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Shopping for Electricals |
First, a bit of good news
"Dear Sir,
I would also like to add my recommendation of the store Visanta, particularly the store placed in the Plaza, Playa del Ingles, the staff were very friendly, NO push, gave good advise (being an experienced photographer this was easy to check on), but the other stores in the "Yumbo" and the new one at Maspalomas sited in the new "Veradero" shopping mall are equally as good. They will stamp the warrantee card, which is normally covered world wide with the manufacture ( I have checked this with Sigma Imaging UK), they offer a seven day trial while you are on Holiday,providing you keep the packaging and return the goods in as "new condition" they will either give your money back or an exchange ( price difference will be arranged) similar to the terms found in the UK. I don't think a fairer offer can be found else where!
This company is the best place to trust and spend your hard earned money. I have checked out a number of the other stores, " very dodgy" buyer beware!
From: Andrew D Shirt, Staffordshire, UK."
and then ....
After reading the reviews about the camera shops in the resort i went well prepared. i knew which camera i wanted and the price i would pay in the u.k.. i did get a good deal on the camera i wanted, i paid £240, at home it would have cost £429. i did plenty of looking round the shops before buying and made sure it was the same model i wanted. some shops were displaying an old version of the same camera very cheaply but when i looked at those i knew they would not work on my computor at home. so i did get a good deal. once i had bought the camera the salesman then said i needed a larger memory card, which i did, but then the price of the card was well above what i would have paid in the u.k.but after a while i did by the card (£20 more than it costs at home) and a case for the camera (cheaper than at home. so overall i came off well. the next dealing i had with a camera shop was with one of those in the shopping centre by the harbour, the last camera shop before you get to the cafes and bars, think the name of the shop was jai shivam electronic, that is what it says on the photo packet. it was the last day of our holiday so we decided to get our film developed at the shop as it said ready in 25 minutes. after handing over the 36 photo film the asian at the shop said they would be ready in one hour, so we sat by the bay. after an hour i went back to the shop but was told they would be another 15 minutes. so i went back to the shop after 15 minutes to be told the photos were ready, i got a 10 euro note from my pocket to pay and he then told me it would cost 42 euros as the photos were special. i told him he was talking bollocks and walked out of the shop saying i would return later. after a while we both returned to the shop and the photos were placed in a bag and he again asked for 42 euros. i again told him that he was trying to rip us off, so he called over another salesman and he also said the photos were special. i told him that i had asked at the shop two doors up how much it would cost and that they had said 9 euros. he replied that nobody in puerto rico developes a film for that amount. at this point i do not know how i stopped myself from hitting him, we then said we did not want the photos and started to leave. he called us back and said give me 19 euros. we told him to get lost and that he could keep them, at which point he asked how much we would pay for them. at this point we had had enough so i snatched the photos off the counter whilst throwing ten euros at him and walked out of the shop as he protested.
Dodgy people are everywhere and unfortunately Gran Canaria is no different. Some shop owners will try and charge tourists a higher price by not having an official price on view. But the law states that all restaurants, hotels, bars or shops must have an official price list stamped by the local government "Cabildo Insular de Turismo" and it has to be on view to the public. Sometimes the service in a hotel, restaurant or shop is very poor. The Canary Ministry for Tourism gives tourists an opportunity to make a complaint, but this service is very rarely taken advantage of. Every business that has a link to tourism must have a complaint book containing official numbered complaint forms. If you are not satisfied or feel you have been conned, then you have the right to demand a complaint form 'hoja de reclamacion'. If you have any problems don't hesitate to contact the police. If you want to register a complaint with the police - dial 902 102 112 and ask for an English-speaking operator. This is a new police service. They will make out a report with you by phone and fax it to the local police station here where you can go to collect a copy if needed. The complaints are numbered consecutively so the owners cannot just throw them away. The forms can be completed in any language.
MY ADVICE - I'm not going to be a popular person around town for this but hey, they (the shopkeepers in question) have themselves to blame. Unless you really enjoy haggling over prices (for anything up to an hour) and know you have spotted and are getting a bargain, I'd avoid the electrical shops here in Puerto Rico and head for Las Palmas for a day of shopping and see some of the city there too. Some of the shops here are starting a "fixed price" way of working but are fixing them too high and you'll get a lot cheaper shopping where the Spanish shop. Besides, I've heard too many complaints about all the electrical shops (in particular camera shops) here and am always asked to warn people. Typical "shopping experience" stories are .......
