The SG 900 facial massage

[ex-pat]

I just wanted a one time facial massage, i ended up paying SG 900 dollar more.

I was offered a 48 dollar vitamin c/ collagen facial massage by a well know beauty centre. I accepted the offer without hesitation as i feel my face is a bit dry due to sun exposure.

I booked my appointment on a convenient day, as i step into the centre (dont want to mention the company name). I find the people there rather too friendly which is why i feel so at home as soon as i stepped in. They asked me if i want to use the Jaccuzzi as it is ok to use since im a constumer too.
Since I arrived earlier than the slotted time I went to the jacuzzi and emersed for a whle.

The massage lasts about 75 minutes, the attendant was rather pleasant explaining step by step what she is doing , what she is applying etc. Its not the first time i had a facial massage i ve done it quite a number of times in the past but I dont do it as a necessity. I know im looking after my skin properly by eating healthy food ,drinks plenty of water and do my regular exercise.

After the session iwas ushered in a lounge and offered me tea, which i accepted. I know they are going to ask me if i want to sign up for a package but i have already a ready answer which is NO. I dont want to compromise into doing something that i dont feel i really need.
I said no thank you, when they indeed ask me if i want to sign up. I said i enjoyed the massage but thats all i need i am satisfied with one session and thats it.I said NO 10 times when they tried to offer me discounts plus 5 more free sessions etc. I keep saying no thanks, i will come back if i want to. And they began to push more, they even said my name will be taken out from thier data if i dont sign up now which i said its ok theres not a problem for that. I can feel the person is more and more pushy and making remarks like my skin is so dry thats is why SHE IS HELPING me to look good. So i better sign up NOW. I said again and again I will come back if i need a facial, but she keeps telling me if i come back my name will not be in thier data anymore and they wont give me anymore discount. I said ,thats fine i can go to other outlet and she said the same my name wont be in thier other outlet s data anymore so i better sign up now because the promotion is going to end soon.
She said i can pay on a installment if i dont want to pay in full.
She offered me a one year installment plan which is about 45 dollar a month for the next 12 months. Its sounds reasonable for a 10 session of facial massage but i dont like it when people push me to sign up if i said i dont need it.

I swear im gonna finish all 10 sessions and dont ever ever come back in that place anymore....

[beppi]

This is clearly a case for the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) and the Small Claims Tribunal, as you were involuntarily pushed into accepting a contract that you did not want.
They will assist you in talking with the merchant and finding an acceptable solution (most probably cancellation of contract and full refund).
If you paid by credit card (as you always should in such cases), also contact your bank and dispute the charges.
And you SHOULD mention the name and address of the shop here and elsewhere to warn others from having a similar experience. Only customer pressure will change anything in this respect!

Good luck,
Frank

P.S.: In similar cases I usually explain in a friendly manner that I do not like to make such decisions in a rush, so would like to collect their leaflets with details and come back in a few days in case I want to subscribe. Only companies I don't want to deal with would then still insist and try to push me further!

[Saint]

Did you not know where the front door was

[vidya463]

Its pretty the same everywhere. They are just doing their job. I faced the same situation when I went for a 10$ one off haircare treatment few weeks back. In spite of lot of cajoling by the sales girl, I gently told her I do not have enough balace in my credit card and walked off.

[ex-pat]

@ beppe yes i did expalin in a nice way i can always return whe i decided i want another facial but that didnt work. I swear i will never return. The lady is so insistant that i REALLY NEED to sign up for that promo ...

@ Saint yes i know where the exit was, but didnt want to be rude , there was 2 of them shoving the plan in my face. I could have dashed out of the door. I know im such an idiot! A soft hearted idiot that is....

[ex-pat]

Its pretty the same everywhere. They are just doing their job. I faced the same situation when I went for a 10$ one off haircare treatment few weeks back. In spite of lot of cajoling by the sales girl, I gently told her I do not have enough balace in my credit card and walked off.

@ vidya very smart of you to be able to do that. I think i felt i was a million dollar rich after that nice massage that I coudnt think of a smart way to exit gently.

[beppi]

Even more reason to call CASE and Small Claims Tribunal if they really made you feel you have no other choice than signing in order to escape. This tactic is called pressure-selling and is exactly aimed at taking advantage of soft-hearted people like you. You shouldn't accept this!
You can - and I hope you will - get the contract cancelled (with the help of CASE and SCT) and receive your money back!

[x9200]

@ Saint yes i know where the exit was, but didnt want to be rude , there was 2 of them shoving the plan in my face. I could have dashed out of the door. I know im such an idiot! A soft hearted idiot that is....

But will you likely do it again or not? For sure you will face zillions of such situation in future. Being nice often does not pay off in SG. Being rude pays better

[x9200]

Even more reason to call CASE and Small Claims Tribunal if they really made you feel you have no other choice than signing in order to escape. This tactic is called pressure-selling and is exactly aimed at taking advantage of soft-hearted people like you. You shouldn't accept this!
You can - and I hope you will - get the contract cancelled (with the help of CASE and SCT) and receive your money back!

I am afraid for such people it will be twice as challenging to file a case in SCT than it was to refuse to sign up for the promo.

[ex-pat]

Even more reason to call CASE and Small Claims Tribunal if they really made you feel you have no other choice than signing in order to escape. This tactic is called pressure-selling and is exactly aimed at taking advantage of soft-hearted people like you. You shouldn't accept this!
You can - and I hope you will - get the contract cancelled (with the help of CASE and SCT) and receive your money back!

I am afraid for such people it will be twice as challenging to file a case in SCT than it was to refuse to sign up for the promo.

Its a long procedure and time consuming....Thanks i learned a lesson here.

[beppi]

It's neither long nor time-consuming:
Friends of ours who came to visit Singapore were pressure-talked into buying a digital camcorder at a shop in Chinatown, only to find the same S$300 cheaper elsewhere. CASE people went with them to the shop on the same day and they got a refund on the spot.

[vidya463]

It's neither long nor time-consuming:
Friends of ours who came to visit Singapore were pressure-talked into buying a digital camcorder at a shop in Chinatown, only to find the same S$300 cheaper elsewhere. CASE people went with them to the shop on the same day and they got a refund on the spot.

Would they have received the refund if they were not cheated or over priced by S$300 ?

[ksl]

Go to CASE, nothing to lose and a lot to gain, been there done that! Works a treat! Almost got ripped off again last week with a 900$ item, they said they would send the guarantee to me, the manual was missing, when i got home, everything was missing, as i checked online....On return I said I don't wish to go to CASE, and I flashed my CASE membership card. Not to mention that the price they advertised was a lie....Reduced from 1999, when it was only reduced from 1799.

The amount was instantly returned to my credit card.

[mrswkn]

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[djfiii]

I guess I'll play devil's advocate here - why didn't you just pay for the single massage and then leave? Unless you were physically threatened (which you clearly were not, according to your description), I don't see a valid reason for this transaction to be overturned. If you are uncomfortable with high pressure sales people, then by all means, buy what you came for and never return to that place - let your money speak for you. But you were not obligated to purchase that package, no matter how hard they tried to make you feel like you needed it. If you are incapable of saying "no", that's your own problem, not the merchant's. Ultimately, if enough people find the sales tactics abrasive, they won't return and the business will suffer / go bankrupt.