plaza lama ripped me off

Simon & Nicky

Bronze
Feb 3, 2004
655
14
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www.simon-hall.co.uk
I bought ten "long life" low energy light bulbs in Plaza Lama the other day (because they were on special offer). When I got them home two were broken and one needed repair. Of the eight left seven have since died in a fraction of the time a normal light bulb lasts. I am left with one.

My advice to anyone going to Plaza Lama in the next few days is do not bother buying light bulbs from there - they suck. :tired:
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
3,562
298
83
Buyer beware, no matter what you purchase on the island; it is always in your favor to test the item in the store before you walk out with it. There should be outlets near the checkout for you to test the bulbs.

Regards,
PJT
 

Eddy

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
219
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Simon & Nicky said:
I bought ten "long life" low energy light bulbs in Plaza Lama the other day (because they were on special offer). When I got them home two were broken and one needed repair. Of the eight left seven have since died in a fraction of the time a normal light bulb lasts. I am left with one.

My advice to anyone going to Plaza Lama in the next few days is do not bother buying light bulbs from there - they suck. :tired:
While I do agree that the bulbs are worth crap, I have bought several over the past month and they always check them 1 by 1 before giving them to me. Are you certain they didn't break on the way home? Either way, I'm not buying any more "cheap ones" there or anywhere else.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Those cheap brand low wattage fluorescent bulbs last shorter than my relationships (less than a week). They are worth crap. I went to USA and bought myself name brand bulbs ex: GE. My bulbs got anywhere from 2-4 yrs on them and they are still going strong. Always stick to the name brand (costs more), they will last forever.
AZB
 
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Simon & Nicky

Bronze
Feb 3, 2004
655
14
0
www.simon-hall.co.uk
Two were broken...

These are long life fluorescent bulbs. Most would have worked if they tested them, the fact remains that they are supposed to last ten times longer than a normal bulb and they are all (bar one) knackered. Perhaps at best they lasted on average fifty or so hours - and no there's nothing wrong with my power supply, - and yes I know you have to take everything out of the packet here and check it (I saw someone checking corn flakes the other day).

I still prefer to think that when I buy something it will actually work and be in one piece. If everyone stopped the rather strange habit of opening boxes and taking stuff apart in the shop and then only putting half of the stuff back in the box we'd all get along so much better. ;)
 

planner

.............. ?
Sep 23, 2002
4,409
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Same experience....different store

I had the same experience - but tested bulbs before leaving store - in several different stores. I was looking for specific wattage and bulb sizes. Bought 2 at Price Mart in Santiago, 2 in La Sirena and 3 in a Ferreteria in Puerto Plata.

ONLY 1 IS STILL WORKING !!! And it has been less then 2 months. I will have my friends bring them in from Canada or U.S.
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
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Buyer Beware....Always Here

This is the Last Market. This is the bottom of the barrel market. Importers look for the cheapest products to import and then they mark them up higher than you would find the same quality product in the USA or elsewhere. And they take the faulty, damaged, and rejected products that are sitting in the back of a warehouse, import them here, and sell them as perfect. They also buy from factories anything that was not manufactured correctly...for example....a large batch of toothpaste is discovered that the formula was not correct for say 10,000 tubes. Those are not sold on the first world market. But they are okay for this market. What is scary is that you have to beware of the food you are eating also. Just as long as it sells.

You have to inspect everything very closely and then you will still get ripped off from time to time.

We have bought several electrodomestics that were expensive but which failed after a few months. Just try to get a replacement or repair with the guarantees here.
 

MrMike

Silver
Mar 2, 2003
2,586
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www.azconatechnologies.com
Remember that...

House wiring here is very sloppy, often done by people who have no idea what they are doing. So even IF the power grid was stable the life expectancy of electronics, and light bulbs in particular would be very low. As it is the grid is not stable and therefore buying the cheapest light bulbs you can find and replacing them regularly is probably not a bad idea. If you find them burning out too frequently, you should have your house wiring checked, chances are it is not grounded at all and may even have some wires crossed, short circuits, electrical wire of too fine a gage for the load being put on it and all sorts of rediculous things.

