My scammed experience in BALLY PHOTO ELECTRONICS @Funan

[muvouser]

Nope. I will still boycott SLR Revo if what I hear is true.

They dun deserve our business. There are many ethical retailers out there so I will support them instead.

Just because they are $10 cheaper wont sway me to support an owner with split personality with questionable business ethics.

 

[kwttan]

i bought my tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens there in bally photo funan several years ago, the guy there stated the price as 680, i was with my GF then (now she's my wife) and she insisted to get it for 600... and man, she was relentless!:bsmilie:

bally was the only shop left open that time, around 8pm, so i don't have a choice cos my GF wanted to share the cost of buying a lens as a Bday present, and she wanted to get it the day before my bday, so that on the actual day we could just enjoy.

anyways, the staff quoted the last price at 640... i asked him if that included GST and he said yes, after that, he asked me to pay first then he'll get the lens. i told him, the lens is just below the glass showcase, so might as well get it now, and we'll pay after inspection. so he had no choice but to get it.

after inspection, we proceeded to give him the cash, and that's when he started asking for 80 more, he said it's for warranty, and tax... i replied that he told me GST is inclusive in the 640 he quoted and he replied he never said that!

i got angry, i took the lens, asked my GF to step aside, and i asked the staff to go out from the shop and get the 80 from my pocket, if he could... he started to shout at me, so i came close to his face and told him... BE A MAN, QUIT YAPPING... IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY, LET'S BRAWL!

he shut up after that... and we just walked off! i'd enjoy scrapping it out with that scammer if he did came after us!

just sharing my experience, to TS, just enjoy your new toy... and do share your photos here in CS. just keep the filter as a souvenir of your first timer experience!

That guy is real SOB! In front of both you and your wife, he still dare to deny what he quoted (640 incl gst). In normal situation, guess most people will just pay up to avoid ugly scene. Guess he ran into a tough guy that day :thumbsup: :bsmilie:

 

[aloks]

Hi
I am really very much surprised to know about this episode at BALLY PHOTO STORE, how are they surviving in their business just by looting Tourists and First time local buyers, all Clubsnap members can avoid purchasing from them, this is the way to teach them a lesson, further whenever he abuses a customer, call the police and file a case against them.

BTW please let me know which shop and market area is the Most Reliable with well traind sales persons in Singapore ?

Thanks
alok

 

[butterflyblack]

I was quoted 3.5k for canon EF 70-200 2.8 is II....

 

[butterflyblack]

Forgot to mention....SLR revo

 

[nedy77]

There's a bally photo on 2nd floor funan centre and there is another bally photo on the 5th floor (where I got a lens at a good price last year).

Dont know if the 5th floor bally photo is still there but early this year when I went back to the 5th floor bally to look for the salesman whom I bought the lens from, I couldn't find him. The other salesman didn't give me good prices so I went to John 3:16, upon coming out I saw the good bally salesman in slr revolution so I went in.

This salesman told me that he quit bally photo because "they had a bad name". Now with some cs members linking the two shops, I am very certain they are related.

But this will not stop me from going to slr revolution. I am also in business and it makes perfect sense to make money from two segments of the market. In any trade there will always be people to are price-sensitive and people/tourist who buy without researching(maybe don't have time)

some shops target regular customers by offering good service or competitive priced. others sell high to walk-in people and "chop" them big one time. Both are very different business models bu they are good ways of making profits.

People wonder why these "chop" shops can survive for so long since people don't return to them after one visit. The reason is that the tourist/1st time buyer market might be "bigger"

" regular" buyers may buy a piece of equipment(high priced one)only once a year or maybe even longer. And it's hard to make their money because they will go around comparing prices. Even if you offer them a good price and make their money this time, they might go to another shop the next time if they are offered a better price there.

Besides if honest shop can make $100 from 1 person, and "chopper" shop can make $300 from 1 person, then honest shop needs to spend time on 3 customers to make the same $300 while chopper shop just needs to spend time on 1 person

 

[r00ki3]

i bought my tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens there in bally photo funan several years ago, the guy there stated the price as 680, i was with my GF then (now she's my wife) and she insisted to get it for 600... and man, she was relentless!:bsmilie:

bally was the only shop left open that time, around 8pm, so i don't have a choice cos my GF wanted to share the cost of buying a lens as a Bday present, and she wanted to get it the day before my bday, so that on the actual day we could just enjoy.

