My Experience at Cathay Photo

[Bean]

I wanted to buy a Nikon Coolpix 3700 today. Requested for an email quotation from Cathay Photo last week, printed it out and made my way to Peninsula Plaza.

At Cathay Photo, they told me there were no more stock, and called up the Marina Square branch to check. The staff informed me there were still stocks at the other branch. Thus, with my printed quotation, I made my way to Marina Square via City Link.

At the shop, I told the sales staff I came from the Peninsula Branch and wanted to buy the camera. I showed them the quotation and they told me that they have only one set left and it was reserved. They suggested to sell me the reserved set at $399, which is the recommended retail price, way above the quoted price.

I commented that if the set is reserved, they should not sell that set to me. I left the shop and walked back to Funan and purchase from Alan Photo instead.

Not intention to start any flames here, but I feel that the behaviour by the staffs at Marina Square is far from ideal and spoilt the reputation of Cathay Photo, in my opinion.

 

[mich_2103]

I wanted to buy a Nikon Coolpix 3700 today. Requested for an email quotation from Cathay Photo last week, printed it out and made my way to Peninsula Plaza.

At Cathay Photo, they told me there were no more stock, and called up the Marina Square branch to check. The staff informed me there were still stocks at the other branch. Thus, with my printed quotation, I made my way to Marina Square via City Link.

At the shop, I told the sales staff I came from the Peninsula Branch and wanted to buy the camera. I showed them the quotation and they told me that they have only one set left and it was reserved. They suggested to sell me the reserved set at $399, which is the recommended retail price, way above the quoted price.

I commented that if the set is reserved, they should not sell that set to me. I left the shop and walked back to Funan and purchase from Alan Photo instead.

Not intention to start any flames here, but I feel that the behaviour by the staffs at Marina Square is far from ideal and spoilt the reputation of Cathay Photo, in my opinion.

Seems like recently quite a few folks at ClubSNAP are not very pleased with CP's services. (http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=107447&page=1&pp=20)

Personally I have nothing against the sales people at CP Peninsular but the folks at the Marina Square branch, I must admit, are not as well-trained as the ones in Peninsular. But I don't go to that branch often because of it's location unless I needed something badly.

I was once tempted to buy a certain model of a digital camera and one day happened to pass by the Marina Square branch. Not many customers though (it was a weekday) and half of the salesmen were standing behind the counters and just chatting away. Although nobody came to attend me, I didn't care either and I just continue browsing. I saw a bag that I like and I asked the closest salesman to me if they have another color of it and he conveniently said "Don't know!"

I was just taken back by his reply because I never faced this kind of problem before at the Peninsular branch. To be frank, I am not pissed or anything. I just find it rather amusing that although both branches belong to the same company but their services are rather drastic apart.

Well Bean, don't be irritated when you get bad services from sales people. Afterall to be frank, they are not the only folks in town selling photographic equipment. You can always approach other shops.

Just my 2 yen worth.

Regards,
-Michelle-

 

[jsbn]

Hmm.... Bought stuff frm CP twice liao. Being served by an older chap, a little soft spoken but quite ok wad.

 

[r32]

On Sundays, some of the staff from the Peninsula CP branch (which doesn't open on Sunday) will be working at the Marina branch, so you might still see a familiar face there.

 

[DarkForce]

Hmm.... Bought stuff frm CP twice liao. Being served by an older chap, a little soft spoken but quite ok wad.

I think u are refering to K.Y.Wong from the camera side. He is a quite a nice and helpful guy. Another one I usually go to is Kelvin Pung (camera side).

There are some bad sheeps in CP but I am not going to name them.

If not for the good service by the K.Y.Wong and Kelvin , I might not have spend more than 20K in CP by now liao.

 

[zaren]

give feedback of your marina square experience to the boss of CP. he/she might want to improve the quality of the sales staff there.

 

[majere2sg]

I think u are refering to K.Y.Wong from the camera side. He is a quite a nice and helpful guy. Another one I usually go to is Kelvin Pung (camera side).

There are some bad sheeps in CP but I am not going to name them.

If not for the good service by the K.Y.Wong and Kelvin , I might not have spend more than 20K in CP by now liao.

Me too.. I always find Mr Wong everytime I go there until he is scared of me already.. He is a really very nice and helpful guy :bsmilie:

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

give feedback of your marina square experience to the boss of CP. he/she might want to improve the quality of the sales staff there.

who is the boss of CP btw? is he the old old guy standing by the door at Peninsular branch?

 

[DarkForce]

Me too.. I always find Mr Wong everytime I go there until he is scared of me already.. He is a really very nice and helpful guy :bsmilie:

Well,

Mr Christopher Wong and Steven (if i got the correct name) both from the tripod side are good too.

Just stick to 4 of them is enough liao.

 

[catchlights]

Feel sorry about for your unpleasant encounter with Cathay Photos.

