Alan Photo tried to con me !

chriszzz · 11th April 2004

Bad experience at AP yesterday. Went to get the EastGear battery NP400 for the Minolta A1. I called up Eastgear, and they told me they were out of stock and told me to try AP.

At AP, a guy quotes me $45 for the battery. I knew it was only $29.90, so told him it was too expensive. He explains that "Original is $100+". I stood firm, and he dropped the price to $40, then $35. When I was walking out, he told me "OK OK, $30". WTF ? I know that occasionally, shops may overcharge by 10%, 20%, but 50% ? From a "reputable" shop ? Jeez...always do your homework. $15 extra is not that much, but it is 50% more, and I would have been taken for a ride if I didn't do my homework beforehand.

sujj · 11th April 2004

thats funny they tried to not issue me a receipt for a camera once... then suddenly the receipt appeared.

ckiang · 11th April 2004

Probably not so much of AP per-se, but the individual staff member involved. Unfortunately it is these staff members who give shops a bad name.

Regards
CK

yaoxing · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by ckiang

Probably not so much of AP per-se, but the individual staff member involved. Unfortunately it is these staff members who give shops a bad name.

Regards
CK

Agree. Unfortunately, Alan Photo might take its bad name from its staff from now on.

By the way, do you think it's reasonable of them to charge $15 for a 58mm Canon lens cap, and $40 for a Megapower BP-511?

USM · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by yaoxing

Agree. Unfortunately, Alan Photo might take its bad name from its staff from now on.

By the way, do you think it's reasonable of them to charge $15 for a 58mm Canon lens cap, and $40 for a Megapower BP-511?

58mm at $15?

Bought a original Canon 72mm front lens cap at $5 excluding GST.

Lobangkng · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by USM

58mm at $15?

Bought a original Canon 72mm front lens cap at $5 excluding GST.

Where U bought the lens cap?

yaoxing · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by USM

58mm at $15?

Bought a original Canon 72mm front lens cap at $5 excluding GST.

haha, then I guess Alan Photo is really rotten to the core as they really quoted $15 for the 58 mm lens cap. I guess I'll recommend my friends elsewhere for their photography needs in future.

snappaholic · 11th April 2004

Its pretty common for these shops to charge more for accessories to make up for the lower prices of the cameras.

ckiang · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by yaoxing

Agree. Unfortunately, Alan Photo might take its bad name from its staff from now on.

By the way, do you think it's reasonable of them to charge $15 for a 58mm Canon lens cap, and $40 for a Megapower BP-511?

Not so sure about the battery, but I do know original Nikon lens caps are also ridiculously expensive.

Same goes to original Canon lens hoods.

Regards
CK

sequitur · 11th April 2004

it's the individual staff.

i've always gotten my stuff cheap from my regular staff member. if he's not in i simply don't go.

the new dudes that AP employed.. they're just salesmen they're not photographers.

Kit · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by ckiang

Not so sure about the battery, but I do know original Nikon lens caps are also ridiculously expensive. Same goes to original Canon lens hoods.

Regards
CK

Those lens caps can be replaced with generic ones but not Canon lens hoods.

judhi · 11th April 2004

if you're not happy with his service, try to avoid him and ask other staff.

Lobangkng · 11th April 2004

But where to get them?

HelmetBox · 11th April 2004

rule of thumb. always check out prices before stepping into Sim Lim. And don't look like a tourist. :P

Twilo · 11th April 2004

Never had any bad experiences with them. I am like Sequitur, only deal with 1 or 2 of them. The rest i dont bother. HK and Sam give me good prices.

chriszzz · 11th April 2004

Originally Posted by yaoxing

Agree. Unfortunately, Alan Photo might take its bad name from its staff from now on.

By the way, do you think it's reasonable of them to charge $15 for a 58mm Canon lens cap, and $40 for a Megapower BP-511?

The Megapower BP511 is around $35. I was also quoted $40 for this, but I knew it was $35 from another Clubsnap forum. It was a different salesguy from the A1 battery guy. Anyway, you can always get from Eastgear their BP511 for $29. From now on, I'll stick to those salesmen that have given me fair prices in the past. Problem is that on weekends, the place is packed and the good guys may not be available for a long time.

baileys1 · 11th April 2004

Hey, i got a 52mm OEM lens cap from Alan Photo, i paid $10 for it.

Lobangkng · 11th April 2004

wanna ask u guys where to get the lens cap for canon other then Alan Photos?

XXX Boy · 11th April 2004

Thanks for the posting! At least next time we know what shops are 'dangerous'!

picturebox · 11th April 2004

Add on....how many of you actually feels that you are now buying stuff from there which was once used and retuned by someone else?

11th April 2004	#1
chriszzz Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 655	Alan Photo tried to con me ! Bad experience at AP yesterday. Went to get the EastGear battery NP400 for the Minolta A1. I called up Eastgear, and they told me they were out of stock and told me to try AP. At AP, a guy quotes me $45 for the battery. I knew it was only $29.90, so told him it was too expensive. He explains that "Original is $100+". I stood firm, and he dropped the price to $40, then $35. When I was walking out, he told me "OK OK, $30". WTF ? I know that occasionally, shops may overcharge by 10%, 20%, but 50% ? From a "reputable" shop ? Jeez...always do your homework. $15 extra is not that much, but it is 50% more, and I would have been taken for a ride if I didn't do my homework beforehand.

11th April 2004	#2
sujj New Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 36	thats funny they tried to not issue me a receipt for a camera once... then suddenly the receipt appeared. __________________ http://www.fotofile.org

11th April 2004	#10
sequitur Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,825	it's the individual staff. i've always gotten my stuff cheap from my regular staff member. if he's not in i simply don't go. the new dudes that AP employed.. they're just salesmen they're not photographers. __________________ my flickr.

11th April 2004	#20
picturebox New Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Singapore. Hong Kong Posts: 3	Add on Add on....how many of you actually feels that you are now buying stuff from there which was once used and retuned by someone else?

11th April 2004	#3
ckiang Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,597	Probably not so much of AP per-se, but the individual staff member involved. Unfortunately it is these staff members who give shops a bad name. Regards CK

11th April 2004	#8
snappaholic Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 51	Its pretty common for these shops to charge more for accessories to make up for the lower prices of the cameras.

11th April 2004	#12
judhi Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 100	if you're not happy with his service, try to avoid him and ask other staff.

11th April 2004	#13
Lobangkng Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: SengKang Posts: 114	But where to get them?

11th April 2004	#14
HelmetBox Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,312	rule of thumb. always check out prices before stepping into Sim Lim. And don't look like a tourist. :P

11th April 2004	#15
Twilo Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 477	Never had any bad experiences with them. I am like Sequitur, only deal with 1 or 2 of them. The rest i dont bother. HK and Sam give me good prices.

11th April 2004	#17
baileys1 Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 193	Hey, i got a 52mm OEM lens cap from Alan Photo, i paid $10 for it.

11th April 2004	#19
XXX Boy Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: GEYLAND LOR 15 LO Posts: 1,104	Thanks for the posting! At least next time we know what shops are 'dangerous'!