I went to Centro Commercial shopping Centre in Puerto Rico on the 27/05/02, which was only last week. I had not any intentions of buying a camera or camcorder as I have both. However going around the shops I was surprised at the low prices and started comparing them with my own cameras specifications.
I looked into a few windows and this very helpful fellow at Foto Airline called Vicky gave me a price of €305 on a Sony TRVE digital camcorder and a second price of €320 for a Sony 6x digital camera 3.2 million pixels plus €85 for a 64 mb memory stick. He told me to look around and I would see that he had the best prices.
I went away and came back to buy all three for €710.I explained that I did not want the model on display as it was badly marked to which he replied he would get me a new one .He asked how would I pay I replied I would pay cash of €400 and put the remainder on my credit card. He said I was better putting all on my credit card, as it would be covered by insurance to this I agreed. At this stage he said it would take 10 minutes to get it cleared by the credit card company.
He gave both my partner and I a seat to sit down while he got it sorted he said he had to go out for a few minutes. I remarked to my partner that he was probably going to get a new camera in the stores.
At this point we were introduced to a conman called Sonny who went on to tell me how good a JVC DVL100 camcorder was. He was doing a complete package of camera bag and six tapes for the magnificent low sum of €1800. He went on to say that the cameras I wanted to buy were no good and was old stock. I agreed that the JVC camera was good but not worth €1800. He then went on to say the tapes were €101 each the bag was €100 and taking all this in to consideration I was getting the camera for €1100. I told him I was not interested,a reply he was not prepared to accept. This went on for an hour in which he refused to give me back my credit card slip as I told him that I did not want to have any dealings with him as he was trying to rip me off.
At this point I saw my credit card slip and tried to retrieve it. but the shop owner intercepted me telling me it was private property and I had no right to go behind the counter. Again I asked for my slip to be returned, as I had no intentions of spending any more that I first agreed to. After another 40 minutes I agreed to pay an extra €400, which brought the total to €1100 this they agreed to. I handed over the €400 then three minutes later they said there had been a problem with my credit card and the €710 had not been passed. At this stage I was ready to hit them they wanted to know had I got another credit card, what cash had I? They said they would drive me to the bank to get the money. I told them I could not get money from the Bank as I only had my credit card. They then went through the pretence of ringing up the credit card company, at the same time asking me to pay cash, which I refused.
About two and a half hours later Sonny said he would let me talk to the credit card company I asked him did they speak English to which he replied in the affirmative. I took the phone off him and a voice on the line said I was only passed for €350. I recognised the voice as the shop owners and threw the phone back at Sonny telling him I did not want to talk with him and in the next ten minutes asked for my €400 back at least ten times he refused saying the card was authorized for €350 and this had gone through. I told him it could not have, as I had not signed anything.
At the end which was approximately two and three quarter hours later I gave them a further €250 cash they gave me back the slip for €710 which I tore up and then signed again for €350. At this point I got the camera and was then informed that they needed my passport number. I told him I did not have it and they did not need any more information off me. They were quite adamant they wanted it and insisted that Vicky accompanied me back to my apartment to get the number. When we got there he asked my mother and fathers names saying he needed this information. I gave him fictitious names and he went.
The following morning I phoned my card company to ask their advice. They informed me that there had been three attempts to get money form my card and they closed it down as a security precaution and yes a sale had come in for €347 not €350 which I signed for, this I have to investigate further. I went into a few shops and priced the camera they quoted me prices of €450 to €750 and fell around laughing when I told them what I had paid. I went back to Foto Airline and told them they were worse than criminals as they had robbed me they had held me hostage against my will with the credit card slip. I wanted a refund or at least €300 of the €400 they robbed me of. He asked me where I got my prices and he would get Sonny to go to the shops. I went with him to a shop two doors down who had quoted me €450 for the complete camera five minutes previous to this. When he saw Sonny I could see the fear in his eyes and said the complete camera cost for a bag, pal system etc; would be €1000.
Is there no protection for honest tourists in this country? I have had words with my travel rep and told him they should warn tourists about these people. Perhaps compile a black list and give it to the holidaymakers then armed with this knowledge they could decide if they wanted to take the risk or not. I hate to think of these leeches waiting to suck innocent people dry
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just a wee note to inform you of a scam that is currently going on in puerto rico...
