A very unrecommended shop at Funan Centre

[aaron80]

Just want to share my experience of this particular shop at Funan Centre. Its called BestCam located #05-19 located just beside AP. I went to Funan earlier in the afternoon to accompany my friend source for Canon BG-E3. We asked around several shops, Song Brothers, AP and one other shop. The price they quoted range from $180-$190. We then went into BestCam, and take a look. This shop is runned by an ah beng, an ah lian and an uncle. The uncle seems to be quite blur and dunno anything, he thought BG-E3 is just a batt. Anyway we asked the ah beng how much they are selling the grip and he bo chap us, jus ask the ah lian to tell us the price. The ah lian told us its $289 for the grip which shocked me as I know what is the market price for the grip. I just said thanks and wanted to leave the shop liao. The girl, maybe knowing that we know the real price, even dare to say in a rude tone that sometimes ago the BG-E3 is selling for $180 to $200 coz got promotion nw its impossible to find at that price liao. My frenz who cannot tahan liao, told her a few shops downstairs is selling for around $180-$200 only. She then retorted in a very rude manner, "If downstairs sell that price, then u go buy from them lah!" Damn f**king rude! I dunno whether anyone here has similar experience at this shop before. But its the last time me and my friend will be there..

[Static]

Sounds like the Sim Lim sq bengs and lians have migrated to Funan

[puakkui]

hi bro.. calm down.. take it easy larr..
btw .. thanks for your info Aaron,

[fWord]

It's okay. Take it easy. Personally I think it's good philosophy to avoid saying the elsewhere-even-cheaper statement when talking to a shop owner. They don't like it, and they're right too when they say that you should indeed buy from the other shop then.

Thanks for the warning. I'll keep my eyes peeled for this shop...and then avoid it!

[aaron80]

Hi thanks bro, I have calm down liao.. Haha just wondering how come this type of business-running can survive? So poor service, and somemore its just beside AP.. Just want to warn fellow CSers here to be careful when dealing with this shop

Originally Posted by puakkui hi bro.. calm down.. take it easy larr.. btw .. thanks for your info Aaron,

[aaron80]

Yup I agreed that its not gd to tell the shop-owner that the item is cheaper elsewhere, thats y i just kept quiet and wanted to leave liao.. But my friend can't control himself and blurted out. But even then she shouldn't speak to us in such a rude manner.. But I am ok liao, just want to warn others so they wun encounter such bad experience in that shop..

Originally Posted by fWord It's okay. Take it easy. Personally I think it's good philosophy to avoid saying the elsewhere-even-cheaper statement when talking to a shop owner. They don't like it, and they're right too when they say that you should indeed buy from the other shop then. Thanks for the warning. I'll keep my eyes peeled for this shop...and then avoid it!

[Venom81]

I also got bad experience atthis shop. They try to sell me Hoya 58mm UV fliter at $30. They must think everyone is a s*cker and try to set a higher price.

[fWord]

Originally Posted by aaron80 Yup I agreed that its not gd to tell the shop-owner that the item is cheaper elsewhere, thats y i just kept quiet and wanted to leave liao.. But my friend can't control himself and blurted out. But even then she shouldn't speak to us in such a rude manner.. But I am ok liao, just want to warn others so they wun encounter such bad experience in that shop..

Heheh...come to think about it I may no longer buy from shops in the future...even from CP which I used to frequent. I'd rather buy 2nd hand here at CS. Sure there are dangers lurking around too, but just need to be careful, and need a bit of luck. There's always horror stories of sellers running away after their stuff breaks down, leaving the buyers with an expensive paperweight.

[Venom81]

Originally Posted by fWord Heheh...come to think about it I may no longer buy from shops in the future...even from CP which I used to frequent. I'd rather buy 2nd hand here at CS. Sure there are dangers lurking around too, but just need to be careful, and need a bit of luck. There's always horror stories of sellers running away after their stuff breaks down, leaving the buyers with an expensive paperweight.

CP??? I never have problems wit CP before. I think CP is the safest shop to buy from althought sometimes their prices may be a bit higher then others.

[fWord]

Originally Posted by Venom81 CP??? I never have problems wit CP before. I think CP is the safest shop to buy from althought sometimes their prices may be a bit higher then others.

Oh no, no...please don't get me wrong. I love CP. While I've heard bad things being said about them, they have not been unpleasant in my experience. Bought one camera body, two camera bags and two other lenses from them so far and have been very happy with their service. Sure, it's not first-class, but then again, I'm not buying something that's worth a lot, compared to the things they usually sell over the counter to richer folks.

For a period of time they even remembered me, which was a good thing indeed. Strangely I've found their prices to be competitive when compared to other shops. When I did bother to search and ask the other shops, CP still either came out cheaper or at least on par.

[Edward77]

Well, there are always good guys and bad guys ....
If there are no bad guys, how to make us look good ....
If some of the blacklisted shops in Lucky Plaza can suvive, the rest will too ....
Just avoid them lor .... cheers

[aaron80]

Yup I agreed, there will always be black sheeps around.. Only thing we can do is to avoid them.. Its good that ppl who encountered bad experiences will post the incidents here. That way we can be extra careful when dealing with those shops..

