4mature Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Hey guys, Was wondering is it safe to buy those shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste from those value shop?Recently I was browsing thru the toothpaste section. Value shop selling ssensodyne gum care toothpaste at 2.60 whereby ntuc and those Watson and etc selling around 7.20.The price jump seems quite a big gap. I checked the packaging and all. Same. Is it safe to get the cheap ones from those value shop?Too cheap to the extend that I am kinda afraid to buy leh.Anyone know why they sell so cheap? Is it safe to get? Will u guys buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 should be fine la... but if u are afraid then buy the ex from ntuc and watsons lor.. if fake can write in and complain..ntuc and watsons are major companies.. if word spreads they selling fake stuff they might be implemented.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowball Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 (edited) Not fake but there are some different if you know what i mean Edited October 5, 2014 by snowball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 2:21 PM, snowball said: They are some different if you know what i meancan elaborate in further details? haha... i also one of those cheapos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlylonely Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Different manufacturing countries??? Or gonna expire soon?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raiden Alpha Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 This is suppose to be trade secret but in order to upgrade the population general knowledge and also to break ah gong family business monopoly on the economy here.Well here's the answer.Because some of these thrift/value/supermarket shops use cash dealing to trade with distributors and wholesalers while others use cheques to hold off payment date.In business time is money and time is of the essence.That's why those who can do quick monetary transactions with dealers enjoy trust and a good working relationship and they can barter for a more attractive price for their products thereby it translate to a lower selling price for consuermers.It is a culture thing.And it also require one to have a lot of capital cash in order to do business like this.So go ahead and buy your loreal and shisedo from the thrift shops. It's real not fake. riverrobles 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alien Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 If the expiry date of those products from those value shop is not near expired, think still can buy lar. The money tht u saved really quite a lot. 对自己好是一种幸福， 对别人好是一种积福。 Spend time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlylonely Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 2:31 PM, alien said: If the expiry date of those products from those value shop is not near expired, think still can buy lar. The money tht u saved really quite a lot. Yup agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 some products if you buy online cheaper... i wonder how are shops going too survive in near future??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fab Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Fp n watson buy from distributors who must cater for marketing budget in sg.Value stores buy from parallel importers who dont give a damn to the brand equity. Hence they will usually simply dump price to be competitive. 鍾意就好，理佢男定女 never argue with the guests. let them bark all they want. 结缘不结怨 解怨不解缘 After I have said what I wanna say, I don't care what you say. 看穿不说穿 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alien Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 These value shop still can survive lah, not all pple will buy things online. These shops still have their target customers to come buy from them. 对自己好是一种幸福， 对别人好是一种积福。 Spend time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 i dont really like to buy online unless the things are cheaper than shop or not available in the market. I dont buy clothes/shoes/electronic online. I dont enjoy staying at home the whole day just waiting for delivery to come especially those u brought from Qoo where they use lousy couriers like Singpost and private courier with virtually no reliable tracking available. Singpost tracking is shit. Recently brought a 100ML MT Blanc Legend at only $40++ with delivery included. I buy from valueshop. Some are short expiry but i dont bother cause i will consume it within a week. Some are parallel import, made with lousy ingredients. Lays Original Potatoe Chips from USA is made with sunflower oil and salt but the Lays Original from Thailand/Indonesia comes with not only salt but palm oil, MSG and flavorings. The former uses less ingredients but the asian version adds alot of stuff to make the same taste and its unhealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowball Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Those FT and maids like to buy stuffs from those shops esp their off day, i too like to buy candy, general tibits there. Their chill drinks are very cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest passerby Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 ntuc price getting higher and higher, a box of cracker i usually buy just jumped from 2.50 to 3.20 - ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raiden Alpha Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Ntuc house brand rice is also monopolising their rice aisle.I don't feel happy giving my money to let NTUC to profit from monopoly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navyblue Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Tell