Which shop offers a better price and good customer service?

[D100S]

I first started buying from J3:16 when Sam was still in school. Even though I do not always get my stuff from them, I still consider them the best in terms of service. Some people, like a couple of my friends think otherwise. Probably because they are always busy when my friends visit them... They prefer Cathay and their higher prices. Cathay, especially Vincent, used to give me good prices for their stuff. Now, different story.
I have bought things from MS, TCW, Lord's, TK, even Alan Photo. Sometimes i get the feeling that you be a good customer(not necessary one that buys a lot!) and you get good service. Alan Photo has never quoted a higher price for anything. They have allowed me to try on all things that I am interested to get. I did not end up buying all but they have not stopped me doing so.
Cheers

 

[Oldox]

Agreed. I will only only deal with Florence- Lady boss or Jackson in MS Color.

I guess Lady Boss may be reading this. In a way, it is compliment. On the hand, i reckon she should advise other staff/relative (xxn) to improve his attitude. I was not impressed with him.

I would explore J3:16.

 

[TroyP]

It totally depends on what salesman you get on the day. You'll get different service/price from each, and each day might have someone different. They come and go too.
For me, I phone around for best price. Good service, well that's something I never expect in SG, so it's not my priority.

 

[kero89]

it all depends... haha

i would say John 3:16, very good service, almost let you try everything even if you didn't ask for.. however, to seal a deal, u need great patience, Samuel doesn't like to rush customers into buying.. price wise, they are a tit higher compared to some other sources..

MScolor, depends on which sales person u get, if u get personally serve by florence, i would say its really good, almost compromising in whatever you suggest(though you might not get it always) price is higher for some, and surprisingly lower for some... never in between

Now i frequent AP-SLS, never fail to give the best price for the stuffs i ask for. However, you need to personally know salesperson, like Ben/Steven(bought my S5, D90 and other great accessories), great price, great service however, one thing i don't like about them is they are quite stuck up with the price they offer, no room for negotiations :think: always claim they give a good price, though i agree with that..

 

[mrericlee]

For me, I think Jackson and Florence provides good service. I will still go back as long as their pricing remains competitive.

But the AMK branch team is horrible. They operate like Best Denki. I walked in 3 times seperate days and they ignored me even when I was inquiring about high value items. I was so disappointed I told Florence about it.

 

[mrericlee]

For me, I think Jackson and Florence provides good service. I will still go back as long as their pricing remains competitive.

But the AMK branch team is horrible. They operate like Best Denki. I walked in 3 times seperate days and they ignored me even when I was inquiring about high value items. I was so disappointed I told Florence about it.

But the AMK branch team is horrible. --> I meant AMK Hub.

 

[mrericlee]

it all depends... haha

i would say John 3:16, very good service, almost let you try everything even if you didn't ask for.. however, to seal a deal, u need great patience, Samuel doesn't like to rush customers into buying.. price wise, they are a tit higher compared to some other sources..

MScolor, depends on which sales person u get, if u get personally serve by florence, i would say its really good, almost compromising in whatever you suggest(though you might not get it always) price is higher for some, and surprisingly lower for some... never in between

Now i frequent AP-SLS, never fail to give the best price for the stuffs i ask for. However, you need to personally know salesperson, like Ben/Steven(bought my S5, D90 and other great accessories), great price, great service however, one thing i don't like about them is they are quite stuck up with the price they offer, no room for negotiations :think: always claim they give a good price, though i agree with that..

AP-SLS price I agree is very stiff once they quote. So if you get a high quote as a walk in, too bad for you. Their usual tactic is "Oh, I only make SGD15 from this" when a regular can walk in and get 30 bucks off your price.

 

[ralliart12]

Anybody knows if the Peninsula branch of CP treat noob nice or not if I purchase low-value items? Cos I wanna go there get a pair of filters only, then I scare I ask too much qns they will get irritated then maybe chop my carrothead on prices...

