Where did you kena the biggest 'chop-carrot' scenario?


Status
Not open for further replies.

LukaviZ

New Member
Feb 3, 2009
367
0
0
Singapore, East Sider
Just wondering, how many of you have bought some photography-related item, only to find out that it's much much cheaper at another shop?

I'm just curious as to where would be the proper places to shop for particular items. I believe it would help most, if not all, of us get the best bang for our buck. =P

I'll start by sharing...

I bought a giottos blower (i think it's M size), for 18$ (ftw..), only to find that CP(M) sells it for somewhere in the region of 12$... Though it's only 6 bux im still pissed... kns. lol
 

Had a street interview shoot once and realize i forgot to bring DV tapes.

Since i was at orchard road i had no choice but to go to the Lucky Plaza tourist stores.

Then i consciously got chopped carrot about an additional $6-$7 since the tape was overpriced;

"Boss, 5 piece each $5.50, sell?"

"Wah you market researcher is it?! $6.00 take it or leave it."

Outside they sell it cheapest about $3.50 to $4.50 a piece so i guess i got chopped consciously.
 

There's a list of reputable shops and plenty of price information here. Not reading them .. the money spend is your tuition fee. No worries, everybody spends a fair amount. You're not alone.
 

There's a list of reputable shops and plenty of price information here. Not reading them .. the money spend is your tuition fee. No worries, everybody spends a fair amount. You're not alone.

mmm actually i notice that prices for a handful of items may not be that easily obtainable. Sometimes some buys are just items you know you need and you see it and just buy... that was what happened to me. lol...

Ultimately, it definitely pays to do a little more research for big ticket items... but smaller items tend to get forgotten... and perhaps that is where these shops (fyi i bought the blower from one of the reputable shops) stick heavy price tags on the items and lead you to think that it is indeed 'fixed price' and not open quotes, as well as base the reliability of the purchase on the reputation of the shop. Nonetheless, i guess i'll generally avoid that shop from now. too bad for them, though not like it makes much of a diff to them
 

Had a street interview shoot once and realize i forgot to bring DV tapes.

Since i was at orchard road i had no choice but to go to the Lucky Plaza tourist stores.

Then i consciously got chopped carrot about an additional $6-$7 since the tape was overpriced;

"Boss, 5 piece each $5.50, sell?"

"Wah you market researcher is it?! $6.00 take it or leave it."

Outside they sell it cheapest about $3.50 to $4.50 a piece so i guess i got chopped consciously.

Will it be cheaper if you decided to go back and get it from your home ? It goes the same if you buy mineral water from Sentosa, yet its legal, approved by the tourist board.
 

Will it be cheaper if you decided to go back and get it from your home ? It goes the same if you buy mineral water from Sentosa, yet its legal, approved by the tourist board.

Well i guess my carelessly just before a shoot has resulted in myself being chopped!

It's the same as how careless shopping will result in people getting chopped at "SLS" type shops. Just the other way round!
 

i was looking for a hoya 52mm uv filter for my 50mm f1.8. many shops dint have the norm grade one and only had the mrc grade. so i came across an alleged reputable shop in SLS 1st floor, went in and asked. that uncle quoted me 20 bucks for it. when i asked him why, he came up with alot of jargons that made the filter 'god like'! in the end i got it at 10 bucks at 6th floor. haha! that was my near kena chopped experience...
 

I've never really been bothered with couple of dollars difference. Like, if I am already there at the shop say MS Color and see they sell 5DII for 3,780 and I know I need 5DMII, I wouldn't think of leaving the place empty handed and come back again another day just so I can go home and check if other places are selling cheaper...(Cathay 3,750). Well, I AM sure whatever I buy isn't the cheapest but IMO, it's just silly to waste the trip and time which would've costed more eventually.

Then again, usually, before I go to a shop to pretty much be ready to buy something, chances are, I would have done my research. I got my BG from a shop at Lucky Plaza without thinking twice after he quoted me a price cheaper than elsewhere, if price is right, hey why not. Save my time of going to Peninsular to visit the 'reputable' shops. Just make sure you've done your research.
 

