Catalina Lighting P/l - Stay Away!

[tabogal 1]

Like to share our bad experience @ Catalina located at 560 Geylang Road, near to Lorong 32...

Me and hubby went sourcing for kitchen lights and went into many many shops along Geylang Road. We saw one particular design of light that is suitable for our Victorian styled kitchen theme but many shops do not have the 40W size.

But when we went into Catalina, we saw the another similar design but of a different colour(blue), so we enquired with the boss if he has brown or pink colour and in size of 40W and 32W (cuz we needed 2 lights).

The boss, w/o any enquiry or checking, told us that he has it, just that it is not on display and it is in the warehouse. This made us really excited cuz we've been spending many days, walking around balestier road, jalan besar and geylang, trying to look for that 1 shop that has what we needed! So w/o much hesitation, we asked for the price, a little discount, some amendments to the lights and we made payment for it.

Since the light is of antique style, the boss is willing to let go at quite a cheap price. We only paid around $150 for 2 lighting and remote control point and extra tube. We thot it was a really really good deal! The transaction was smooth and we made full payment with NETs and was told that we could collect the lights the following day.

Happy us, left the shop, and stop our light hunting day & went to Jalan Besar to collect our bathroom accessories.

Less than an hour after we left, we receive a call from Catalina.... The boss said that he has went to warehouse and check but he only has the design we wanted in 32W size and not 40W size!!!!! I kinda expected it cuz many shops we went to, said the same thing, but the only difference is that, they checked b4 assuming they have it in their warehouse! And the boss said he has another design in 40W size, which is the same colour but has no prints on it. We told the boss that, in this case, we do not want 2 different design of lighting & we wanted our refund back! The boss then told us to go back to his shop and look at the other design first. But it was already 6+ and they will be closing at 7pm. And the best part is that, we do not drive! So no choice, we took a cab down.

Upon reaching the shop, we already knew which design he's gonna show us cuz we've already saw that plain design in many other shops. So I outright rejected and asked the boss to refund. Immediately, the boss face turn black!!! Even though he did say if we do not like it, he won't force us to take, but he said it in a very reluctant & arrogant way! But nvm, as my concern is to get our money back, I really don't care if he's happy or not. Cuz in the very first place, it's his fault for not checking and promise us that he has it!

So we asked for cash refunds since they can't stop NETs transaction, neither can we. So the boss asked his accountant out to give us the refund. The accountant suggested cheque as the payment will only reach them tomorrow. We really don't understand this stupid policy of theirs cuz once NETs is approved, it's approved!! They'll definitely get their money, y worry???!!!

But nvm, we accepted it since we just want to get our money back, no point arguing. But then, the accountant said they cant refund the full amount cuz NETs will charge them a transaction fee of 1.5% and if we want our refund back, we need to bear the cost!! WTH??!! Hearing this, hubby got really hot! He reason with them on why we should bear the cost since it's them who promise us that they have what we want, but when they don't have it, we have to accept something else, if not, we have to bear the transaction fee! I mean, this is common sense, we want A, u give us B, then when we do not want B, you penalise us by asking us to pay for the transaction fee??!! Is that the way you should do business? Even though the money doesn't go to you, but hello, it's ur fault, u should bear the cost, not us!!

Although 1.5% is only about $2+ but it's more about being responsible than the money! So hubby, argue with them, saying it's unfair, and told the boss that we even took cab down just for this issue, so is it right that we can claim the cab fare from them?? At this point, the boss got loud and started shouting that we can't say this cuz if we claim cab fare from them, they can also claim their transportation fare from us cuz he sent his workers to warehouse to check for the lights, also need money! This is really unreasonable! U r doing business, it is only right that you go to the warehouse and bring the good down, when is it consumers liability to pay for ur transportation fee?? OMG!!! The boss just want to be unreasonable, cuz we are just quoting an example, not really asking him to pay for our cab fare, yet he doesn't get it and try to act ah beng!!

So the arguement begins and hubby and boss are shouting at their top of voice! Seeing this, I really just wanna get the cheque & leave the shop b4 any further damage happens. So i asked the accountant to just write me the cheque, deduct whatever they want, I just wanna get most of my money back!! And I heard the boss saying things like, "If i don't refund you, u also cannot do anything to me, if u dare, go sue me la", "I'm very good already hor, if u walk down the street into any shop, buy their stuff and then ask for refunds, who will give you?? Not everyone so nice like me, ok?", "You really very stingy leh, $2+ also cannot kan kai", .....

Hearing all these really make me boil, but nvm, i just wanna settle things, get my cheque, but hubby is still there quarrelling with him. But i keep telling him to just stop arguing with this kinda people cuz it won't help and we need him to sign on the cheque, then we can leave!! So finally, reluctantly, he signed and we took the cheque and left.

The cheque was deposited and we did get our money back, but not the full amount. Till today, we are still very upset about this incident cuz we really couldn't believe this kinda shop owners still exist. In order to do business, he will w/o checking or verification, promise you that he has the item you want, but it is in the warehouse, and when he doesn't really have it, he want you to accept his other items, if you want refunds, you'll have to bear the transaction fee. I was thinking, imagine we've bought like the whole house lighting and the total bill amount to $1000+, 1.5% would have cost us $10+ for nothing!!!

So lesson learnt, always ask boss to check & verify b4 you made payment & if there is a choice, pay via cash or credit card! Never use NETs unless you get ur item immediately!!!

And of course, AVOID this shop @ all cost. We believe that, no matter what problems you meet in this shop, the boss will only act AH BENG, unreasonable, scare you by shouting very loud and give u that kinda wanna fight feeling. He will not resolve the problem nicely with you, all in all, he is just not civilised at all. And obviously, he is a very stingy person, $2+ also don't wanna bear even though it is his fault for not checking, still have the cheek to say we're stingy when he owns such a "big" shop!!

Shop @ other lighting shops cuz we've met a lot of nice people along geylang road, jalan besar & balestier road... Just like we finally got our lights from 168 Trading @ Jalan Besar.

[summerflowers 0]

I can understand your frustration. After spending so much time, thinking that you can get very own lights of your desired design, but it came to nought. From this incident and from my past experiences, it's good to pay for large amount by cheque. If you do not get your goods, you still can cancel your cheque instead of going through such an upsetting situation of arguing with unreasonable people.

Great that you're able to get your lights in the end. Hope to see pics of your house soon.

[tabogal 1]

I can understand your frustration. After spending so much time, thinking that you can get very own lights of your desired design, but it came to nought. From this incident and from my past experiences, it's good to pay for large amount by cheque. If you do not get your goods, you still can cancel your cheque instead of going through such an upsetting situation of arguing with unreasonable people.

Great that you're able to get your lights in the end. Hope to see pics of your house soon.

Agree, always use payment mode that you can make a 'stop order', in case of such situation....

I only did the kitchen & bathroom reno, so will upload pics once everything is completed!!

[Sembawang Lighting House 0]

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Edited May 31, 2010 by Sembawang Lighting House