COMPLAINTS against Sim Lim Square retailers rose 30 per cent to 244 last year, increasing for the fifth consecutive year.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 188 complaints about retailers in the mall in 2007, and 119 in 2006. There were 103 complaints in 2005, up from 69 in 2004.
Notable incidents last year included a Filipino tourist who filed a police report against one shop, alleging that its salesmen had assaulted him.
Shopping tips
Visit the Singapore Tourism Board's website for blacklisted shops. Local forums like HardwareZone, sgForums and VR-Zone also have discussion threads about the retailers where customers have encountered problems.
Shop at certified STARetailers, a programme to recognise good merchants. A listing can be found at the mall's information counter and is displayed on its 50 plasma TV sets.
Do your homework before going down: know the specific model you want and its approximate price to avoid getting ripped off.
