Beware of Game Shops Sales Tactics
I realize that a lot ppl actually dun really understand the way that game shops works and cheats so in the end a lot kena cheated by their sales tactics, i am making this thread for the benefit of all others that are buying psp or even other items like camera ps3 wii whatever from dubious places like sls n tekke street and lucky plaza and so on so forth. below are the way they cheats and advice to avoid kena conned. Hope that mod can make this a sticky so more ppl can actually read this.
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GST
Its the most common way that salesman use to cheat the public. a few pointer to let know to everyone here. GST stands for goods services tax. NOT ANY AND EVERY SHOP CAN TAKE GST FROM YOU. Under Singapore law only if that show is registered with the government on GST then it can charge you gst as every cent of the gst you pay go straight to the government,
Every company that are registered with the government on GST WILL HAVE AN GST REGISTRATION NUMBER and this number MUST be show on the company official receipt.
And if you suspect that the number shown on the receipt are fake you can call up government bodies to check the validity of this reg number against the shop name and details. It will be jail term under Singapore law for anyone who used an fake gst reg num or charge ppl gst but his shop is not registered with gst or claims that he is gst registered but unable to give you the reg number. You can just call government bodies to check on his shop license and everything will be out clear.
It is also near illegal for shop to quote prices without gst then when you come back they will say just now that price is without gst so after gst will be $$$... I remember reading out somewhere that any shop that can charge gst must let the customer know the actual prices of that item when they quoted the price in the first place, cant say this $100 then when you wanna buy he will say plus gst will be $107.
Gst is only FLAT 7% so dun let shop con you say plus this plus that add up gst are more that 7 percent. This is also an serious offence.
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Export sets
Export sets are those set that the shop tell you got no sony warranty as its not under official sony coverage. This kinda set is only for export uses meaning that by right you cant use that set in Singapore. And if an shop is going to sell you an export set he is suppose to state out clearly that the set is not for use in Singapore and gst are not collected for that set. as exports means its not under sing pore duties and taxes so he cant charge you for gst even if he is registered with gst. Actually by right he is also not even allowed to sell that kinda set in Singapore one but gov close one eyes only. Eg if you brought an japan exported set, beside the box sure got write SET IS FOR SALE AND USE IN JAPAN ONLY. So make sure shop dun charge you gst on exported sets as in the 1st place its not even allowed to be on sale in Singapore so it shouldn't occur Singapore taxes at all ma.
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Warranty
The next killer i will talk about will be warranty and returns. Always ensure that the warranty you get from the shop are authentic. How to know and check is simple.
On local sets ensure that you have an official Sony warranty card with date of purchase and place of purchases filled in before you leave the shop as if anything not filled in may cause void of warranty by Sony. always confirm that its the correct warranty card by check your psp set type with the warranty card as printed on the card will be the set type eg PSP- 1006 CW it sands for Asian psp set CERAMIC WHITE. PSP 1006 K stands for Asian psp set black.
Dun let shop fool you with fake warranty cards. There is no such things as only have official receipt from the shop and warranty are 1 year from Sony but shop say dun have warranty card one, and no such thing as no warranty card are given but you can just go home and registered your psp serial number online at sony.com. all these are fakes warranty types. And double confirm that when you get the set the OFFICIAL SONY WARRANTY SEAL ARE INTACT AND NOT TAMPERED. No such thing as the seal was removed or tampered but the game shop paste their warranty stickers over the official seal and tell you no worries Sony will honor the warranty when they see the company seal even with the official seal removed or tampered.
As for set that the shop say only got shop warranty, there be a few notes to take here. Make sure the shop says clearly that what type of warranty they provide. eg got shop say 6 months warranty but when u go back they will say yes warranty on free services but whatever parts spoilt you have to purchased from them. so in turn you still got to pay, some even more funny say 6 months then they dun give you an receipt giving excuse like paper went out so when u go back they will say did you buy from me?
so always ask for official receipt with terms of warranty stated down clearly with signature of salesman and ask him note that under what kinda situation will the warranty be void as i know 1 bro here kena cheated by a shop, shop says 1 year warranty on parts and services if spoilt by manufacturer errors, then his wifi card cant work then he go back to the shop then the shop ppl die die say he drop the psp so wifi spoilt so he will get free warranty on services instead but he got to buy $80 wifi card from them.
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Lighting hand
Some shop may make you blur like they will say get this this price get that that price then add this add that then this amt then plus GST, main idea here is to make you blur so you will pay more than what was agreeded so the catch here is whatever you are buying from him make sure he list out one by one with the prices breakdown on the receipt and make sure total $ amount is correct before you pay.