you guys what is ridiculous... Cold Storage Things are generally more expensive in CS compared to NTUC even though the products may be the same. If I am not wrong, Guardian is more expvensive than Watson too.I do get my stuff from those value shops. I believe the products are safe, if not they will be removed from the shelves. But the ingredients may be different, and the country of manufacturing too. Lots of these products have Thai words on the packaging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstc82 Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Value dollar shop parallel imports it's stuff directly from Vietnam etc that's why prices are cheaper. Mind you, their headquarters is a huge warehouse. I almost purchased items in bulk for my X company as their prices are lower than distributors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navyblue Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 (edited) In order to save more, when shopping at Supermarkets, look out for sales items or items with promotional packaging. If not, dont buy unless urgent. And pls try NTUC Fairprice house brand items too, they are cheaper and not too bad to use, eg. their insectisides are water based, environmentally friendly and have nice smells too. NTUC selling two huge cans for a few bucks only.. Edited October 5, 2014 by navyblue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The.Intrv. Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 As a '廉价劳工', I gotta say that I love my parallel imports. Refer to post #7. For these flaws I lament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ongjason Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Swanston at Chinatown sells many toiletries, skincare products, household products as parallel imports. For example1. their Hada Labo is not from Japan but a parallel import from the authorised Indonesian manufacturer.2. their Colgate mouthwash is not the Malaysian manufactured one but from Vietnam (with all the Viet wordings)3. their Dove shampoo and body washes are from China/Taiwan (cheaper) rather than Thailand/Malaysia The price difference is really value for money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raiden Alpha Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:17 PM, navyblue said: In order to save more, when shopping at Supermarkets, look out for sales items or items with promotional packaging. If not, dont buy unless urgent. mAnd pls try NTUC house brand items too, they are cheaper and not too bad to use, eg. their insectisides are water based, environmentally friendly and have nice smells too.Do you know who own ntuc?Why should the people let them earn our hard earned money and making them so well feed when they push up the cost of living,rentals as well as suppress wage of the working class?Beside ntuc there is also another famous one that is related to them by marriage.There is oligarchy at work here on sin island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alien Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:10 PM, navyblue said: Tell you guys what is ridiculous... Cold Storage Things are generally more expensive in CS compared to NTUC even though the products may be the same. If I am not wrong, Guardian is more expvensive than Watson too.I do get my stuff from those value shops. I believe the products are safe, if not they will be removed from the shelves. But the ingredients may be different, and the country of manufacturing too. Lots of these products have Thai words on the packaging.Cold storage always priced higher than others supermarket, not only now lor. Maybe their marketing plan is atas supermarket concept, thts y same product and yet price is much higher. 对自己好是一种幸福， 对别人好是一种积福。 Spend time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raiden Alpha Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Jason and Meidi Ya is even more expensive and exorbitant than Cold Storage.They might as well rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ongjason Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Try the beauty value shop at Bugis Village, a big unit between Burger King and KFC. Though they place all the expensive items on the main shelves, if you go deeper into the store, you can see cheaper stuff and some good deals, like Olay serums going for 50% off there... It can be like $18 compared to Guardian $39.90! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:24 PM, alien said: Cold storage always priced higher than others supermarket, not only now lor. Maybe their marketing plan is atas supermarket concept, thts y same product and yet price is much higher.still there are people like to shop there, i only buy bread from there, lol, however, now they have fruits that already cut for you to eat, not that ex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navyblue Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:24 PM, alien said: Cold storage always priced higher than others supermarket, not only now lor. Maybe their marketing plan is atas supermarket concept, thts y same product and yet price is much higher.Sometimes I wonder why people still patronise CS at Northpoint when NTUC is just nearby too? Cos it is more atas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ongjason Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:29 PM, navyblue said: Sometimes I wonder why people still patronise CS at Northpoint when NTUC is just nearby too? Cos it is more atas? NTUC is located on two levels on the premises of the MRT station, it is one supermarket that needs to be redesigned with wider aisles.It's so cramped and narrow on both levels that it's a fire hazard waiting to happen.The management just wants to squeeze all the goods in. On the other hand, Cold Storage is located at basement 1 of Northpoint, it doesn't feel so cramped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alien Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:29 PM, navyblue said: Sometimes I wonder why people still patronise CS at Northpoint when NTUC is just nearby too? Cos it is more atas?Either these pple have too much extra money to spend, or they want to shop at CS to make them feel atas?! I have never buy anything from CS, cos nothing for me to buy. 对自己好是一种幸福， 对别人好是一种积福。 Spend time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 recently my UHT milks from brands like Cowhead, Devonsdale even house brand NTUC have increased their price recently. eveyrhting going up up up. something i dont blame these suppliers, its sometimes the buyers from aunty-u-c or pharmacy chains that want higher margin thus suppliers have no choice to price their products higher. these supermarket/beauty chain cartels are greedy. they want to earn from customers and suppliers. damm it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ongjason Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 If you can order online, order online. NTUC Fairprice Finest sells some organic teabags at close to S$10.A check on iherb.com for the exact same product shows the retail price in US is US$4.50. !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raiden Alpha Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Singapore is too fucking cramp and overcrowded to cater to the present population already much less talk about catering to a 6.9 million population and beyond.Our country do not have land and space to accommodate so many people and their needs.Not like America or even Malaysia where they have land to build hypermarts that can take more than half a day to finish browsing.Here the road is fill with cars.Here the supermarkets the queue at the cashier counters stretch all the way into the shopping aisles itself making shopping a hindrance and unpleasant experience for shoppers.Don't even let me get started on how impossible it is to navigate through the local supermarkets with a shopping trolley. It is impossible using that damn thing to shop at all.Lots of knocking into people or basket with each turn and step.Plenty of screaming kids and pundeks from third world shitholes.This is not how I envision my life and living experience to be on Singapore!Fuck you party against people. ongjason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 3:38 PM, ongjason said: If you can order online, order online. NTUC Fairprice Finest sells some organic teabags at close to S$10.A check on iherb.com for the exact same product shows the retail price in US is US$4.50. !!!!!i do buy from iherb cos its cheaper for supplements and they use DHL also. but protein whey is still cheaper to get online stores based in sg like supplementshop.com.sg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oralb Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Other than what Raiden mentioned about the cash payment, the main difference lies in the country of origin. Places like Thailand and Indonesia produced their own products hence the lower price. Moreover you have to know the mother companies of those products, there was a report recently that most of the brands you see in the supermarket are owned by that very few companies. When company A in Singapore bring in the product, there will be 2 commissions/ margins paid to, Singapore company A and country of origin company A. If the product goes through a few hands, the margin level increased. hence the product cost more than parallel importers. Lastly countries such as Thailand support generic product, meaning you can get the same active ingredients items at a different branding whereas Singapore doesnt allow generic product. Hence the commodities such as toiletries and medicine are cheaper there When I Think It, I Do It, I Win It! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leibniz Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 Cold Storage was opposite my place so it was so convenient while I had to walk a bit further to NTUC. I'm super duper lazy. Looking back, I could have saved a lot on groceries. “Do the things at which you are great, not what you were never made for.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mama Shopper Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 2:12 PM, 4mature said: Hey guys,Was wondering is it safe to buy those shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste from those value shop?Recently I was browsing thru the toothpaste section. Value shop selling ssensodyne gum care toothpaste at 2.60 whereby ntuc and those Watson and etc selling around 7.20.The price jump seems quite a big gap. I checked the packaging and all. Same. Is it safe to get the cheap ones from those value shop?Too cheap to the extend that I am kinda afraid to buy leh.Anyone know why they sell so cheap? Is it safe to get? Will u guys buy?NTUC products have never been cheaped - if you look at prices quoted by NTUC, do a comparison with those in SAFE, WATSON or neighbourhood provision shop. I can count on buying items from value shop partly because I trusted they have good source, they can keep their cost low (look at their staff almost all foreigners), few outlets, unlike NTUC...etc. In fact, I noticed NTUC are trying to keep the price above their competitors thinking they are neighbourhood monopoly supermart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HendryTan Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 I buy a lot of NTUC house-brands - Bread, cooking-oil, toiler-paper (cheapest type), rice. Toiletries I get from CK - eg Shampoo, hand-wash, bathing-lotion, mouth-rinse, condoms Cold-Storage: Very seldom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorp Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 At NTUC most of the time, you can buy at least one brand of UHT Milk at $2.95 for 2 packs, and the brands on offer will rotate once every 1-2 months.7-11 brand, Cold Storage, Guardian Pharmacy and Giant are owned by the Dairy Farm Group. FairPrice, Unity and Cheers are owned by NTUC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirsTimer Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 company same, just that country of production different. I bet quality are of equal. why not get a set and try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 NTUC employ more "retarded" and annoying girls than cold storage. I find cold storage staffs are more focused on their job and helpful. I rather pay more to be served by a smart cashier than having to deal with a 即白痴又花痴的恐龙妹!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlylonely Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 8:25 PM, Guest said: NTUC employ more "retarded" and annoying girls than cold storage. I find cold storage staffs are more focused on their job and helpful. I rather pay more to be served by a smart cashier than having to deal with a 即白痴又花痴的恐龙妹!!!Self checkout now pls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abang Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 (edited) There is this 24 hour "discount" shop in my neighbourhood.Instead of doom, it is doing very good business from the onset. My mother's caregiver buys all the room deodorant, laundry spray from there.Of course, the 1.5 litres drinks are cheaper because they are imported from Vietnam.She gets all the liquid bath/shower gel refills there too. Competition is good for the consumers and although there is a NTUC supermarket less than 10 metres from my block, business for it is best described as "adequate" as there are several mini-markets here. Edited October 5, 2014 by abang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 On 10/5/2014 at 11:42 PM, onlylonely said: Self checkout now plsYou think everywhere NTUC finest? Singapore got so atas meh? Their "wagyu" beef look more like WAH YORRRHHHH (!!!!) beef raised on a wrong atkins diet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 Value shops will also need to protect their own reputation ultimately. The shops will not want to ruin their own reputation by selling fake goods in their own shop, unless they are one of those fly-by-night companies which do not care about staying here for today and being gone for tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raiden Alpha Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 On 10/6/2014 at 1:12 AM, Guest said: You think everywhere NTUC finest? Singapore got so atas meh? Their "wagyu" beef look more like WAH YORRRHHHH (!!!!) beef raised on a wrong atkins diet!I don't want to defend ntuc but I need to bring your head out of your ass before you look any more stupider.There are already self checkout counters in common Ntuc supermarkets already.Get yourself up to date with ground developments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 On 10/6/2014 at 1:40 AM, Raiden Alpha said: I don't want to defend ntuc but I need to bring your head out of your ass before you look any more stupider.There are already self checkout counters in common Ntuc supermarkets already.Get yourself up to date with ground developments.Stupider? Is this the kind of english standard we are dealing with?! Wtf...Not all ntuc have check self out fyi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otokonoko Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 On 10/6/2014 at 1:58 AM, Guest said: Stupider? Is this the kind of english standard we are dealing with?! Wtf...Not all ntuc have check self out fyiStupid stupider stupidest.The English is correct.Visit dictionary.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstc82 Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 On 10/6/2014 at 1:12 AM, Guest said: You think everywhere NTUC finest? Singapore got so atas meh? Their "wagyu" beef look more like WAH YORRRHHHH (!!!!) beef raised on a wrong atkins diet! ntuc finest work with culina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alien Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 Ntuc items are cheaper than others supermarket if they have promo and offers. Usually i only buy those items on offered from ntuc. 对自己好是一种幸福， 对别人好是一种积福。 Spend time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 On 10/6/2014 at 2:58 AM, gstc82 said: ntuc finest work with culina. And your point is......? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerrad Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 (edited) The price difference is sometimes so great that it makes me worried about the quality of the cheaper ones. Even if they are parallel imports, probably manufactured from different factories, how do we know that the materials used/quality control/etc. are exactly the same?I recently read an article about how the products being sold in outlet malls in the US are of an entirely different category from those being sold in proper malls, even though they may share the exact same look and same brand. (http://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/20131211-outlet-malls-arent-what-they-used-to-be.ece). My gut feeling is that the same applies to these parallel imports. Edited October 6, 2014 by nerrad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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