Videocam cheaters & how they operate (Part 2)

Continued....

4) Back to monkey price again.  If you are unimpressed with the "magic show" and insist on buying the model that you have chosen earlier, take note that you will NEVER be able to buy it at the price they quoted earlier.  Simple reason..... it is below their cost price!  Even if you insist, they will give you a plethora of excuses like.. no stock, export model (no warranty), display model is not for sale or usually $XXX is only for the video camera.  Bags, batteries, charger etc... are additional.  When everything is added up, you will get back to more or less, the same price as the other shops (But sometimes more).

5) Hierarchy - Thinking of making a complaint?  No use really.  The way these 4/6 shops operate is simple.  For the salespeople, you're a "partner" in this business.  You don't get a basic salary, every sale you make, you keep 40% of profit and company will take 60%.  If customer comes back to complain, ask for refund etc... you are SOLELY responsible to clear your own mess.  There will not be a manager, colleague or shop owner to clear it for you because you are drawing high commissions from the company.  Once the sale is registered, if customer comes back for a refund and you agree to it, money will come from YOUR pocket, not the company's.  That's also why you don't hear many successful cases of refund and you can be sure that they defend their earnings to the very end, resorting to gangster mannerisms, if needed.

6) Billing style - If the price is legitimate, they will have no problems giving a breakdown of price on the invoice/bill.  If a company issues an invoice with itemised billing with at least one item listed above the local RRP/RCP (Recommended Retail Price or Recommended Consumer Price), the consumer will have evidence to dispute.

7) Several different shops, same management - Enough said.

8) Ever wondered why a high end videocam will have poorer performance compared to their recommendation?  The videocam settings may already be tampered with, in the first place.

9) When doing due diligence of pricing checks, do EVERYTHING.  I came across a very nice Australian couple once who walked into the store I was working for and they bought a DVD recorder from me.  When I asked them if they wanted to buy some spare empty DVD-RAM discs for their recorder, they said they had already bought it earlier together with their videocam from another shop before coming over.  Out of curiousity, they asked how much was I selling mine for and I replied S$29.90 which was RCP at that time.  Their faces turned pale immediately.  They paid $150 each and had bought 3-4 pieces!

10) DO NOT EVER ask for prices from another store AFTER you had bought your items.  These are "worms inside the can" question.  Don't expect to find anything inside the can but worms!  Few reasons:-

      a) "There's nothing in for me".  Even if the competitor gave you a lower price, you are still not going to buy another set from him.  So why bother?  Most of the time, they will want to have fun instead.... they'll give you a monkey price so that you'll go back to the shop you bought your videocam from and see you start a war with your them or just simply to make you angry you didn't buy from them in the first place.

      b) Even if you bought your product(s) at a genuinely good price (Cheaper than RRP/RCP), it will not do your ego any good if you found out that you should have walked a few more steps and gotten it for an even cheaper price.

In short, once you've paid for it.  Case closed.  Nothing is going to change anything even if you find out a lower price.

Footnote: If you do feel that my article helped you save a few hundred dollars, strengthened your knowledge or if you just wanna motivate me to write more, a small donation is always welcome through PAYPAL or to POSB Savings Account 032-61998-3.  I thank you in advance for your generosity.