It seems the situation is so bad that the consumer association is about to launch an accreditation programme to clean up the Rochor Canal Road shopping complex, a famous hang-out for tech geeks and tourists alike who can spend hours trawling the six floors of IT hardware and consumer electronics shops.
The mall has a dismal record — the number of consumer complaints against its shops has gone up for five years straight. Nearly 250 were filed with Case last year, 30 per cent more than in 2007. Sure, I’ve heard about one or two rotten eggs, but 250! I’m now pretty sure that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Among the major complaints are customers being fleeced, salespeople making misleading claims and shops selling defective goods.
Recently, it was reported that someone ended up paying $950 for a PSP while it was quoted to him at $334. Although this particular case was more a theft than a con, it happened at SLS.
The more I dug into this issue, the more I started to find.
As far back as 2007, stories such as these were found on SGcafe Forums:
He first quoted me a price of $75 for the normal battery but further persuaded me to buy a higher capacity battery with longer battery life and comes with a warranty which we agreed at the price of $105 with GST. In total, I paid $525 for my PSP. Later, when I told my friends about this, they told me that I had been conned as the standard pack of PSP does include the battery and moreover, the so-called “high capacity” battery that I paid for was actually the normal battery that was available in all PSP package.
To which other members in the forum replied with:
S$525 for a PSP!? THAT’S DAYLIGHT ROBBERY!
As I did more research, I found out that tourists are more often than not the innocent victims. Many on TripAdvisor said the ”electronics sales people from hell” were not from Sim Lim Square but also Lucky Plaza.
Here’s an account from an Australian tourist this year:
Got ripped off when buying a Sony PSP. Shop was on the basement level of Lucky Plaza. I managed to get the guy to accept $165 SD for a PSP 2000, thought this was great.. He then said he had the latest PSP 3000 but would have to pay an extra $70-$80SD for it, on top of that he said we needed to have a modified chip put in so that games purchased in Australia or elsewhere would be compatible. I then found out from a great games store in the new Orchard Plaza shopping centre that the PSPs or Nintendo DS are compatible in any country and did not need any type of modification chip.
In another account from a Filipino tourist last year:
My dad bought what was supposed to be an SLR camera (in Lucky Plaza)….Instead, the salesman sold him a camera that was released back in 2006. It wasn’t even an SLR camera. He assured him that it was a “100% SLR camera” but it turns out that it was just a complicated-looking digital camera. More than that, he overpriced it by S$600 dollars which is about US$400. It was awful.
While one could argue that these tourists should have done their homework first, I feel for those who are unable to fight for justice.
Do you have any horror stories to share from either Sim Lim Square or Lucky Plaza? Do you think CASE or the Tourism Board should do more to protect both local and foreign consumers alike?
That place famous for such carroting. Only a few IT hardware shops 5th floor onwards can go there buy, and provided you know what you want to buy, the specs and rough street retail prices. even some shops in funan can see a random occasional faulty goods. beware of those that has packaging open ones. usually they tell you they open up to check contents within but see challenger stores, they computer hardware items all selaed one where need to open.
really the palce is bad for sg reputation when tourist get ripped off here.
which idiot will trust those guys there seriously.....
rip-off joints lah these places... seriously... these places should be demolished..
actually i always dun understand this ppl.... why cant they do a honest business??? just like those selling MLM or time share... they are worst than rapist in my view....
I today went to SLQ, sian sia all nvr sell palmrest for my keyboard tat i want :(
A lot of foreigners running shops in Sim Lim too.
Originally posted by Junyang700:rip-off joints lah these places... seriously... these places should be demolished..
demolished liao where to find cheap it goods?? SLS still got quite a few reputable shops like fuwell, bizgram asia...
Most of the complaints originate from the shops up to level 3 selling gadgets like psps, cameras, etc.... Rarely the complaints come from those tech shops selling computer accessories and such. I myself do know some things sold there are priced higher than reputable sellers, so obviously I would avoid it.
People should do their own research before buying gadgets, and if they feel there is a risk buying from SLS for the sake of $$$, then don't do it. Just pay a little more and get it from a more reputable seller.
Well there are fools born everyday.
Still remember the $2600 PSP? Yeow Tat Shop anyone?
That was lucky plaza.
There are plenty of reputable shops in SLS. I for one am not afraid even of those con shops. Main thing is that u need to know what u r buying, and the market price. Dont go inside the shop to solicit for their opinions like - Uncle can recommend me? Sure get rubbish opinions. Know your stuff, and understand what kind of gadgets got aftermaket mods, and which dont.
These are the kind of customers that they wont bother much with. In fact if you dont even know all these stuff, you wont even survive as a salesperson in SLS. Those rip-off sales staff are good at reading people. They target blur fucks. So make sure u r not one yourself.
Originally posted by troublemaker2005:That place famous for such carroting. Only a few IT hardware shops 5th floor onwards can go there buy, and provided you know what you want to buy, the specs and rough street retail prices. even some shops in funan can see a random occasional faulty goods. beware of those that has packaging open ones. usually they tell you they open up to check contents within but see challenger stores, they computer hardware items all selaed one where need to open.
really the palce is bad for sg reputation when tourist get ripped off here.
I second this
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):actually i always dun understand this ppl.... why cant they do a honest business??? just like those selling MLM or time share... they are worst than rapist in my view....
they can't and i believe some of them uses their shops also as warehouse to store goods and for other sale purposes. these people do all sorts of businesses. some hardware they sell second hand ones are usually salvaged parts bought in second hand open market. that's why no warranty. they claim their own warranty but if things happen they will twist and turn. they also advertise on a lot of online webbies and sell stuff islandwidde. main thing is their stores are storeroom and stagging area for their products.