Mind I ask you? Have you call them to check the stock is available first before you went down?
You didn't know that you could make a reservation of some items?

IMHO, they willing to sell you the reserve set, is a very kind gesture, instead make you go back home empty handed, the might be need to get another set with a higher price from other people shop. So they probably can't offer a lower price toyou. Of course you can decide to buy from Cathay right away or get from some other shop.

Hope this help.

 

[zaren]

Feel sorry about for your unpleasant encounter with Cathay Photos.

Mind I ask you? Have you call them to check the stock is available first before you went down?
You didn't know that you could make a reservation of some items?

IMHO, they willing to sell you the reserve set, is a very kind gesture, instead make you go back home empty handed, the might be need to get another set with a higher price from other people shop. So they probably can't offer a lower price toyou. Of course you can decide to buy from Cathay right away or get from some other shop.

Hope this help.

if there was only one set (reserved) available at marina sq, why tell him there were "stocks available" at marina sq?
unless of cos several sets of nikon 3700 were miraculously sold in the 20 minutes it took him to get to marina sq.

 

[Drudkh]

Feel sorry about for your unpleasant encounter with Cathay Photos.

Mind I ask you? Have you call them to check the stock is available first before you went down?
You didn't know that you could make a reservation of some items?

IMHO, they willing to sell you the reserve set, is a very kind gesture, instead make you go back home empty handed, the might be need to get another set with a higher price from other people shop. So they probably can't offer a lower price toyou. Of course you can decide to buy from Cathay right away or get from some other shop.

Hope this help.

did you read his post carefully? maybe you might wanna read the 2nd paragraph again.

 

[Drudkh]

if there was only one set (reserved) available at marina sq, why tell him there were "stocks available" at marina sq?
unless of cos several sets of nikon 3700 were miraculously sold in the 20 minutes it took him to get to marina sq.

exactly, the key word is "stocks".

 

[dEthANGeL]

As to who the boss is.

The father has left the running of the 2 branches to his younger sons. Service has definitely changed I have to admit since my younger days I tagged along with my dad to get stuff from them.

Just feel that most of the sales people from CP are more towards comission rather than friendly service and making the consumer "come-back-for-more".

I had planned to get more items from them, but after my last fiasco without my dad around, the same sales person actually turned into a monster. :sweat:

Sadly, they've lost a customer. Think, i'll purchase my stuff elsewhere.

 

[catchlights]

if there was only one set (reserved) available at marina sq, why tell him there were "stocks available" at marina sq?
unless of cos several sets of nikon 3700 were miraculously sold in the 20 minutes it took him to get to marina sq.

Pardon me, I really don’t know.

If any customers or potential customers not satisfy with their merchandise or services, can write them a email or speak to Mr David Toh, I’m sure can get better outcome for what any matter happens.

I’m just trying to help.

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

my experiences with cathy has generally been pleasent. Kelvin, Christopher, Mr Wong all have been great help to me.

 

[obviousdude]

to present a balanced perspective on things:

there's a lady staff called florence who's also very polite and helpful. she's attentive when you approach her, even if it is just to buy small items.

i've not bought any big ticket items from her, so i'm not a high spender that will make a sales staff give better service to.

i put it down to my approach, my first approach to a sales person is always to smile, say please, can you help me etc.. (point to note, i was in frontline sales for about 10 years, going back to my school days as a temp.)

[size=-2]note that this is a separate comment, it does not suggest that the thread starter was not polite to the customer. i'm sure he was. and his experience was rather unfortunate, and wholly different.[/size]

 

[reachme2003]

who is the boss of CP btw? is he the old old guy standing by the door at Peninsular branch?

that is Mr. Toh senior. there are many young customers who does not know he is the boss. quite an unassuming character, outwardly speaking. operations of stores are handled by David Toh, his son. David was so young like 18 yo when i visited the then flagship store at Bras Basah Rd.

 

[scramblur11]

Oh well...I quite new into photography but from the times that I been to CP, my experiences is always quite present...

There this lady from the dry cabinet side quite friendly...ask her alot of qns but in the end din buy from her... :embrass: .....

As for the nikon cam thing, maybe the guy from the Marina square never hear properly or did not bothered to go check the stocks, tat why it happen...maybe u can try feedback to them via their website?

 

[jsbn]

I think u are refering to K.Y.Wong from the camera side. He is a quite a nice and helpful guy. Another one I usually go to is Kelvin Pung (camera side).

There are some bad sheeps in CP but I am not going to name them.

If not for the good service by the K.Y.Wong and Kelvin , I might not have spend more than 20K in CP by now liao.

Actually I went CP so many times liao, each time get served by the same chap I still dunno his name. :bsmilie: Maybe have to check da receipt for his name.

But first time quite funny, I was looking thru da camera bags, he din exactly come up to me to ask if he can help me. He juz stood a distance away, waiting. Initially he gives me the creeps, but den subsequently I go CP, I'll look for his face and ask him for stuff liao. :bsmilie: