It's a matter of principle

so the both of us took one and a half day to decide whether the man should get his personal BCD (buoyancy control device - something like a life jacket but is inflatable and deflatable at your own fancy to control your buoyancy under water).

our first stop was along beach road. the boss there tends to talk and giggle to himself and was one lousy salesman who din even bother to try and sell his products. He quoted us S$690, subject to further negotiations if we are really keen, and told us to go back and think about the purchase 1st.

pardon me, it was a really sweet gesture and we reallllly appreciated to be given some time to think about it. because we all hate HARD SELLING tactics in the market. but well, at least as an owner of the shop, we could expect a little more effort in retaining the customer.

so off we went. without buying anything on DAY ONE. that's where we met the ladies who were shopping at Arab street :)

my man has the unusual habit that most guys have. that of checking out a few shops and then settle for the best deal. So DAY TWO was when we went to Lucky Plaza to check out the price of the same models that we were eyeing. The boss told us that all the dive shops belong to ONE FAMILY (blood ties type). And we were rather surprised he didnt want to match the S$690 of the Beach Road shop!!?? Their base price was S$700 even though we told him that his brother/brother in law over in Beach Road quoted us S$690!

So, anticipating a lower price than S$690 at Beach Road, we made a trip down (that was after an Ayam Bakar Ojolali dinner @ Lucky Plaza. this shop was featured in one of the foodie.com websites, so we HAD TO give it a try. The AYAM was reaaaaally motherliciously fantastic!!)

We managed to bargain a further discount and got a price of S$670.

Yippee yay.. BUT!!!!

on returning home, we realised that the inflator hose was not attached to the BCD! (in layman's terms, that's like ruler without the markings, or buying a pair of specs without the glasses)

SO, I called this morning and was told that we have to get the hose SEPARATELY. imagine u having to buy your ruler and pay for the markings separately??!! OF course, I was mad #$%&?~^

and there goes my man to save the day...*think the MIGHTY MOUSE song!*

HE called up and demanded for an explanation as to WHY the hose and the BCD were sold separately. Guess what was the reply he got??
"Are you sure it's not in the bag??" and he was told to make another trip down to collect the hose. For FREE.

Mother F*cking bastards!

that piece of hose would have cost me S$30+++ and it wun be of the same brand as the BCD. Sometimes it is not about the money. S$30+++ is not alot. It is about the principle. I was unhappy to have to pay for something that is supposed to come together with a BCD but had been taken out UNSCRUPULOUSLY to earn our extra $$.

If there's one thing that N has taught me in our 3 years of relationship, it is to ASK. If there is anything that defers too much from reasonable doubt, ASK. ASKING wouldnt kill. Even though he did make me irritated by asking me to help check out the prices on the internet. You know tts not a GIRL'S forte. Why dont you also go and check out Bonitochico's website to check when is the next launch?? ;p

This purchase incident just made realise i ought to pick up some bargaining skills from the man. Although I dont suck at it that badly, cos I have recently bargained for something down !!! 10x !!! its price :) that's how I know certain stuffs in a particular industry is being marked up so badly *smirks*. Don't ask me what I bought! :)