May15th. Commercial centre. VIDEO STORE. Bought a fuji601zoom digicamera plus extra memory card for 250Euros Got home to Dundee Tuesday am...telephoned bank,,found that I had been Mugged...they put through 2500Euros.!!!!!! can't remember getting a receipt However, the wife signed a form for Customs????? Blank... I think that this is how they screw people.. Youngest member of group named PACO Other guy fat with glasses the third tall dark and slim. Boy have I been Done ! Coming from McDonald's,,, The Video Store is located (on the left-hand side) at the top of the stairs to the left is another set of stairs as you go up the stairs Video Store is ahead of you. I' m coming back in October But Video STORE may have moved on by then.....
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This was my first time with this type of holiday, so I relied on bits of information picked up from a friend at work, it had been 15 years since my friend had been on holiday there, never gave it a thought to check on the internet for information.
I needed a new camera before setting off on this holiday, I decided to buy while there in Gran Canaria assuming it would be cheaper, I knew the model and how much it costs, found a shop and entered, started on the camera I went to buy.
It is the way they work quickly getting you interested in another model, I was there for about 45 minutes up to an hour saying no, also I was there on my own, had other relatives been with me they would have contradicted to my spending so much money and I would have walked out of the shop.
I bought the camera plus accessories thinking if I have paid the same price has at home UK nothing lost, (last thought phone home and get someone to price it up. I didn’t).
The one thing I would like to point out is the way the unscrupulous shopkeeper worked, he asked me how I was going to pay ’ by credit card’ ‘may I see’ showed my credit cards, I have two, he then said that is ok, gave him the card which I normally use for large transactions, he then came back saying ‘the line is busy have you another card’ I then gave him my other card which went through no problem, checked the amount all ok as agreed and signed.
When arriving back home to the UK there was a letter waiting for me dated the day after I made the purchase, it was from the Fraud Detection Department of the first card that was used the one with the busy line, the transaction had gone through, so that would mean I would have paid twice for the same camera very unscrupulous of him.
To capped it all the camera plus accessories I could have purchased at home out of an ordinary camera shop £400 cheaper and purchased on the Internet £600 cheaper, I have marked this one down as a nasty experience.
For those who will be holidaying in Playa del Ingles say hello to the shop keeper in the shopping centre C.C. YUMBO No. 342-9.
Main entrance where the buses stop, up some steps to where the shops start turn right walk a few yards and the shop should be on your right (if he hasn’t moved) FOTO DALLAS, there should be several Asians outside to entice you in.
But all in all the holiday was a very nice, warm and relaxing holiday, plenty to eat, drink, smoke, that is all one should spend their money on.
I am doubtful that I would go there again too many undesirables (Asian shopkeepers).
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Dear Sir/Madam, Please excuse me writing in English (Gracias !). I want as many people as possible to know about this matter that I describe below: I have just returned from an Airtours holiday- Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, Tobago hotel - Enjoyable except in one detail. I bought a digital camcorder from a shop – details to follow, according to the salesman costing approx £1400 in Britain (a JVC DVL 150), with several accessories that would come to £200 at the very most. To my disgust on returning to England, the retail price (without accessories) comes to around £500. I have been ripped off to the tune of about £700. (About the same cost as a holiday plus spending money!) I am in the process of seeing if my credit card company can do anything for me – but the point of the letter is that you may wish to pass this information to your reps and inform other Brits not to go to this shop. The salesman, (conman), took advantage of my naivety of digital camcorders, but even allowing for profit margins, and stupidity on my part, this is clearly a grossly immoral transaction. I am considering what further action to take. I am sending copies of this to all the hotels (about 100) in Puerto Rico, and several newspapers in Gran Canaria. I cannot see myself returning to Gran Canaria because of this incident, which is a shame because I found most of the local people to be very friendly and helpful.
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We toured the electronics shops of Playa del Ingles, around 1996. After haggling in numerous shops we eventually obtained a '32 in 1' game gear cartridge. This was a tremondous bargain when compared to the price of just 1 game in rip off uk.
