I seem to have only bad experiences to share so far. I bought my Canon G7 plus 100mm macro from Cathay at Peninsula. I think the price was ok but the service was appalling. I wrote a complaint but got no reply. That shows how arrogant these folks can get.
Cathay aside, a friend told me that I should try John 3:16 because they are reliable and friendly. I also read pretty good reviews about them. So I walked on 6 May, but found them too busy. I popped by later in the day and they were still busy. Good business I suppose but as a consumer, I found it distracting because one minute they were with you and the next, with someone else.
Anyway, I was interested in the KATA 3N1-30 bag. I asked Samuel the owner how much it cost and I think he said $270. I thought nothing of it because frankly, I hadn't done my market research. I just took his word. I bought two other items, a Phottix Cleon II remote for $59 and a Kata Tripod Attachment for $30. All in all, the bill came up to about $359. This Indian chap called Leslie prepared a receipt for the 3 items while I went down to draw cash. The receipt wasn't itemised but no breakdown was provided. I thought nothing of it and happily used the bag for the next 3 weeks. Sometime last week, I tried to sell the bag as I realised that I needed one with a laptop compartment just in case I travel. I tried selling it to a friend for $270 including the $30 tripod attachment. My friend was smarter than I and went about doing his market research. Not long after, he came back telling me that TK is now selling the 3N1-33 (new model) for only $175. They were selling the 3N1-33 back in Nov 08 for $180. The authorised dealer Vector Magnetic's recommended price for the bag is $220.
Suffice to say, I was shocked and somewhat embarrased at having tried to sell the bag for $270. As I felt cheated and incensed, I wrote in to John 3:16 to demand an explanation. I was asked to produce a receipt. In the meantime, the lady said it is possible that they had made a mistake because they were either busy or tired. She also admitted that normally, the bag would retail at their store for $190 even though the recommended price was $220. She assured me that if indeed I had overpaid, they would refund the balance to me. In the meantime, she said she needed the receipt so that she could ask the relevant salesperson who served me.
I sent her the scanned receipt yesterday, showing the 3 items at $359. I told her it's not rocket science to do a breakdown of the items, based on the cost of the other two items. Furthermore, it's not as if the description is something general like "camera items". It lists down specifically what these items are and together, they cost $359.
However, she still insisted that she would need to investigate it further. She came back to me today, informing me that the Indian chap cannot remember me or the transaction as it has been nearly a month. I told her that there's nothing to remember because the receipt speaks for itself. She then said that this wasn't good enough as they have customers who buy extra things which may not be reflected on the receipt. She even had the audacity to say that this would be easily resolved had i gone back within 3 days of the transaction.
I went ballistic when I read this. Firstly, I had no reason to believe that I was being overcharged. These shops should not assume that every customer that walks in is savvy or has done his market research. SOme, like me, are customers who simply need a bag and are prepared to pay for it if within budget. Samuel said $270 and I thought it was ok, not having done my research or knowing what similar bags cost elsewhere.
Secondly, if the receipt itemises the items and these cost $359, then how can I buy additional items which are not reflected on the receipt but these still come up to $359? Any extra items would be a freebie, wouldn't it? And besides, what has their shoddy sales practices got to do with me? Why should it compromise a genuine claim of overcharging by a customer? Shouldn't all items sold be accounted for and ideally, reflected on a receipt as a matter of good corporate governance and not to mention, for auditing and tax purposes. They are a GST registrable company, so shouldn't all transactions be captured?
Anyway, she is now insisting that there is nothing she can do but that I should go down to the store and speak with Leslie. But what's the point? If he says he can't remember the transaction, then what makes them so sure my turning up at the store is going to help? You mean, by looking at me, he can conclude whether the 3 items were the only items I bought, or that I might have bought other things not shown on the receipt. I find this idea laughable.
To my mind, the folks at John 3:16 have no intention of resolving this matter. As a business, you sometimes need to give the customer the benefit of the doubt, particularly where business is already so competitive. If they want to charge a mark-up of $10 to $20, that's something I am prepared to live with, though i'd grumble a bit. But to overcharge by at least $80 (using $190 as the benchmark) and adopt this sort of attitude, that is day-light robbery and bad business practice.
She says that these things cannot be resolved through email. Even if I get a refund, I will still have to go down and collect it. I beg to differ. I think the receipt is the strongest evidence yet. Furthermore, if I get a refund, I expect it to be sent to me in the form of a cheque. Why should I have to take the time, trouble and expense of going to the shop to claim my refund, a refund which was the result of a screw-up by the shop? If they want to run a decent honest business, they have to start believing their customers (albeit with discretion) and do what they can to preserve that relationship, not do their darnest to lose it altogether.
Needless to say, I am utterly disgusted and disappointed with John 3:16 and I will never go to them or recommend them to anyone I know. This will not end here as I have half a mind to lodge a complaint with CASE regarding such practices. On a brighter note, this has taught me a lesson, and that is to do my market research carefully before buying. Coincidentally, the same friend who told me about the price discrepancy introduced me to this forum, and in particular the postings on price comparisons. At least, this is a good starting point for market research.