Originally Posted by Edward77 Well, there are always good guys and bad guys .... If there are no bad guys, how to make us look good .... If some of the blacklisted shops in Lucky Plaza can suvive, the rest will too .... Just avoid them lor .... cheers

[Hoky]

Originally Posted by aaron80 Yup I agreed, there will always be black sheeps around.. Only thing we can do is to avoid them.. Its good that ppl who encountered bad experiences will post the incidents here. That way we can be extra careful when dealing with those shops..

Actually, there are three shops in Funan Centre that are black sheeps...
Bally is one of them. The shop assistant tried to sell me the EW-83E at $180... WTF...
As far as I know, BestCam and another shop (at the same level... juz three or four stalls away from JO...) are owned by the same boss..

[aaron80]

I think I know which shop u r referring to.. Its also on the same level.. Me and my friend went there too, asked the sales guy who doesnt even seem interested to answer our query. My friend had to ask him twice before he made the effort to reply without even looking up.. Their services leave much to be desired..

Originally Posted by Hoky Actually, there are three shops in Funan Centre that are black sheeps... Bally is one of them. The shop assistant tried to sell me the EW-83E at $180... WTF... As far as I know, BestCam and another shop (at the same level... juz three or four stalls away from JO...) are owned by the same boss..

[surge]

once went to a shop to enquire about a lens cos i saw one sitting behind the cabinet. when i asked about the price, the saleman dont even wanna tell me. he just say the shop across the road also have. ask me go there to get.

these ppl only wanna keep stock to con tourist.they don wan local business.

[legiz]

hi bros,

i have got a similiar experience from this shop too, BestCam located #05-19.
recently happened to pass by there and went into that shop , also same situation 1 uncle , 1 ah beng and ah lian, the 2 youngsters are busying looking at their own monitor(pc) , so i just went into the inner part of the shop to look for a lowe pro bag and asked for the price , the ah beng seems very impatient to quote me the price, after i asked a few times(for diff models), he became to ignore me already , as for the ah lian , doesn't even bother me when
to look at me when i ask her abt cameras accessories' prices.. their fXXking faces like i own them money , no smile no eye contact when answering my questions , ask me to go other places buy the things if i find it expensive there. gosh.. wat kinda of service is this?
i really pity their boss to have such workers, damn sad, i think their boss not around, dat y she behaved like this , 2 mths back i was served by an indian worker there(that time i was thinking to buy a pentax camera), his service nt bad . dat y i went back to the same shop, but i guess i wun step back into the shop again after this incident.

[Hoky]

Originally Posted by legiz hi bros, i have got a similiar experience from this shop too, BestCam located #05-19. recently happened to pass by there and went into that shop , also same situation 1 uncle , 1 ah beng and ah lian, the 2 youngsters are busying looking at their own monitor(pc) , so i just went into the inner part of the shop to look for a lowe pro bag and asked for the price , the ah beng seems very impatient to quote me the price, after i asked a few times(for diff models), he became to ignore me already , as for the ah lian , doesn't even bother me when to look at me when i ask her abt cameras accessories' prices.. their fXXking faces like i own them money , no smile no eye contact when answering my questions , ask me to go other places buy the things if i find it expensive there. gosh.. wat kinda of service is this? i really pity their boss to have such workers, damn sad, i think their boss not around, dat y she behaved like this , 2 mths back i was served by an indian worker there(that time i was thinking to buy a pentax camera), his service nt bad . dat y i went back to the same shop, but i guess i wun step back into the shop again after this incident.

Remember a few years ago when CASE and STB do up the tourist traps listing... maybe they should include them into the list.

Btw, I was in this camera shop (been around for abt 15 yrs in Funan) not too long ago with this UK guy and the boss tried to sell a 400D kit for $1600.
I brought this guy to CP and guess what, this sales guy wanted to sell the 400D to this ang moh for $1580. (Apparently this ang moh did his homework in CS before and is very upset abt salesmen trapping tourists and apparently left him a bad image of us Singaporeans).

I managed to bring down the price to a decent local price for him...
Kinda disappointed to know that bad salespeople are giving this country and its folks a bad name.

[spartacus.ret]

Originally Posted by Hoky Remember a few years ago when CASE and STB do up the tourist traps listing... maybe they should include them into the list. Btw, I was in this camera shop (been around for abt 15 yrs in Funan) not too long ago with this UK guy and the boss tried to sell a 400D kit for $1600. I brought this guy to CP and guess what, this sales guy wanted to sell the 400D to this ang moh for $1580. (Apparently this ang moh did his homework in CS before and is very upset abt salesmen trapping tourists and apparently left him a bad image of us Singaporeans). I managed to bring down the price to a decent local price for him... Kinda disappointed to know that bad salespeople are giving this country and its folks a bad name.

why didn't you bring him to the oracle?

[spartacus.ret]

Originally Posted by Venom81 I also got bad experience atthis shop. They try to sell me Hoya 58mm UV fliter at $30. They must think everyone is a s*cker and try to set a higher price.

they think you priscilla chan and got money mah.

[spartacus.ret]

they are definitely shady.

last time, i bought my dslr there and amost didn't get my guarantee card. they come out with some story about using the card to claim freebies from canon - to cut the long story short, i got a bad experience trying to get the card back. finally got it back. and that time i was total noob in the market.