Sim Lim Square Mall hit by complaints

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Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Jan 30, 2009
Sim Lim hit by complaints <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Chua Hian Hou </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">

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The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 188 complaints about retailers in the mall in 2007, and 119 in 2006. -- PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
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COMPLAINTS against Sim Lim Square retailers rose 30 per cent to 244 last year, increasing for the fifth consecutive year.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 188 complaints about retailers in the mall in 2007, and 119 in 2006. There were 103 complaints in 2005, up from 69 in 2004. Notable incidents last year included a Filipino tourist who filed a police report against one shop, alleging that its salesmen had assaulted him.
Read Chua Hian Hou's full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[scoobyhoo]

is it an innovative way to attract news?

 

[ahleebabasingaporethief]

If people want to do business that way let them lah. If dont cheat the FTs where got business. Anyway most complains by FTs bcos they know our Garment always like to "sut" their own kind.

But if locals complain against FT establishment, knn the garment seldom highlight and drag their feet. CCB!

 

[singveld]

i only go to sim lim square for computer stuff

i see a lot of electronic/camera shop there. I think they are really un professional, i will not buy anything from them. 95% of them are there to rip off anybody, stupid enough to shop with them.

i really rather pay more and shop in best denki (not those which rent space-those are shit too)

 

[coolmoedee]

It's obvious why the complaints are going up isn't it? That rat infested hole of a mall is full of shops manned by low-life hoodlums who perch on their high chairs and stare you down when you walk past. Amazes me that STB even bothers to accord bullshit Stars to shops there when they are ALL crooks.

 

[Cestbon]

Have been more than 2 year.I have never buy anything in SL. Most can be bought online which is much cheaper.

 

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Tan Wei Zhen
News Reporter

Sim Lim's black sheep cause worry
August 13, 2008 Wednesday, 09:28 PM

Tan Weizhen talks to Sim Lim's "good guys" about the "bad guys".
<hr style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-width: 1px 0pt 0pt; margin: 15px 0pt; height: 0pt;"> THE reaction of many retailers at Sim Lim Square to the increasing number of complaints being made against them is a shrug, followed by a resigned “what to do?” Read Sim Lim retailers back to old habits.
The owner of one shop on the 5th floor, which sells games, was typical: “We can't stop them. As soon as one vacates, another similar type of tenant will move in.”
Referring to the mall’s Star Retailers' Programme, a bid by Sim Lim’s management to clean up its act by giving retailers who abide by fair trade practices a, well, star, he added: “It’s not much use. It’s not a rule, just a principle that shops are encouraged to uphold. Shops like these will just refuse to join the programme, that's all.
“Can't force them.”

Sim Lim's management tried to clean up the tarnished image
of the Rochor Roat IT mall after a series of raids by
launching a programme that highlights honest merchants.
ST PHOTO: Joyce Fan​

Others are worried about what the mall’s dodgy reputation will mean for their bottom line.
The owner of one shop on the second floor said tussles over price and such are fairly regular.
“I’m definitely worried that it’ll tarnish my shop’s image since we're so near each other.”
That was followed, of course, by the “what to do” shrug.
“This kind of thing happens every day. But what can we do? I leave it to the management committee.”
Another retailer said it was time folks got with the programme and began serving customers well.
His rationale: The IRs and F1 race will mean more tourist arrivals than ever, and it’s time to think about cashing in on the business they will bring.
They can count out the business of at least one tourist, and the dozens of sympathisers he has online since he created a blog posting about how he was cheated and abused at Sim Lim.
The Filipino customer at the centre of the latest tussle, known only by his online moniker, “gerard mauro”, had this to say: “I can't imagine how much scamming happens in the place..I know there are still good shops there.
“But, in my case, at the risk of running into those guys again, I’ll never go back to that place again.”
His online supporters also gave some helpful hints on how to avoid trouble at Sim Lim:
1. Threaten to sue.
2. Do your research on prices before purchasing.
3. Try that other mall known for selling tech stuff. Hint: It’s not too far from Sim Lim.


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Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
<!-- headline one : start --> Sim Lim retailers back to old habits <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Tan Weizhen

</td></tr> </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.