For all existing and new customers to John 3:16, please get them to provide a detailed breakdown of items on the receipt to avoid getting into problems like me.
Cathay aside, a friend told me that I should try John 3:16 because they are reliable and friendly. I also read pretty good reviews about them. So I walked on 6 May, but found them too busy. I popped by later in the day and they were still busy. Good business I suppose but as a consumer, I found it distracting because one minute they were with you and the next, with someone else.
Anyway, I was interested in the KATA 3N1-30 bag. I asked Samuel the owner how much it cost and I think he said $270. I thought nothing of it because frankly, I hadn't done my market research. I just took his word. I bought two other items, a Phottix Cleon II remote for $59 and a Kata Tripod Attachment for $30. All in all, the bill came up to about $359. This Indian chap called Leslie prepared a receipt for the 3 items while I went down to draw cash. The receipt wasn't itemised but no breakdown was provided. I thought nothing of it and happily used the bag for the next 3 weeks. Sometime last week, I tried to sell the bag as I realised that I needed one with a laptop compartment just in case I travel. I tried selling it to a friend for $270 including the $30 tripod attachment. My friend was smarter than I and went about doing his market research. Not long after, he came back telling me that TK is now selling the 3N1-33 (new model) for only $175. They were selling the 3N1-33 back in Nov 08 for $180. The authorised dealer Vector Magnetic's recommended price for the bag is $220.
Suffice to say, I was shocked and somewhat embarrased at having tried to sell the bag for $270. As I felt cheated and incensed, I wrote in to John 3:16 to demand an explanation. I was asked to produce a receipt. In the meantime, the lady said it is possible that they had made a mistake because they were either busy or tired. She also admitted that normally, the bag would retail at their store for $190 even though the recommended price was $220. She assured me that if indeed I had overpaid, they would refund the balance to me. In the meantime, she said she needed the receipt so that she could ask the relevant salesperson who served me.
I sent her the scanned receipt yesterday, showing the 3 items at $359. I told her it's not rocket science to do a breakdown of the items, based on the cost of the other two items. Furthermore, it's not as if the description is something general like "camera items". It lists down specifically what these items are and together, they cost $359.
However, she still insisted that she would need to investigate it further. She came back to me today, informing me that the Indian chap cannot remember me or the transaction as it has been nearly a month. I told her that there's nothing to remember because the receipt speaks for itself. She then said that this wasn't good enough as they have customers who buy extra things which may not be reflected on the receipt. She even had the audacity to say that this would be easily resolved had i gone back within 3 days of the transaction.
I went ballistic when I read this. Firstly, I had no reason to believe that I was being overcharged. These shops should not assume that every customer that walks in is savvy or has done his market research. SOme, like me, are customers who simply need a bag and are prepared to pay for it if within budget. Samuel said $270 and I thought it was ok, not having done my research or knowing what similar bags cost elsewhere.
Secondly, if the receipt itemises the items and these cost $359, then how can I buy additional items which are not reflected on the receipt but these still come up to $359? Any extra items would be a freebie, wouldn't it? And besides, what has their shoddy sales practices got to do with me? Why should it compromise a genuine claim of overcharging by a customer? Shouldn't all items sold be accounted for and ideally, reflected on a receipt as a matter of good corporate governance and not to mention, for auditing and tax purposes. They are a GST registrable company, so shouldn't all transactions be captured?
Anyway, she is now insisting that there is nothing she can do but that I should go down to the store and speak with Leslie. But what's the point? If he says he can't remember the transaction, then what makes them so sure my turning up at the store is going to help? You mean, by looking at me, he can conclude whether the 3 items were the only items I bought, or that I might have bought other things not shown on the receipt. I find this idea laughable.
To my mind, the folks at John 3:16 have no intention of resolving this matter. As a business, you sometimes need to give the customer the benefit of the doubt, particularly where business is already so competitive. If they want to charge a mark-up of $10 to $20, that's something I am prepared to live with, though i'd grumble a bit. But to overcharge by at least $80 (using $190 as the benchmark) and adopt this sort of attitude, that is day-light robbery and bad business practice.
She says that these things cannot be resolved through email. Even if I get a refund, I will still have to go down and collect it. I beg to differ. I think the receipt is the strongest evidence yet. Furthermore, if I get a refund, I expect it to be sent to me in the form of a cheque. Why should I have to take the time, trouble and expense of going to the shop to claim my refund, a refund which was the result of a screw-up by the shop? If they want to run a decent honest business, they have to start believing their customers (albeit with discretion) and do what they can to preserve that relationship, not do their darnest to lose it altogether.
Needless to say, I am utterly disgusted and disappointed with John 3:16 and I will never go to them or recommend them to anyone I know. This will not end here as I have half a mind to lodge a complaint with CASE regarding such practices. On a brighter note, this has taught me a lesson, and that is to do my market research carefully before buying. Coincidentally, the same friend who told me about the price discrepancy introduced me to this forum, and in particular the postings on price comparisons. At least, this is a good starting point for market research.
For all existing and new customers to John 3:16, please get them to provide a detailed breakdown of items on the receipt to avoid getting into problems like me.