However we did suffer the abuse of one asian shopkeeper, where the price (although cheap) still wasn't cheap enough for us. He told my wife that she was a bad mother for not buying what her child wanted. He repeated this several times. I almost hit him, but thought better of it. We left the shop with his abuse still being hurled at us.
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We have just had a wonderful holiday in Gran Can', we stayed at the beautiful Anfi Beach Club in Arguineguin (forgive spelling) and not having been abroad for 10 years, it was paradise - until we took a shopping trip to the C.C.City shopping complex in Playa del Ingles.
We bought a digital camera from a photographic shop called 'Foto Templehof' . This cost us 150,000 pts which we paid for with our visa card. When we returned to our resort, we decided that it wasn't really what we wanted so we returned to the shop in the evening and exchanged the first camera for another one which was 180,000 more expensive. We decided to ' top up the first payment with the extra amount with our bank card. Now, while all this was going on, we were given drinks and shown lots of different products, so our attention was not 100% on what was going on. Anyway, away we went with our new camera.
When we returned to the UK, we found that the shop had charged us twice for the one item, 150,000 on our visa and 168,000 on our bank account. Our visa company say its not down to them as we had signed the receipt. Our bank say its not down to them as the second payment was correct. I cant phone the shop as its an answer phone and I don't speak Spanish. I feel very hurt and let down as I believe we were duped, but I don't see why they should get away with this. It may be a mistake on their part and I wish I could get a fax number to try and see if they would return one payment. The whole business has ruined what was a fabulous holiday. I don't imagine that you would be able to do anything, if anything it might be a warning to other visitors. thanks for listening,
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We went to Centro Commercial shopping Centre in Puerto Rico on Thursday 29th June. Not planning on getting anything more than gifts I wandered into an electronic shop with my girlfriend after we saw a nice Slim Panasonic CD player in the window. As per normal, the shop keeper jumped out and asked what we were after, I said a CD player and he pulled one out quoting a £20 price tag which he has drawn up on his calculator. I then said that my Girlfriend was after a slimmer one. So he got the Panasonic one out. He said he could do this for £19 - we liked the sound of that price but didn't have enough cash on us. So we said we would have to go to the bank and withdraw some money. He asked for her card and swiped it though his credit card machine, then asked her to enter her pin number (he did look away). The machine showed an error message - he said no matter, we have an ATM machine and pointed to the shop window, where there was an ATM machine in the shop, but pointing outside.
All three of us marched outside where he put my girlfriends card into the machine and pressed English. She then entered her pin number as he quickly looked away. The very second she did so, he turned around - pressed "Withdraw cash", and pressed what we thought was £20. Various Peseta notes were issued as just as my girlfriend picked them up, he took them and went back to the shop. He quickly counted the notes, put them in the till and gave us back 1000 Pesetas. He then processed to put the CD player in a bag quickly taking about international warranties etc, and then said we could have free batteries. We were happy enough with this, though he turned around and said that he had no cheaper batteries left but we could have very good ones for that peseta note. My girlfriend handed it over and we left the shop wondering what commission was charged by the bank for withdrawing that money.
All was fine, we returned home with the CD player and my girlfriend went to the local TSB auto teller to get a statement (we could not do this in Gran Canaria), we were shocked to see a withdrawal for £78.01 We processed into the bank to say that a mistake had happened, I explained what we had done and the bank attendant explained to us that the machines in Gran Canaria would not have shown withdrawals in pounds only pesetas. So we then released that the shop keeper had pressed 20,000 pesetas and taken £80 from us. We feel extremely betrayed by the shopkeeper, we placed a lot of trust in him and he clearly abused that trust by taking an extra £60 from us. Is there any action we can take, I have contacted the bank who are going to trace the ATM machine so I will have the address - this will take a few weeks. I also have the phone number for the Spanish tourist office in London which I plan on phoning later on. I feel really angry and powerless from here but will do as much as I can to see this matter though.
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OK so I was wrong. I said I was prepared to buy a Camcorder and I did, but not from any of the electrical shops in PR. Of course I went round several shops, trying to get the best deal I could. When I eventually did find a shop - the Royal Bazar - I haggled a price down to £150 for a camcorder with everything included, which in the UK would cost £400. Unbeleivable!
As soon as I handed my money over however, the mood changed.