Ok my experience was when i wanted to purchase my Flipside 200. Needless to say headed down to one of my favourite lowepro hunting ground, CP.

Supercrowded, looked around and found out it was selling at $117, was alittle bit put off by the price because i'm sure the price i researched was lesser then $100.


Nevertheless i just walk to the small shop opp CP, saw the Flipside 200, gave it a go, turned out that they were selling @ $99 no catch whatsoever.

Picked it up, paid and left like a happy kid who got his transformer toy at last.

Nearly Carrot-ed.

Not placing CP as a "Chop" shop, but was disappointed that a reputable shop had a higher price tag. Maybe because they had a crowd whom places their reputation above money and cents? "Shrugs"
 

Last edited:
Ok my experience was when i wanted to purchase my Flipside 200. Needless to say headed down to one of my favourite lowepro hunting ground, CP.

Supercrowded, looked around and found out it was selling at $117, was alittle bit put off by the price because i'm sure the price i researched was lesser then $100.


Nevertheless i just walk to the small shop opp CP, saw the Flipside 200, gave it a go, turned out that they were selling @ $99 no catch whatsoever.

Picked it up, paid and left like a happy kid who got his transformer toy at last.

Nearly Carrot-ed.

Not placing CP as a "Chop" shop, but was disappointed that a reputable shop had a higher price tag. Maybe because they had a crowd whom places their reputation above money and cents? "Shrugs"

well, for one, i paid more for the same thing at a reputable shop too. it seems that most of the time they only try their best to match lens prices, because they are far more researched and easily compared on the forum as compared to small misc items where prices are not as common.

like a giottos blower. :embrass:
 

CP is the distro for Lowepro locally, if I'm not wrong. So, it might make sense that their sticker price isn't exactly going to be the lowest..
 

Try SB in SLS, they overpriced the a200 by $300 :bigeyes: In case you're wondering, I bought it :dunno:
 

Go befriend someone working at alan or cathay, for all you know, they might get you items at staff discount (almost close to the cost price). Did it once with a friend of mine (no longer working there) and saved about $200. :bsmilie:
 

near miss experience though...

once went to this shop in peninsular plaza (or is it shopping centre?). Tried to get a Lambency Flash Diffuser ... the fellow at TXX quote me 45 bucks...

but decided against it...

went online and got 1 for 20 bucks ;p
 

Never had this experience before, cos i always do my homework first and i know where i can get the best deals.
 

seldom happens to me.. last time was when i got a 2gb mem stick pro duo for 15 more
 

Once I was in China and needed a miniDV tape. Went to a big departmental store and they sell it at RMB65, which is approx SGD$13 then.. much more expensive..

Actually I wanted to just buy a firewire/DV cable to transfer the video to computer and reuse the tape, but almost searched the whole city/town and no electronics shop sells it.. so no choice but to buy the overpriced DV tape....


Had a street interview shoot once and realize i forgot to bring DV tapes.

Since i was at orchard road i had no choice but to go to the Lucky Plaza tourist stores.

Then i consciously got chopped carrot about an additional $6-$7 since the tape was overpriced;
 

Ok my experience was when i wanted to purchase my Flipside 200. Needless to say headed down to one of my favourite lowepro hunting ground, CP.

Supercrowded, looked around and found out it was selling at $117, was alittle bit put off by the price because i'm sure the price i researched was lesser then $100.


Nevertheless i just walk to the small shop opp CP, saw the Flipside 200, gave it a go, turned out that they were selling @ $99 no catch whatsoever.

Picked it up, paid and left like a happy kid who got his transformer toy at last.

Nearly Carrot-ed.

Not placing CP as a "Chop" shop, but was disappointed that a reputable shop had a higher price tag. Maybe because they had a crowd whom places their reputation above money and cents? "Shrugs"

I think CP's prices tags are marked up, the sales person would quote a lower price if you approach them personally.
 

I think CP's prices tags are marked up, the sales person would quote a lower price if you approach them personally.

Actually i approached the salesman twice at different times and asked for the price even when the price tag shows $117. Because got a few experience where the price tag shows a price but the salesman offers another, somehow its my natural instinct to ask.

But still $117, thats why the disappoinment.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.