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Online Shopping for Electronics

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sgstrait
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Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by sgstrait » Tue, 18 Aug 2015 4:28 pm

I am looking to buy an upscale camera kit, and the google searches keep popping up with an outfit called Value Basket which seems to have prices that are hundreds of dollars cheaper than anyone else.

It has a "Singapore" number, but on closer inspection they seem to have a number for most major countries in the world and it appears to be one of those "portable" numbers.

Anybody had any experience with them? Their prices look to good to be true. Worried about parallel or grey imports.

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nakatago
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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by nakatago » Tue, 18 Aug 2015 8:39 pm

sgstrait wrote:I am looking to buy an upscale camera kit, and the google searches keep popping up with an outfit called Value Basket which seems to have prices that are hundreds of dollars cheaper than anyone else.

It has a "Singapore" number, but on closer inspection they seem to have a number for most major countries in the world and it appears to be one of those "portable" numbers.

Anybody had any experience with them? Their prices look to good to be true. Worried about parallel or grey imports.
Sounds as reliable as I am likely to win the 60 million dollar lottery jackpot. As with all of life, if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

For sounder photography-related advice, you're best off lurking http://www.clubsnap.com/

There are a few online shops but they are very rare. Even the brick and mortar shops are more likely to rip you off (avoid Lucky Plaza and the lower levels of Sim Lim!) and those that don't, don't have the best prices but they make up for it for very good customer service. Case in point, John 3:16 don't have the lowest prices but they're willing to discuss with you at length to truly address what you need; they'd tell you to buy cheaper gear if it turns out that it will suit you more.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

x9200
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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by x9200 » Wed, 19 Aug 2015 8:48 am

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/valuebasket.com
I would never do any expensive shopping in a place with such rating profile and these are for the UK and other Western countries where typically the companies tent to adhere to more strict customer serving quality standards. Also notice, all the ratings are very recent.

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nakatago
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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by nakatago » Thu, 20 Aug 2015 8:18 am

Emergency123 wrote:
nakatago wrote: Case in point, John 3:16 don't have the lowest prices but they're willing to discuss with you at length to truly address what you need; they'd tell you to buy cheaper gear if it turns out that it will suit you more.
John 3:16 is closed . I would suggest http://www.bhphotovideo.com with international shipping.
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

...fortunately, they'd still be around, albeit online:

http://www.thecamgarage.com

That said, please realize I've been off island for more than 2 years now. :roll:
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

x9200
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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by x9200 » Thu, 20 Aug 2015 9:58 am

John 3:16 was also my store of choice for the last few years. Is it really gone or the son just decided to start up his own business? It looks like the later.

http://www.thecamgarage.com/about.html
http://www.john316photo.com/John_3_16_P ... /Home.html

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nakatago
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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by nakatago » Thu, 20 Aug 2015 11:04 am

x9200 wrote:John 3:16 was also my store of choice for the last few years. Is it really gone or the son just decided to start up his own business? It looks like the later.

http://www.thecamgarage.com/about.html
http://www.john316photo.com/John_3_16_P ... /Home.html
It seems that holding a store in Funan (or just a plain brick-and-mortar store) just wasn't cost effective anymore and doing a one-man show was more worth his while while still being able to 'sell' and advise about camera gear.

John 3:16 is most probably the father's branding, who decided to retire from the business. Then, Sam, still wants to go on but differently to better face the drastically changed landscape of photography retail. And since it's his call, he might as well call the venture whatever he wants.

...it's a working hypothesis.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by x9200 » Thu, 20 Aug 2015 11:33 am

That what I was thinking initially but if you read in the pages behind the links the one for John 3:16 says:

Samuel is now on his own now and if you wish to follow him on his new adventure,
LIKE his facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/TheCameraGarage


It doesn't sound to me like a retirement or business close statement.

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nakatago
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Re: Online Shopping for Electronics

Post by nakatago » Fri, 21 Aug 2015 1:35 pm

x9200 wrote:That what I was thinking initially but if you read in the pages behind the links the one for John 3:16 says:

Samuel is now on his own now and if you wish to follow him on his new adventure,
LIKE his facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/TheCameraGarage


It doesn't sound to me like a retirement or business close statement.
Well, it's not like John 3:16 is gonna open a different store. :?
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

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