Where not to buy Camera's

[backpacker]

the OP obviously didn't do his homework. lesson learned but hopefully he will do his research before making another purchase. it is so easy nowadays to do price comparison shopping on the internet. i think there are a lot of people out there who are very naive in terms of shopping. i actually met one guy on the elevator over the weekend asking me advice when he also got ripped off on a camera purchase on Nathan Road. He paid well over $3K USD when in fact he could've gotten it for less than $2K.

[wayland]

I can understand being ripped off for 10-30%, but paying $14,000 for something that's worth $5,000? Surely there aren't many tourists who are that naive are there? You don't impulse buy a $14,000 camera surely?

+1


Not even a bewildered tourist is going to pay almost 3x more for something. A Caucasian, with hand carry luggage in tow, camera around neck, city guide AND boarding ticket stubs in their back pocket and holding an MTR map could walk into any shop in TST and not get ripped off that badly.

[Football16]

I can understand being ripped off for 10-30%, but paying $14,000 for something that's worth $5,000? Surely there aren't many tourists who are that naive are there? You don't impulse buy a $14,000 camera surely?

You would think not!

I had a completely opposite experience at Broadway in Mong Kok last year. I knew the prices and was set on this Sony digital camera that my business partner had. Lots of fancy things on it - I was set on it. But now I see a Pentax that is even cheaper by some $400HK so I ask to look at that. I ask which takes better pictures and this clerk says the Pentax. He gets called away and another clerk comes over he also says Pentax. Now the two clerks are there and I ask them why they are down selling me when a third clerk who been right there the whole time writing some stuff out for his customer interjected and said - you asked each of them what camera took the better picture. They are just saying it is the Pentax as that is what you asked.

I was so impressed I decided to buy one for my wife also and also a cell phone.

[jonnye]

I believe the phrase is caveat emptor... To the OP the only thing to say is 'really!'. Whether or not the shop you mention on Nathan Road is a rip off is beside the point. For a start there are loads of camera shops on Nathan Road against which a quick price comparison would have been trivial. Secondly, as has been mentioned impulse buying a dSLR is a barmy idea...

[climber07]

Secondly, as has been mentioned impulse buying a dSLR is a barmy idea...

Amen,

Anyone who impulse buys a DSLR, probably always blames their crappy vacation snapshots on a camera and thinks buying a DSLR will automatically turn them into Ansel Adams.

There is absolutely no good reason for anyone "being taken" (BY THIS MAGNITUDE) on this kind of purchase. If you're buying a serious piece of photography equipment, you would think some research would be conducted before hand. But then again, if the OP took a little time, he would probably would have not only known the (ball park) price, but also a few reputable dealers.

If walking up & down Nathan Rd does not set off on a ton of tourist trap alarms (i.e. "Copy Watch?, Copy Handbag?, How about a suit?...."), then in my opinion $9,000HKD is simply an added tax for st.......

For anyone else shopping for photo equipment....Here is a frequently updated HK price list (with store names). Very good indicative prices.

Welcome to YG Billy's World of Photography

[KnowItAll]

climber07 - great list.

[MovingIn07]

I think you are all a tad harsh. I believe myself to be smart and consumer savvy and I've ended up on the wrong side of a 'take the idiot for all he's worth' scam (this one was vacation homes, like timeshare but different) ... I managed to extract myself but not without a small loss! We can all have moments of weakness otherwise, as others have noted, these shops would not be in business. While i would never in a million years consider TST as a place to buy anything, let along electronics, it's pretty easy to see why so many tourists seem to think it is a good place! How many consierges are on commission etc etc ??? Anyway, it's a warning to all - not a recommendation for Sogo, after all, I'd avoid there like the plague too given how over priced it is!

[er2]

Hmm. Harsh but I'd still say it was a bogus statement. I'd say for a commodity item like a camera you should have at least an idea of the order of magnitude of the price. That was why I asked whether he bought a MF back. Then, 9000K would be like 5-15%. But everyone who even knew that there is a Canon 1000 should know that it is a third of this price... That, first post, and the recommendation of Sogo.... rather fishy. I mean, it is not as if it was like Singapore, where places like Sogo are the only ones that actually have price tags.

[clarence_kwan_h]

or u can check Price.com.hk

Canon EOS 1000D (???) - DSLR ???????? - ???? - ????? Price.com.hk

[MrMoo]

Yes, Nathan road is not the place to buy electronics, actually pretty much anywhere in TST should be avoided. That sales guy must have been happy.