 

[.Hack]

Anybody knows if the Peninsula branch of CP treat noob nice or not if I purchase low-value items? Cos I wanna go there get a pair of filters only, then I scare I ask too much qns they will get irritated then maybe chop my carrothead on prices...

What you can do is send them a email to ask for quotations.
I notice this way they will quote lower.

 

[ralliart12]

What you can do is send them a email to ask for quotations.
I notice this way they will quote lower.

but the thing is:

1. I dunno which model(specific names) to buy
2. Depending on what they quote me, if I decided that the higher-end brand/models is worth it, I'll get that...& I dun tink I can ask them for a lengthy price list...

 

[ralliart12]

Just got overcharged by Bally Photo in Funan: $57 for a "normal"/"thick" Hoya CPL & $62 for a Hoya Pro1D UV filter! Haiz...only found out after Samuel(I tink, the thin, always wear long sleeve one) at John 3:16 informed me of the respective prices of both types of filters...

 

[Chandler]

I have a very interesting experience, let me start off with the worst one,

Alan Photo in funan, simply the worst, no one can beat.

I was out shopping for a DSLR and I knew nothing abt camera. so I wanted to get some advice and at the same time have a feel of the cameras I short listed, Canon D450 and Nikon 90D.

When I walked in...no one seemed to bother, no one was interested to offer help, then I approached one saleman, he tried to look away as if he can see the invisible "i'm not buying" words on my forehead. The I asked him if he can tell me a bit more abt the diff btwn these 2 cameras, and his answer was, " THEY ARE THE SAME!", puzzled and I replied, I'm a first time buyer, sorry can u explain....." and he goes," wa lao...they're the same lah...all can take pictures what"

Then I ask to check out the Nikon. "no stock" he replied. and here comes the last straw, I pointed at the canon and asked him," can I see the 450D then?" Instead of showing me the camera, he simply went, "IT'S ON THE SHELF WHAT, SEE LOH!" and walked away.:bigeyes:

I gave up and left the shop.

Heheh, and I thought I was the only member in the club :sweat:

Let me share my recent bad experience with AP (Funan) as well.

I'd already more or less set my mind to get the 40D body after much research, opinions and advice from friends etc. But I was still a little iffy about the lenses that I wanted to get, even though I already shortlisted some.

Ended up at AP Funan on a particular Sunday since most of the other camera shops around the area weren't open. There was this couple who happened to be testing out the Sigma 18-200mm on a Canon body. I had wanted to test it out for myself but since that salesperson was busy, I decided to come back later when they were less busy.

That I did about an hour later, and I approached another salesman since the one who was testing out the Sigma lens with the couple was engaged with another customer. My intention was just to test out the Sigma lens ...

"Excuse me, can I try out the Sigma 18-200mm lens on a Canon body? How much is it? This particular lens has IS on it right?"

"That one is S$6xx," the salesman with a scowl on his face said grouchily, arms folded across his chest and not appearing to be making a move to grab a set to let me try.

"Ok, coz I am thinking of getting the 40D body, but I haven't really decided on the lenses yet, that's why I wanted to look at the ... "

"Why you want to get the 40D?" Mr. Salesman rudely cut me off, demanding an immediate answer.

"Huh? Well I prefer the 40D over the 50D for various reasons, especially at its current price point," was the matter-of-fact answer I gave though I was starting to boil over inside.

"Did you compare or not? Did you compare?" the salesman interrogated.

"Of course I did, even though the 50D packs more megapixels and has newer technology in terms of noise control, I still prefer the 40D because ... "

"When we talk about photography, we talk about RESULTS! It's about the RESULTS! If you are not interested in serious photography then you just get the normal compact digital camera," and I was once again rudely interrupted by the salesman. His I-Will-Not-Budge stance was unwavering, hands still folded across his chest as he chastised me for my lack of sophistication and taste in choosing the 40D over the 50D.

