A cautionary tale
Discussion
Just been to Lanzarote for a week - the Canaries are duty-free, so we were on the look out for a cheap and slim camera to slip in Mrs Puggit's handbag. We were in the resort of Playa Blanca, which is littered with camera and perfume shops, taking advantage of the duty-free prices and influx of tourists - all run by Indians.
We knew which camera we wanted (last year's Casio Exlim), and knew the price in the UK (€185). The best price we found was €120, paying by credit card.
When we went to buy the camera, they sat us down, gave us beer from the fridge and took an imprint of the credit card, saying it was a fraud protection measure. I wasn't too fussed, the card didn't leave my sight.
While we waited we got on to SD cards - they started at €180 for a 2Gig ultra II SD card (10 mps), then amazingly we found ourselves at €74 within minutes... The cheeky sod at one point even took a slower card, placed it in the camera and said "look, it doesn't work". The camera said the card was locked - clearly he'd write protected it and was pulling a fast one. I took the slow SD card from my mobile and showed him it working...
We waited 5 mins, then they told us they couldn't get authorisation for the card. Did we have another card or better still, would we pay by cash? Provided a different card, and watched closely while he tried to get this one to work. "The phone lines were down..." We went back twice over the week, but still down... We refused to pay cash - at no point did we see the box that a new camera would come in.
We tried another shop which had earlier offered us the camera for €129, paid by credit card. Suddenly the price was up to €140. When we looked at the camera he took a picture without flash, showed it to us on a screen. Then took a picture with a 'Fujian' camera with flash and told us how much better it was. We walked out...
Got the distinct impression that all the shops were on the con - nice cameras in the windows, but when you went in it was wall to wall tat behind the counter which you got the hard sell for.
We knew which camera we wanted (last year's Casio Exlim), and knew the price in the UK (€185). The best price we found was €120, paying by credit card.
When we went to buy the camera, they sat us down, gave us beer from the fridge and took an imprint of the credit card, saying it was a fraud protection measure. I wasn't too fussed, the card didn't leave my sight.
While we waited we got on to SD cards - they started at €180 for a 2Gig ultra II SD card (10 mps), then amazingly we found ourselves at €74 within minutes... The cheeky sod at one point even took a slower card, placed it in the camera and said "look, it doesn't work". The camera said the card was locked - clearly he'd write protected it and was pulling a fast one. I took the slow SD card from my mobile and showed him it working...
We waited 5 mins, then they told us they couldn't get authorisation for the card. Did we have another card or better still, would we pay by cash? Provided a different card, and watched closely while he tried to get this one to work. "The phone lines were down..." We went back twice over the week, but still down... We refused to pay cash - at no point did we see the box that a new camera would come in.
We tried another shop which had earlier offered us the camera for €129, paid by credit card. Suddenly the price was up to €140. When we looked at the camera he took a picture without flash, showed it to us on a screen. Then took a picture with a 'Fujian' camera with flash and told us how much better it was. We walked out...
Got the distinct impression that all the shops were on the con - nice cameras in the windows, but when you went in it was wall to wall tat behind the counter which you got the hard sell for.
A quick search for "fujian camera" on Google provides a list of unhappy people who bought cameras in the Canaries!
My experiences of the canaries have only been as a 14/15/16yr old kid going along with my dad to look at cameras and things and you're absolutely right. They are ALL on the con in one way shop or form. Or perhaps no, con perhaps is not the right word - they simply are using very spurious sales techniques that you-and-I mr-head-screwed-on could spot, but perhaps less technologically savvy people may not.
My dad and I on one occasion were looking for a specific camera (I forget which one now) and you'd walk past all the shops (literally 20...30 shops) with prices in the window and the price would be X. Then you'd see one 10% cheaper, so walk in "I'll have that please". But they would not let you buy it without buying an extra (a battery, or perhaps memory card). Of course, heavily marked up!
It obviously works on a lot of people.
My dad and I on one occasion were looking for a specific camera (I forget which one now) and you'd walk past all the shops (literally 20...30 shops) with prices in the window and the price would be X. Then you'd see one 10% cheaper, so walk in "I'll have that please". But they would not let you buy it without buying an extra (a battery, or perhaps memory card). Of course, heavily marked up!
It obviously works on a lot of people.
TonyHetherington said:
My dad and I on one occasion were looking for a specific camera (I forget which one now) and you'd walk past all the shops (literally 20...30 shops) with prices in the window and the price would be X.
Ahhh, interesting! I've not been for probably 10yrs (I'm 26 now) but I do remember the way things were done changing every year (we went for a few years running to different canary islands - in fact my parents are flying to F.Ventura tomorrow - and it was always interesting to see how it changed each year!
Makes sense; get you in, and once you're in you're fooked. Well, most are.
Are there any western blokes owning camera shops out there? Strikes me that with such a bad reputation, a well heeled white westerner would perhaps retain more kudos with his products than the other shops, simply because every other shop is exactly the same? Just musing....
Makes sense; get you in, and once you're in you're fooked. Well, most are.
Are there any western blokes owning camera shops out there? Strikes me that with such a bad reputation, a well heeled white westerner would perhaps retain more kudos with his products than the other shops, simply because every other shop is exactly the same? Just musing....
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