Have a good electrician with trustworthy references check your stuff. (be careful though, many electricians, esp. on the north coast moonlight as burglars)
 

chadfisher21

New member
Feb 13, 2005
20
0
0
Return Policies!

Yes, I have had problems with merchandise purchased at Plaza Lama recently as well and not little things like light bulbs things like furniture. Their exchange policy is crap and in almost all the sotres they will refuse to give you back your money. This is a big problems I have had living here. They will want to give you a nota de credito. In my opinion do all you can to get your money back unless there's something you want. They will tell you they won't but keep fighting until you do. I have been successful in most incidents in the past. Pricesmart is the only store I know of that will give you your money back without asking questions.
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
Well Pricesmart does not count since it is an American store. Bought blender at Plaza Lama...blender burned out after a week...returned it to Plaza Lama...they told me they would only repair it for me...three months went by...I had to go up there four times. In the end I got someones blender back...not mine...and it works on one button. The others are non functional. The last thing the manager told me was...the buttons stick a little on this model. I looked at him in amazement and exhausted did not say a thing and walked out with the blender. I hate to discuss the problem once they start lying to me and making excuses. It is a losing battle. They would not give me my money back nor an exchange. Told me I have to go through the warranty process. Well, of course it makes no sense. Like Hillbilly always says...it is who you know.
 

Danny W

Bronze
Mar 1, 2003
999
12
0
I bought 2 similar type bulbs at Playero in Sosua the other day - neither worked. Once I find a dealer who sticks by his merchandise, I continue to buy from that dealer - I don't bargain shop. The trip from Sosua to Santiago blows a whole day, and I almost invariably find a similar deal in POP without the crowds, delivered immediately, better service, and I'm back home 1/2 hour later (if I can talk my way out of stopping at Burger King).- D
 

MrMike

Silver
Mar 2, 2003
2,586
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www.azconatechnologies.com
As a rule all sales are considered final in the DR

There is no one to compete with offering "satisfaction guarantee" type policies. For most stores having anything in stock at all at any price is a big enough challenge so you are not going to see vendors falling all over themselves to satisfy customers with complaints.

If you don't want something, don't buy it, Just like buying a car.

In my store I offer good warrantee service, even instant exchange if I have the item in stock. It makes sense to keep the customer satisfied, and I want to build relationships, not make quick sales.

But I am not required do this by anyone and if I feel I am being taken advantage of I can just refer the customer to the manufacturer and be well within my rights and the law.
 

Firefan

New member
Feb 17, 2005
36
0
0
Iron man....

Bought a (cheap) iron there on Sunday - it broke down on monday...
I will go and see if they will exchange without too much hassle....
Cheers, FF
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
20
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www.dominicancooking.com
I hate to be the contrarian here, but I have to say that we (and I) have spent a fortune in Plaza Lama throughout the years (starting with my first microwave, bought in 1991) and have no complaints about them. Of course I attribute this to my lucky star and not to their shining good service. I picked a good salesman and always look for him to do my purchases, last time we were there he made a hefty commission, so he treats me like royalty. ;)

Just so you know.
 

Firefan

New member
Feb 17, 2005
36
0
0
Do you manage to get a discount there also?

Went with some staff to American something (the hardware store) and my staff managed to haggle 10% on everything I bought.
 

redguapo

New member
Feb 28, 2005
1
0
0
Hola

Hey Simon & Nicky were going to Cabarete in July. Any Suggestions? :nervous:
Simon & Nicky said:
I bought ten "long life" low energy light bulbs in Plaza Lama the other day (because they were on special offer). When I got them home two were broken and one needed repair. Of the eight left seven have since died in a fraction of the time a normal light bulb lasts. I am left with one.

My advice to anyone going to Plaza Lama in the next few days is do not bother buying light bulbs from there - they suck. :tired:
 

Firefan

New member
Feb 17, 2005
36
0
0
An update. They did not want to exchange the iron but send my helper to the service centre instead - who apparently fixed it on the spot.

This echos previous poster saying that the mis-productions are being sold here and that the service centre quickly learns what the issues are (the fuse blows on all their models x-1 irons or whatever) - as otherwise no way they could fix it that quick.

Cheers!