Sim Lim retailers back to old habits

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Sim Lim retailers back to old habits <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Tan Weizhen
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>




<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->COMPLAINTS against retailers in Sim Lim Square are on the rise again, five years after the launch of a well-publicised effort to get store owners to clean up their act.
According to the Consumers' Association of Singapore (Case), shopper complaints have risen steadily, from 119 in 2006, to 188 in 2007, to 133 so far this year. The Funan IT Mall, by comparison, usually receives between 20 and 30 complaints a year.
The increase comes amid a push by Sim Lim to shed its image as a haven for pirated software, pushy salesmen and shady shop owners.
Five years ago, management tried to clean up the tarnished image of the Rochor Roat IT mall by launching a programme that highlights honest merchants. Those shops were allowed to paste sticker on their shopfronts certifying them as a 'STARetailer'. Before the clean-up, police also raided shops that sold pirated software.
But the statistics from Case suggest many stores have slipped back to their old habits.
Shoppers commonly complained about being over charged and sold defective goods. Others grumbled about unsavoury sales tactics, misleading claims about products and a failure to honour refunds. Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[makapaaa]

Which goes to show how bad biz is!

 

[qwerty]

actually i do not know why they complain.

you want to buy something, you should do some research beforehand.

check the goods and agree on the price. not happy dun pay lor.. so simple

 

[omega]

Why would people want to shop at Sim Lim or Lucky Plaza

 

[Himerus]

agreed with bro qwerty.
those wanting to buy something from there,should do some research or at least goto a few shops to compare those prices before buying.

 

[phouse3]

I keep seeing this remark about doing your homework before buying which I don't agree.

It takes the fun out of shopping, doesn't it? We might as well do away with shops and replace them with vending machines.

If everyone simply head towards the shops and pick up what they want, human interaction will be minimised. Singaporeans' low EQ and poor communication skills will become even worse.

Interaction is important in training a person to think on his feet, to communicate, to sell a point, to discover the plus/minuses, to negotiate, etc.

We may live in a protected cocoon in Singapore but what if one day we have to live overseas? even as tourists? What if one day, Singapore is swarmed by forked-tongue foreigners or charlatan politicians?

All over the world, including Singapore of yester-years, parents make their children run errands for a specific reason - to train them for adulthood. Children are taught to be responsible for their own safety, their money, their time management, etc. Singaporeans are getting stupider because they don't have this kind of basic training.

 

[johnny333]

What if one day, Singapore is swarmed by forked-tongue foreigners or charlatan politicians?

Obviously that day is already here.

Got so many complaints about overpaid & under performing politicians & foreigners.

 

[jbsmith]

I have not visited for a long time.

 

[Microsoft]

This guy complain kena hamtam by SLS salesman...

http://forums.fuckwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2049846

 

[Cestbon]

Normally those con by salesman are stupid never ask around 1st in Sin Lim there are so many shop. Those shop in Sim Lim normally is educated one but con by salesman like this is original make in US/Japan.
Those lower educated normally buy in neighbourhood shop nearby their place at least anything when wrong they can get service right away but the price might be extra 5~10% but still worth it if you need shop service. Some of them choose to buy from big retailer like Court, Best Denki and Harvey.
I find that those normally been con are those educated one very FUNNY.

 

[qwerty]

Why would people want to shop at Sim Lim or Lucky Plaza

you can truly get cheap stuff in sim lim if you know your stuff and not kena chop carrot

 

[qwerty]

I keep seeing this remark about doing your homework before buying which I don't agree.

It takes the fun out of shopping, doesn't it? We might as well do away with shops and replace them with vending machines.

If everyone simply head towards the shops and pick up what they want, human interaction will be minimised. Singaporeans' low EQ and poor communication skills will become even worse.

Interaction is important in training a person to think on his feet, to communicate, to sell a point, to discover the plus/minuses, to negotiate, etc.

We may live in a protected cocoon in Singapore but what if one day we have to live overseas? even as tourists? What if one day, Singapore is swarmed by forked-tongue foreigners or charlatan politicians?

All over the world, including Singapore of yester-years, parents make their children run errands for a specific reason - to train them for adulthood. Children are taught to be responsible for their own safety, their money, their time management, etc. Singaporeans are getting stupider because they don't have this kind of basic training.

when you are buying stuff like electronics which comes with alot of options, you better do your homework.

It's not the same as buying a bag or shoes because some the these options cost a fortune too.

it may take the fun out of impluse shopping, but if you kanna chop carrot during impluse shopping then you better not complain lor.

cheap/good/fast, you can only choose 2 of them

 

[qwerty]

agreed with bro qwerty.
those wanting to buy something from there,should do some research or at least goto a few shops to compare those prices before buying.

i'm a liverpool supporter too!! hehe

great minds think alike!

 

[smoothnsleek]

I've always avoided the shops along the front walkway on 1st and 2nd floor.
You should be able to tell an honest salesman from a canman.

 

[silverfox@]

Do you really think that CASE would give a damn if those complaints were from Singaporeans? Since when did this toothless-PAP-lap-dog ever give a damn about lowering prices for locals.

Most likely those complaints are from foreigners/tourists stupid enough to shop at the camera stores, not the IT part, where prices are transparent.

I would the artivle would be all about "preserving" SG's tourist image, rather than locals getting slaughtered.

In singapore still have CASE. When I go overseas, I had similar experience. I don't even know go to who. Ever been forced by thai peddlers to buy their bags. Luckily its only few hundred baht. So not take it to heart. Went malaysia, got overcharged extra 100 ringgit. Same thing happens everywhere. Not only in Singapore.

 

[makapaaa]

In singapore still have CASE. When I go overseas, I had similar experience. I don't even know go to who. Ever been forced by thai peddlers to buy their bags. Luckily its only few hundred baht. So not take it to heart. Went malaysia, got overcharged extra 100 ringgit. Same thing happens everywhere. Not only in Singapore.

Best paid govt in the world, but wanna compare with Thailand?

 

[sally]

Never shop at Sim Lim :(

 

[DonJuanDemarco]

I miss the pirate shops in Sim Lim :(

 

[hunter]

When shopping at small shops at Sim Lim, always check and compare prices. Unless you want to be ketok