Sim Lim salesman sells $600 camera lens for $1200

[orly_andico]

in retrospect it probably ain't the 2.8

because the article said "18-50mm" while the Tammy 2.8 is 17-50.

in other words, truly a scam!! 18-50 tammy kit is probably a $70 lens!!!

[fizzy123]

I only shop at Cathay or Camera Hospital. I've never had anyone try to rip me off at these places. Cathay may not be the cheapest you can find, but they're close to prices I check online, sometimes their prices are even surprisingly good (e.g. the Canon 400/5.6L), and they are likely to give discounts/free memory cards if you buy a lot, and I don't bother to haggle or ask for these things. I find their service good.

On the flip side, in other shops I've been to, I've had:
1) People trying to rip me off (used gear sold as new, daft prices, ...)
2) Someone call me a liar when I told him the price of a 5DMkII in Japan. What the hell way is that to treat your customers?
3) Someone tell me that you can't use cameras bought in Japan because they're in Japanese. I pointed out I had bought all my cameras (excluding an OM1) in Japan and all cameras support many languages. In Japan, the sales people will help by changing the language to English/Chinese/Swedish/whatever, and usually give you a manual for your language even if it's on the CD anyway. After I pointed this out, and that I could read Japanese anyway, the sales guy here also claimed the chargers were 100V. More bullshit. I walked out at that point.
4) People try to sell me on a brand basis with rubbish arguments for me to move over and the promise of good prices for trade-in.
5) Flat out rudeness.

A friend I know took his 5D to a shop for them to sell. After a while he decided to go and get it back - it hadn't sold and he wanted to play with IR photography. They gave him a 5D minus the CF card that was in there originally that had a dodgy shutter and some scratches - it wasn't his camera. He took it to camera hospital for the IR conversion and the guy there fixed the shutter too.

Cathay is maybe not perfect, but they're the best I've found for new kit. The guy who owns Camera Hospital is great - he has a clear passion for the kit and his job. I chatted with him for a long time and he kept trying to buy my Olympus 350/2.8 :-)

If you look like you know what you're talking about - e.g. you walk in and ask for a specific lens or weird accessory, I think you're less likely to be ripped of. Also if you go to more specialist shops (there's one that sells studio gear and lots of different kinds of film) they're less likely to rip you off. Anywhere else and they will measure you up to see how much bullshit they can feed you.

Just my 2c.

[Edit]: I had one guy tell me it was an "auspicious day" to buy a 5DMkII. I felt like punching him in the face. Hard.

Stuart

Hi Stuart,
I think it is bcos you are a caucasian, thus most sales ppl automatically think that you are here as a tourists or that you are a very rich expat. Thus they will try their luck by off-loading some of their older or unwanted goods to you. Bcos they assume that you will not come back again, as you are a tourist, thus they can chop you one time jialat jialat.

[Tachyon]

To add - if you want to know the exact selling price, go down to Cathay personally. If you call them, you will always get the RRP.

Two weeks ago I wanted to get a Samsung P&S (WB-650) for my upcoming trip. I tried the usual suspects at Funan (Challenger, Harvery Norman, Alan Photo). Then I walked over to Cathay and (surprise!) I was quoted the lowest price ($100 less than Challenger/HN, and $20 less than AP). Plus they threw in 2 8GB SDHC cards, one camera case, and one extra battery!

I also bought the 188L dry cabinet from them - same price as my existing one which I bought >5 years ago!

However, for the ultimate in cost savings, I always revert to TK Foto (local sets), and TCW (grey sets).

[andeelym]

I've got a friend whose clueless wife bought him a modded Wii from Sim Lim Square for almost a few hundred more if she bought elsewhere. SLS salesmen will "assess" the customer's "savvyness" before quoting the price, apparently, my friend went to the same shop and got a much lower quote.

My rule of thumb is that other than Alan Photo (i guess), the other shops within the first 2 levels of SLS are chop shops, at least those selling electronic goods.