anyways, the staff quoted the last price at 640... i asked him if that included GST and he said yes, after that, he asked me to pay first then he'll get the lens. i told him, the lens is just below the glass showcase, so might as well get it now, and we'll pay after inspection. so he had no choice but to get it.

after inspection, we proceeded to give him the cash, and that's when he started asking for 80 more, he said it's for warranty, and tax... i replied that he told me GST is inclusive in the 640 he quoted and he replied he never said that!

i got angry, i took the lens, asked my GF to step aside, and i asked the staff to go out from the shop and get the 80 from my pocket, if he could... he started to shout at me, so i came close to his face and told him... BE A MAN, QUIT YAPPING... IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY, LET'S BRAWL!

he shut up after that... and we just walked off! i'd enjoy scrapping it out with that scammer if he did came after us!

just sharing my experience, to TS, just enjoy your new toy... and do share your photos here in CS. just keep the filter as a souvenir of your first timer experience!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[raydio]

I can really sympathize with the TS and the horrible experience he had at Bally. After reading his post, I would never shop there.

If a definite and verifiable link could be made of Bally's association with SLR Revolution, then SLR Revolution is off my list too. Even if they have the best prices in all of Singapore there are things things that transcend money.... ethics and honesty.

I could relate to the TS's story because I was badly scammed in Hong Kong when I used to live there about 3 years ago. I was a novice buyer of Photo equipment and got scanned by the tune of $10,000!

I think that it would be a good idea to create a thread solely for the purpose of blacklisting these kinds of stores. It would at least help those who are new to Singapore or are new to photography and do their research.

I think the key here is to never give your money before receiving or inspecting the goods. I applaud the TS for posting here and reminding us to be vigilant.

I will never buy from the crooks at Bally nor will I ever recommend this store to friends or family. I would challenge anyone from Bally to defend their actions after reading all the posts in this thread. In fact, someone should print out every post and hand deliver them to the manager or slip it under their door after closing time. ... SLR Revolution too!

 

[zeisszf]

If anyone got scammed by this shop, solution isn't tht complicated, however u might nt get your $ back. (tht's the painful part). (1) Make an official complain to consumer association (2) Write to Straits Times Forum (3) Make an official complain to Funan Management Office, located inside the swinging wooden door on 5th floor food court. (4) Sue them.

Hope this help
My apology is someone already written what i wrote.

 

[NewbieInCS]

My colleague saw SLR Revo took stock from Bally.
In fact, if both shops below to same owner, it is not logical for the owner to run 2 shops in different manners, unless the owner has split personality. :bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

Maybe because the bally name is too smelly, so need to start a new one to properly sell and move stock? Seriously, if you go funan area on weekdays, you will find cp, j3:16, tk all really busy even though it is weekday...while bally staffs are busy doing nothing, even on weekends...

 

[louismuhammad]

i bought my tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens there in bally photo funan several years ago, the guy there stated the price as 680, i was with my GF then (now she's my wife) and she insisted to get it for 600... and man, she was relentless!:bsmilie:

bally was the only shop left open that time, around 8pm, so i don't have a choice cos my GF wanted to share the cost of buying a lens as a Bday present, and she wanted to get it the day before my bday, so that on the actual day we could just enjoy.

anyways, the staff quoted the last price at 640... i asked him if that included GST and he said yes, after that, he asked me to pay first then he'll get the lens. i told him, the lens is just below the glass showcase, so might as well get it now, and we'll pay after inspection. so he had no choice but to get it.

after inspection, we proceeded to give him the cash, and that's when he started asking for 80 more, he said it's for warranty, and tax... i replied that he told me GST is inclusive in the 640 he quoted and he replied he never said that!

i got angry, i took the lens, asked my GF to step aside, and i asked the staff to go out from the shop and get the 80 from my pocket, if he could... he started to shout at me, so i came close to his face and told him... BE A MAN, QUIT YAPPING... IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY, LET'S BRAWL!

he shut up after that... and we just walked off! i'd enjoy scrapping it out with that scammer if he did came after us!

just sharing my experience, to TS, just enjoy your new toy... and do share your photos here in CS. just keep the filter as a souvenir of your first timer experience!

I like your approach

 

[night86mare]

BE A MAN, QUIT YAPPING... IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY, LET'S BRAWL!

he shut up after that... and we just walked off! i'd enjoy scrapping it out with that scammer if he did came after us!

maybe he didn't understand what you were talking about. :bsmilie:

 

[panpan]

I went down to Funan on Sunday too to buy some camera stuffs, go directly to TK Foto as recommand by this forum. TK salespersons:thumbsup: even help me to put on the screen protector that I buy from other place free. It the small thing they do that made my day.

