's then to degrade quite fast whenever there's disagreement

Anyway, i love the free market. It simply means information is passed on freely too. Hence, to support free market notion, please name the shop-in-point. And other people's experience with the said-shop is much greatly welcome.

thus, in truly-free market, those pple tht over-price will soon find themselves w/o customers and go out of business.

 

[obviousdude]

hi shadus

i agree, the people here at clubsnap are more mature. the discussions are level headed and calm.

but with reference to posting business details, i have to disagree. there is a fine line between free market, freedom of speech and defamation. it's easy to cross that line, sometimes accidentally.

also, somethings are subjective. my company for example, we're a service provider, and sometimes, certain policies are not well taken by customers will be posted, and flamed.

however, certain things are beyond the control of the service provider, be it because of regulatory constraints, or sometimes just simply budgetary constraints.

and when posts are not level headed and mature, it just becomes blatant and groundless attacks. it's then very painful to do damage control when it gets out of hand.

 

[Minority]

Don't forget that somebody else has seconded the original poster's claim. So it's not something that's made out of thin air.

Anyway, this thread has gone unbelievably long. FWIW, both buyer and seller share the blame for this mess. The seller for knowingly and intentionally overcharging the buyer. And the buyer for not doing his part, which is to check for the current market price.

But as somebody said: "Learn from this lesson". Which leads to what this whole thread, IMHO, is all about: Why not share the lesson you've learned to others, instead of just keeping it to yourself? :think:

:Later,

Actually donno if I should add. There was once when I was walking past this shop where I see a disgrunted customer walking in with a digital camera taking photos of the shop staff. The staff was screaming vugalrites at the guy with the camera while a few staff quickly ran out of the shop. Well what I can guess is that it was a cheated customer that came back so show soe frustration. Coz the guy was shouting to the other customers in the shop that he was cheated.

So from that I would never buy anything from those guys.....

 

[arikevin]

I bought Sony NP-FM50 (same battery that one of users, who was using F707, that posted in this thread) at Cathay Photo in Marina Square for $85. The user said it's $80 at Sony. Did I get ripped off?
Btw, CP's price tag for that particular item is $120.

 

[blurblock]

I bought Sony NP-FM50 (same battery that one of users, who was using F707, that posted in this thread) at Cathay Photo in Marina Square for $85. The user said it's $80 at Sony. Did I get ripped off?
Btw, CP's price tag for that particular item is $120.

So, did you check with Sony about the price? was it really $80?

 

[arikevin]

So, did you check with Sony about the price? was it really $80?

not sure but me, at that time, thought every thing in sony centre is expensive, so I thought normal retailers would sell it cheap. I just read this thread today.

 

[Pinoy]

I bought Sony NP-FM50 (same battery that one of users, who was using F707, that posted in this thread) at Cathay Photo in Marina Square for $85. The user said it's $80 at Sony. Did I get ripped off?
Btw, CP's price tag for that particular item is $120.

Is it really FM50? Or could it be the newer "Q" series?

:Later,

 

[arikevin]

Is it really FM50? Or could it be the newer "Q" series?

:Later,

I am not sure what you're talking about but definitely there is no "Q" sign anywhere in my battery or packaging. the battery is exactly the same as the one that comes with the camera package.