First, he said that the price didn't include a tape. OK I said, how much. 8000 pts (£30+). I had already read up on the subject back in the UK and knew a camcorder tape should cost no more than a few pounds. I said No.
Then, he told me several untruths about the machine. He said it would'nt work in the UK because it was a PAL version. I told him PAL worked in the UK so he replied with "But this is a PAL2 version. Crap!
Then he told me about the lux of the camera. He put the Camera onto a TV screen and showed me the picture. You could hardly see a thing. I had read up on this model and I knew it would work OK. I asked him to turn the contrast up on the TV. Then he got nasty.
I asked either for this camera or my money back. I was getting very nervous at this stage - he had my money and I didn't have a Camera. He said, I have a super model I will show you. I said NO. I got angry then. I cracked up, I felt like hitting him (although I knew it would do me no good).
Eventually he backed down. He handed me my money back. I stormed out of the shop. On the way out he shouted something which finished with ...Irish Bastard.
I took no more risks. I would think that most, if not all electrical shops in PR have the same "sales pitch". I went into Visanta in Playa del Ingles and saved around £60 (on the UK price) for a decent enough Camcorder.
The Internet however is a wonderful thing. I can now tell all you nice people out there about my experience and warn you about them. So the next time your in PR, take a little race into the Bazar Royale (its right beside the Highlander Pub, in the Cental shopping center) and call the man behind the counter "A RIP OFF BASTARD". And tell him I sent you.
If you do decide to purchase in the resort (and I strongly recomend you don't). DON'T hand over any cash or credit card until you have seen every part of your purchase working and you actually have the bag ready in you hand to take home.
Better still, pay the £2.50 bus return to Playa del Ingles and go to the Visanta shop. They have a web site (www.visanta-es.com) and the service and guarantee are second to none.
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This comment is about phtography shops
"We both experienced and witnessed several incidents of foul play, abusiveness and general trickery not in keeping with the resort, i feel they certainly lower the tone in the centre, one English guy had his cretit card ran through even though he changed his mind on the sale, a nasty slanging match enseud, what they do is they under quote usually say a camcorder saying its 150 quid then when you hooked on it with cash out they try to get you to upgrade telling all sorts of untruths about the model youre interested in, in an attempt to get you to spend more if you dont go for it and wish to proceed with the original low price they try a variety of tricks like would you also like a battery and charger with that camera sir?? it will be an extra 80 pounds or so!! then they can get abusive if no deal is done. Out of the blue we were called irish gits in "foto expert" by a mem of staff and then some other guy apologised. It was awful, I've lived in London a long time and never seen the like of it .. however although it would be good if you could do something about it, i.e. alert people ect. Otherwise, Puerto Rico is a wonderful place I`d recomend it to any one. cheers again... mike"
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Watches seem to be a good buy though
"Using feedback from your site I purchased a digital camera and a watch both of which were hassle free.
It's certainly worth waiting until you can shop in the Canaries Watches I was interested in were an Omega Seamaster Chronograph, list price UK £1,550, offered at £1130 and a TAG Heuer 2000 Professional Chronograph, list price UK £995, offered at £584. Both based on exchange rate of 260 ptas to £1.
Although I didn't go to Las Palmas. I went to Joyeria Geneve in the Yumbo centre where I was helped by a young lady of German extraction. I think the main thing is that if you know what you want and it's not in the window go in and ask. You can sit and browse through catalogues of the likes of Omega, Breitling and Tag Heuer and if they think you are serious they will arrange for the model you are interested in to be brought to the shop, usually within 15-20 minutes, and you can enjoy a beer on the house while you wait.
I'm sure there are other jewellers selling watches of similar quality, but make sure they are licensed and can offer at International guarantees."
Somebody else adds "And just in case someone thinking it sounds too good to be true, my hubby bought me a Tag Professional Ladies watch from Helga's (PR Centre) in 1999 for £400 instead of £900. I took it to a jewellers in Oxford when we got back and he confirmed it as real and on sale in his shop for £899.99 !!! The bargains are there if you know what you are looking for. Make sure you know the model and price in England before you go and you'll have great fun gloating over the massive savings when you get back (and don't forget to insure it when you get back!!)"
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If you have a story to tell, tell ME! Always on the lookout for stories, good or bad to tell others. Let me know if you have a nightmare of a story to tell or better still, if you shopped and got a bargain and where you got it from.
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