I so lucky that I do research here before I went down. I am a newbie too, so I understand how you feel.

 

[romeo tango]

Nope. I will still boycott SLR Revo if what I hear is true.

They dun deserve our business. There are many ethical retailers out there so I will support them instead.

Just because they are $10 cheaper wont sway me to support an owner with split personality with questionable business ethics.

Refer to post 39 (sorry, don't know how to link single post).

 

[nitewalk]

Wow. This shop again. And if they did the things you mentioned here, then they are really outrageous. I would be stumped if I am caught in this situation.

Anyone going to buy things from Bally. Please bring me along. I want to witness first hand how they conduct their business.

They are fantastic talkers. I went there a few times before I joined CS, and almost got my dslr from there. Something told me that is not right about the shop, as I been buying electronics stuff on my own from young, so I did not buy from them. Instead I gave the boss a hard time with my suggested budget, and even that he managed to move me with a model of dslr which I don't want.

I think if you go there, you have to keep a strong mind. If not, they are pretty convincing people.

 

[ahming111]

i bought my tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens there in bally photo funan several years ago, the guy there stated the price as 680, i was with my GF then (now she's my wife) and she insisted to get it for 600... and man, she was relentless!:bsmilie:

bally was the only shop left open that time, around 8pm, so i don't have a choice cos my GF wanted to share the cost of buying a lens as a Bday present, and she wanted to get it the day before my bday, so that on the actual day we could just enjoy.

anyways, the staff quoted the last price at 640... i asked him if that included GST and he said yes, after that, he asked me to pay first then he'll get the lens. i told him, the lens is just below the glass showcase, so might as well get it now, and we'll pay after inspection. so he had no choice but to get it.

after inspection, we proceeded to give him the cash, and that's when he started asking for 80 more, he said it's for warranty, and tax... i replied that he told me GST is inclusive in the 640 he quoted and he replied he never said that!

i got angry, i took the lens, asked my GF to step aside, and i asked the staff to go out from the shop and get the 80 from my pocket, if he could... he started to shout at me, so i came close to his face and told him... BE A MAN, QUIT YAPPING... IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY, LET'S BRAWL!

he shut up after that... and we just walked off! i'd enjoy scrapping it out with that scammer if he did came after us!

just sharing my experience, to TS, just enjoy your new toy... and do share your photos here in CS. just keep the filter as a souvenir of your first timer experience!

from reading your post, i'm assuming you are some big sized guy and tht guy prob can be pinned on the floor with just your fingers.

btw, did you bought the lens in the end?

 

[raydio]

I went down to Funan on Sunday too to buy some camera stuffs, go directly to TK Foto as recommand by this forum. TK salespersons:thumbsup: even help me to put on the screen protector that I buy from other place free. It the small thing they do that made my day.

I so lucky that I do research here before I went down. I am a newbie too, so I understand how you feel.

This is how repeat customers are created!

I like TK Photo too. I bought a tripod there in August.

 

[spree86]

Hi
I am really very much surprised to know about this episode at BALLY PHOTO STORE, how are they surviving in their business just by looting Tourists and First time local buyers, all Clubsnap members can avoid purchasing from them, this is the way to teach them a lesson, further whenever he abuses a customer, call the police and file a case against them.

BTW please let me know which shop and market area is the Most Reliable with well traind sales persons in Singapore ?

Thanks
alok

The shops recommended here in CS are more reliable than the others but you still have to do your homework before going down. If SLR-R is really linked to Bally then a bit more caution when buying from them should be exercised. Alan photo also seem to get quite a few complaints recently...

 

[Technospaz]

I've never bought anything from Bally but I did buy a lens from SLR-R. Service was good and the staff was a pleasant chap. No problems for me, though I didn't realize that SLR-R and Bally are inter-linked. If I knew, I wouldn't have given SLR-R any business. Purely on principal alone, I'd stay away from the whole group.

 

[fireflyzhu]

ok, maybe i post a photo this evening, actually i also took a photo of the scamming manager, should i also post his photo? but the rude sales, he was avoiding my camera, so i did not get a photo of his face.

TS, can you post a photo of the gears you have bought with receipt so that we can at least verify the authencity of your claims. I still cannot image someone selling cameras will "put everything into a plastic bag and throw it out of his store and asked me to go. "