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No stock shops
Some shop in order to spoilt the market they will quote you low prices for the item you are buying then when you say you want then they will say oh i no more stock le have to wait 1 week then next week you come he will give you same excuse cos he just want to spoilt the market so deal ppl cannot get he also cannot get. Eg psp standard pack $229 version 1.5 GST included no need buy or pay additional stuff. Everyone know this is damn cheap price, you straightaway tell him ok you will have one and you will see him stunt and the no stock excuse will come out. so remember to scold him black shop before you leave.
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Special sets
Some shop may give you refurbished/ reconditioned sets and sell you as new say to say you cant really check this as only way is check security sony seal intact so ensure that housing was not changed before ad look for scratches on the set and for white psp can look for signs of yellowish. Check system info for user name see if it was names like tom dick or harry ha ha. and network settings for network saved there.
Unbricked sets are almost totally impossible to be sold as shop as its not cost worthy.
Some shop may remove certain parts of your psp then sell you at cheaper price so they can sell the items they removed eg wifi card or when you come back they will help you "repair" and charges you ao like what i said many times ENSURE THAT SONY SEAL IS INTACT. if seal gone then check throughly the sets buttons and everything before you leave that shop.
Firmware 4.30, 7.99, 1.23 whatever dun believe as all are just version spoofers, meaning they just change the name of the version only eg 1.5 - 7.11 so they can tell ppl this set special and rare so expensive too. An firmware is not easy to make, i last took 9 month to complete making one. so i dun think anyone in the game shop actually have time to give you special firmwares.
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Packages
Shop like to add package to customers so they can earn a lot. Eg $240 psp 1.5 std pack but must buy battery at $78 and warranty add another $50 and so on. if u dun want then you cant buy at $240. Make sure you know the prices of the items you are buying before you make a deal with this kinda shop, eg battery $38 so dun buy at $78 the same battery.
Know the type of package will help too like in a
Standard pack - set, battery, charger
Value pack - set battery , charger , pouch , strap , ear piece , ear piece controller
Giga pack - set battery , charger , pouch , strap , ear piece , ear piece controller , 1gb memory stick.
Just turn over the box you can see listed there What is included in the package. So ensure ppl dun take out things inside to sell you haha.
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Update 05/03
The confused
Confusion is an deadly weapon. Some salesman will quote you low prices like maybe $30 lower than normal prices then when you wanna buy he will say its a must to do an this or that service at $? or they will say a lot of rubbish then tell you go out an search for better offer if you don't believe they have the best price and of course when you cant find an better price than him when you go back he will say ok he sell you at that price then he psycho you buy memory stick form him using the excuse that his set is selling cheap so his memory stick are also cheaper than the rest and when you brought and asked around you will know that he pull down psp set price but pull up using memory stick and other services prices so earned a lot $ from u. , 1 victim today le, peeps hope that this help.
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Advice
When you go and buy something act knowledgeably on that item, dun go into an game shop saying sorry but i am new to psp can i get one from you as 99.9% you will kena chop vegetable head cui cui. do some homework before you buy things.
If you kena cheated by an black shop selling you an export set then say gt warranty then shrink responsibility in the end, look at his official receipt, if he never include an sentence saying that set sold are for export uses only and not to be used in Singapore, take that receipt to the police and report him selling an export goods without quoting in receipt, or you scare him using this he will lan lan one.
Always check receipt to make sure that all information are in correctly places eg, type of warranty, warranty date from date to date, set type and serial number, with what additional items, GST registration number, CORRECT total $ amt b4 n after GST.
Check the SONY WARRANTY SEAL IF in tact or tampered.
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QnA
Q - if ur PSP spoils and ur firmware is any of the OE versions
its not valid for the warranty by sony galleries
and if its not a PSP-1006K
its not a local set
A - erm actually half right half wrong as if your psp spoilts then just update to to maybe official sony version 3.0 can le ma. Downgrading or upgrading your psp will not void your warranty. Usually sony will just update to the latest 3.11 no matter what version you are at when you send it in.
And it do not need to be psp 1006k to be an local set as there is an possibility that there are us, china or japan sets that can be local as in distribute by Sony Singapore on special orders but they will come with 1 year sony Singapore warranty. the only way of differentiating an local set with not its just the warranty card given and detail must be correct on it.
http://psps.sgforums.com/?action=post&forum_id=2535[url]