Complaints against retailers in Sim Lim Square are on the rise again, amid a push by Sim Lim to shed its image as a haven for pirated software, pushy salesmen and shady shop owners.

According to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) data obtained by the newspaper, complaints have risen steadily since 2006. There were 119 such cases in 2006, 188 cases in 2007 and 133 so far this year. The Funan IT Mall usually receives between 20 to 30 such complaints a year.

Five years ago, the IT mall's management tried to clean up the place's tarnished image by launching a programme that highlights honest retailers. Those who made the mark were given a 'STARetailer' sticker to display on their shop fronts, The Straits Times reported. Police also raided shops that sold pirated software.

However, statistics show that many stores have since slipped back to their old habits.

Complaints include overcharging and defective goods, while others wrote in about unsavoury sales tactics, misleading claims about products and a failure to honour refunds.

One of the most serious cases involved a shopper who claimed to be beaten up by three employees of a game store on the second story earlier this month, The Straits Times reported.

In his email correspondence to the newspaper, he was about to buy a PlayStation Portable when the salesman jacked up the price at the last minute, leading to an argument.

The man alleged that the store manager slapped him in the face when he tried to take a picture of the shop. Two other employees rushed out and started hitting him with stools, before he could retaliate, the man told The Straits Times.

The fight stopped only when security officers intervened and called the police. The incident is under investigation.

In July this year, The New Paper reported the case of a foreign national being charged double for a camera lens at a Sim Lim Square store.

The marketing consultant found out that he was being overcharged only when he looked up the prices for the lens he bought online. When he returned to the store to seek redress, the shop staff behaved in a very threatening manner, he told The New Paper.

Most retailers are worried about Sim Lim's reputation, especially as tourists account for 30 to 50 per cent of their business, they told The Straits Times.