I didn't ask for a lecture on my choice of DSLR body, all I wanted was to test the bloody Sigma 18-200mm on a Canon leh!

Needless to say, I looked at my friend, rolled my eyes and walked out of the shop.

A Side Note: By the way, not all "reputable" shops are automatically reliable. Even if they have price tags on the items, as someone pointed out. So what if they do? I realized that CP's price tags are at best, only perfunctory. Why do I say that? Coz most of the items are tagged 50% higher than what they will eventually quote you - "Don't worry, you are my friend, I give you 50% discount!" Duh.

I realized that there is no point getting angry over stuff like that, it's just sales tactics and the shops are all looking to make a profit. At the end of the day, like what most people say - do your homework thoroughly before deciding on a place to get your desired item. Go in, ask for item, test it, buy it. End of story. If attitude sucky or price is exorbitantly high, go to the next best shop in your list. No point standing around arguing with them.

Just as long as you are happy, right?

 

[flashbug]

I personally don't believe that a shop can give good customer service to everyone.

Despite going to a couple of reputable shops as recommended by fellow clubsnappers, I realise that most shops will tend to try and evaluate a customer, and see if that customer is worth their time and effort entertaining. (i.e. whether they are likely to actually make a purchase or just casually walking past and buying)

Take my personal experiences. Alan photo at Funan gave my cousin, my friend and I bad attitude on three different occasions, which i mainly attribute to the fact that we have the student look.

It is a sad fact that people like me usually get 'looked down upon', even by reputable shops, having the face of a secondary/jc kid when i am in fact 23 this year. I am sure some people have similar encounters.

I once got sound advice that people like us shouldn't go to a shop looking for good service, but judge our purchases mainly by the good and competitive prices that stores can offer. Chances are, if they can afford lower, their customer base must be large enough to make up for the lower profit margins that they gain per customer.

my personal experiences with ms color at AMK 711.

The first time i went in to purchase the 450D body, the staff wasn't keen on serving me.

The second time when i got my Tamron 17-50mm there, i opened the box to try it out with my camera body, but the same staff just shoved the box to me and said '7 days exchange policy. Take home slowly test all you like and all you want. got problems then bring back' in a rude manner, which offended me and my sister.

Today, I made a reservation for a black lowepro fastpack 250 which they released to someone else instead. That same staff came up to me and try to convince me to get the blue instead, cause if i wait for the black on the next stock, it will go back to the non promo rate of $120. If this is the kind of reply i get after making a reservation and making a wasted trip from old airport road at kallang to ang mo kio, i will definitely stomp out of the shop for good, especially when i have T k foto, alan and cathay all within 15min drive away from my house.

The reason why I still go there for purchases?

Because of the way the lady boss, florence, handles her customers, which is why i go straight to her every single time i enter the shop. on all three occasions, i was offered water, and she is handling this matter professionally, taking the effort of contacting the agent to exchange the colour to the one i originally wanted, which is not something all salesperson will do, even though it should be the right way to do business.
(if it is a bag i intend to stick with for 2-3 years, it better be a colour that i like)

Chances are, I will stick with ms colour for now, so long as prices remain competitive and florence is around, but things are hard to say in the near future.

 

[Oldox]

I personally don't believe that a shop can give good customer service to everyone.

Despite going to a couple of reputable shops as recommended by fellow clubsnappers, I realise that most shops will tend to try and evaluate a customer, and see if that customer is worth their time and effort entertaining. (i.e. whether they are likely to actually make a purchase or just casually walking past and buying)

Take my personal experiences. Alan photo at Funan gave my cousin, my friend and I bad attitude on three different occasions, which i mainly attribute to the fact that we have the student look.

It is a sad fact that people like me usually get 'looked down upon', even by reputable shops, having the face of a secondary/jc kid when i am in fact 23 this year. I am sure some people have similar encounters.

