Sanitary Ware Supplier Who Does Not Stand By His Product

[gcdanilim 0]

I had a bad experience with this supplier Hong Soon at Jln Besar and feel a need to share it. My house was being rebuilt last May when I saw this mirror on display and sale at Hong Soon which I quite liked. It was longish and oval and actually had a smaller oval longish mirror mounted on a border which had smaller mirrors. The salesman Edward, said they were having a clearance sale and the mirror was a Grohe crystal mirror made in Germany. The price was $250. I told him that mirrors would tarnish/rust unless they are good quality ones and even then, these still would rust. He said the crystal mirror was a good quality one.

I went away not very convinced. I was at another supplier, Multico, and chanced to ask about crystal mirror. The lady there Karen said $250 is a good price for a crystal mirror as it would be a good quality one.

So I returned to Hong Soon and reiterated that my house was being built, etc. and I had to store and keeep the mirror at least till end of the year. He said no problem.

The rebuilding took 3 months more and I moved in last month. My contractor hung up the mirror which at a glance looked nice, but next to immediately, one could see that the edges of the smaller mirrors (the border) were rusted.

I called and spoke to Edward who said I had to bring it down before he could assist. When he saw the mirror, he first said that it was not a Grohe one, was on clearance and there was no guarantee. I showed him the invoice which did not say it was a clearance stock mirror. He then said when I bought it, it was already like that. I replied that he should not insult me by saying that I would pay $250 for a defective mirror.

When I informed him I was a lawyer by training, he said he would keep the mirror for his management's decision. I was in Taiwan most of the following week but would have received the call which never came. 8 days later, I called him whereupon he said his management on a good faith basis would give me a credit to buy from their shop within the month (he agreed to go up to within the year upon my probing) up to $200 ($50 will be deduced as an admin fee). I asked why I was being penalised of $50. He said it was already a very good offer and I should take it.

I rejected it and took back the mirror. A supplier who does not stand by his product and tries to penalise a customer does not act in good faith.

[listensea 0]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

After my own experience, I feel many times we need luck and "gui ren" for a smooth journey.

They are many black sheeps in this construction/reno/hardware industry and I think we as consumers can only boycott these black sheeps to eliminate them. Only when they dont have business will they amend their ways, hopefully.

[gcdanilim 0]

Thanks for your listening ear! I tried to lodge a complaint to CASE but they have so many hurdles (and I kinda feel that I will never get a refund, so am reluctant to throw good money in after bad), hoping to "educate" the supplier that consumers nowadays are not passive. After some to-and-fro, I gave up as the process was too tedious.

Even sometimes the professionals have to be watched. I had to sack my contractor's engineer and design the house myself. I am glad I did so as it is (almost) exactly what I want.

After the rebuilding experience, I feel that I can give some tips to others who may be in a similar position, to save or shorten their agony. The "rip-off" feeling is really a lousy one.