[cloud_cover]

That's my general impression too.
Having said that, Hung Brothers on level 3 is a good place to go for better quality audio stuff. I've bought all my headphones and earphones there. Price is stickied on item so no "chopping" although boss will give some discount if you ask for it

[weixing]

Hi,
Some shop in sim lim square will quote you very cheap price, but there will be no stock when you want to buy.

If they quote you a very good price and got stock, make sure all the items in the box are included, are original and got Singapore local warranty card... some shop will replace the original battery with some cheap third party battery. Also, don't buy any other accessories that they ask you to buy if you had no idea what is the general price.

Anyway, if you want to buy camera gear at sim lim square, the oriental photo on the level 6 are ok and price are not bad too.

Have a nice day.

[vivid]

Hmmm....1.2k can get you the new Sigma 17-50 2.8 . The Nikon mount is $1130, Canon $1100.

[VinSnr]

Police always raid geylang for streetwalkers.

Perhaps they should also raid SLS for daylight robbers.

[timatworksg]

Wish they could....I'm sure the police know something we dont,...unless radio spare parts come from SLS..haha!

But,..isn't SLS smazing!! It's been an one stop IT Chop Shop for years! Everyone (except authorised dealers..which aren't many) sells the same darn thing!! And...everyone is networked where if 'Shop A' doesnt have it, they can grab it from' Shop Z' and sell it cheaper than 'Shop K' and not offend all other shops!!
Plus you now have small side cabinet stands selling smaller stuff which come from 'Shop B' which you visited 5mins ago and was to expensive...and the cabinet stand sells what you need a little cheaper. You pay and along comes a salesperson you recognize from 'Shop B' with the wireless ATM reader!!

Everyone sells the same RAM chip brands, same type of CPU towers, same type of cooling, same Video cards, same mouse's, keyboards, colored mouse pads, colorful thumb drives, hard disk, disk boxes, etc etc....and most at different price!! Proves...RRP is never controlled! Besides you don't find many brands that actually control their sale price.

SLS is a place where you need to spend several hours roaming, then consolidate and decide which shop had the best deal! Then buy and leave...haha! If not...you'd probably be lucky and get the good shop or wonder what the hell you did!! SLS even got 'Sex Shop'...cater to everything now!
But like most places...unless you know what your doing or know the person/or recommendation, then you know your in reasonably good hands towards a good deal. Otherwise...just be weary shopping anywhere! Do some research before heading out and don't get fooled by a good thing! If it sounds too good...it's probably not!!

I remember in the past...SLS was THE place for custom made PC's! Then you make one, pay and when you have a prob, gotta bring it back for fixing. Prob was...the shop doesn't exist anymore! Had many friends end up in this predicament. Guess thats why more Singaporeans have gone down the Brand route, even if it's Acer/Asus, etc cos of warranty and support. Even courts has bad service and support...sometimes luck of the draw and wheather he/she got up on the wrong side of the bed!! Harvey Norman and Best Denki can have a $150 difference in the same Washing machine!! Plus Denki has FREE (translated to Included) delivery and disposal! Duh!!!Makes the actual cost of the washing machine probably around $200-ish?? wow! Major!

We are the consumer's and get sucked into the 'WOW' of electronic gadgetry. Try to resist...remember, for some here, we lived most of our lives without a cellphone,...less alone a pager! Heck! A pager was a luxury item. Now....leave home without your cellphone and you feel as if you forgot the single most important thing in your life...when several years back...you lived happy without it!
For most 98.5% of a cellphone or latest do-it-all phone is actually not used! Whats used is 0.5% of actual calling/speaking and the balance 1.5% SMS cos we need 30mins to decide if starbucks or Coffee Bean should be the place to meet!!...HAHA!

[vivid]

Actually if you want excellent service and support, you can have it at a price that's probably lower than Cathay Photo and Oriental Photo.

John 3:16