I once got sound advice that people like us shouldn't go to a shop looking for good service, but judge our purchases mainly by the good and competitive prices that stores can offer. Chances are, if they can afford lower, their customer base must be large enough to make up for the lower profit margins that they gain per customer.

my personal experiences with ms color at AMK 711.

The first time i went in to purchase the 450D body, the staff wasn't keen on serving me.

The second time when i got my Tamron 17-50mm there, i opened the box to try it out with my camera body, but the same staff just shoved the box to me and said '7 days exchange policy. Take home slowly test all you like and all you want. got problems then bring back' in a rude manner, which offended me and my sister.

Today, I made a reservation for a black lowepro fastpack 250 which they released to someone else instead. That same staff came up to me and try to convince me to get the blue instead, cause if i wait for the black on the next stock, it will go back to the non promo rate of $120. If this is the kind of reply i get after making a reservation and making a wasted trip from old airport road at kallang to ang mo kio, i will definitely stomp out of the shop for good, especially when i have T k foto, alan and cathay all within 15min drive away from my house.

The reason why I still go there for purchases?

Because of the way the lady boss, florence, handles her customers, which is why i go straight to her every single time i enter the shop. on all three occasions, i was offered water, and she is handling this matter professionally, taking the effort of contacting the agent to exchange the colour to the one i originally wanted, which is not something all salesperson will do, even though it should be the right way to do business.
(if it is a bag i intend to stick with for 2-3 years, it better be a colour that i like)

Chances are, I will stick with ms colour for now, so long as prices remain competitive and florence is around, but things are hard to say in the near future.

Florence should really note the similar experiences written in these thread. But is it within her means to do something?

 

[kaikibbler]

Bought a nikon AF-S 50mm 1.4 from John's today, price same as Sam quoted over the phone yesterday. He say lucky I buy today as prices will increase $50-60 tmrw. He took the lens off the display shelf and let me test on a D90 that another customer was testing and myabe buying. I'm very happy with their service and will definitely go back.

It's nice that they let you test things before you make a decision, but that means the next customer could be buying something that's already been "tested" eg a new camera with some shutter count. My lens, the box is not in perfect and was probably opened before, but since the photos looked sharp and lens looks clean (only a bit of dust), I didn't make any noise.

What do you think, should I have asked for a "new" one from the back? Are you generally ok with how they let customers test things?

 

[.Hack]

Bought a nikon AF-S 50mm 1.4 from John's today, price same as Sam quoted over the phone yesterday. He say lucky I buy today as prices will increase $50-60 tmrw. He took the lens off the display shelf and let me test on a D90 that another customer was testing and myabe buying. I'm very happy with their service and will definitely go back.

It's nice that they let you test things before you make a decision, but that means the next customer could be buying something that's already been "tested" eg a new camera with some shutter count. My lens, the box is not in perfect and was probably opened before, but since the photos looked sharp and lens looks clean (only a bit of dust), I didn't make any noise.

What do you think, should I have asked for a "new" one from the back? Are you generally ok with how they let customers test things?

If everything seems okie to you, just accept it.
No one can guarantee a dust free lens, even if it is fresh out of production line.
Most important no marks or dents on the lens, as well as the body.

 

[Lord Soth]

Bought a nikon AF-S 50mm 1.4 from John's today, price same as Sam quoted over the phone yesterday. He say lucky I buy today as prices will increase $50-60 tmrw. He took the lens off the display shelf and let me test on a D90 that another customer was testing and myabe buying. I'm very happy with their service and will definitely go back.

It's nice that they let you test things before you make a decision, but that means the next customer could be buying something that's already been "tested" eg a new camera with some shutter count. My lens, the box is not in perfect and was probably opened before, but since the photos looked sharp and lens looks clean (only a bit of dust), I didn't make any noise.

What do you think, should I have asked for a "new" one from the back? Are you generally ok with how they let customers test things?

Don't be embarrassed to ask for a new lens.

Afterall, any lens would cost a couple of hundred dollars right? It's not like you are buying matches which cost a couple of cents!

As a customer, you are entitled to ask for a new item.

Most shops are likely to give you the new copy you requested from their storeroom and then proceed to sell the "tested" item to the next unsuspecting customer. :bsmilie:

 

[Lord Soth]

I personally don't believe that a shop can give good customer service to everyone.

Despite going to a couple of reputable shops as recommended by fellow clubsnappers, I realise that most shops will tend to try and evaluate a customer, and see if that customer is worth their time and effort entertaining. (i.e. whether they are likely to actually make a purchase or just casually walking past and buying)

Take my personal experiences. Alan photo at Funan gave my cousin, my friend and I bad attitude on three different occasions, which i mainly attribute to the fact that we have the student look.

It is a sad fact that people like me usually get 'looked down upon', even by reputable shops, having the face of a secondary/jc kid when i am in fact 23 this year. I am sure some people have similar encounters.

I once got sound advice that people like us shouldn't go to a shop looking for good service, but judge our purchases mainly by the good and competitive prices that stores can offer. Chances are, if they can afford lower, their customer base must be large enough to make up for the lower profit margins that they gain per customer.

my personal experiences with ms color at AMK 711.

The first time i went in to purchase the 450D body, the staff wasn't keen on serving me.

The second time when i got my Tamron 17-50mm there, i opened the box to try it out with my camera body, but the same staff just shoved the box to me and said '7 days exchange policy. Take home slowly test all you like and all you want. got problems then bring back' in a rude manner, which offended me and my sister.

Today, I made a reservation for a black lowepro fastpack 250 which they released to someone else instead. That same staff came up to me and try to convince me to get the blue instead, cause if i wait for the black on the next stock, it will go back to the non promo rate of $120. If this is the kind of reply i get after making a reservation and making a wasted trip from old airport road at kallang to ang mo kio, i will definitely stomp out of the shop for good, especially when i have T k foto, alan and cathay all within 15min drive away from my house.

The reason why I still go there for purchases?

Because of the way the lady boss, florence, handles her customers, which is why i go straight to her every single time i enter the shop. on all three occasions, i was offered water, and she is handling this matter professionally, taking the effort of contacting the agent to exchange the colour to the one i originally wanted, which is not something all salesperson will do, even though it should be the right way to do business.
(if it is a bag i intend to stick with for 2-3 years, it better be a colour that i like)

Chances are, I will stick with ms colour for now, so long as prices remain competitive and florence is around, but things are hard to say in the near future.

If a shop gives you really bad service, you can always take your business elsewhere. Unless they are really cheap and good as compared with the competitors.

For eg, there is a particular good Dim Sum restaurant in the London Chinatown with a notorious reputation for having rude waiters. But people continue to flock there. The reason is that their Dim Sum was really value for money and the customers were therefore willing to overlook such bad manners.

However if it were only a matter of a few dollars difference, then the sensible thing would be to boycott such a business altogether.

 

[.Hack]

Fully agree.
Buy from shops with reasonable pricings, not the cheapest also nvm.
And most important, you have to feel happy purchasing the products.

 

[ralliart12]

...And most important, you have to feel happy purchasing the products.

Second that. I experience a similar encounter at J3:16 also; I was asking for a lenspen as a cleaning "solution/tool" then Samuel(I tink) promptly took a lenspen fresh from its packaging and "demo-ed" on a lens that was in the hand of a customer next to me!

I was awed/shocked & I look at the customer on my right feeling embarrassed and gave the look, "hey I wasn't expecting this. Sorry" to him. I mean I feel uncomfortable for that customer if he's trying out a news lens or worse, his own lens...I still remember Samuel offered to sell me a new lenspen claiming, "if it makes me more comfortable".

I did buy the lenspen but I feel sorry for the other fellow...:dunno: