ALTHOUGH grammatically wrong, the heading is crisp, straight to the point and easy to remember.
This is a direct translation of what my mother said in Hakka more than six decades ago.
But the understanding of this maxim by the general public can be shallow, as many purchase and payment decisions were not made judiciously.
This is especially true for those that did not consider the actual costs of goods or services against the prices offered.
Inferior goods could be produced at a much lower cost and are meant to attract customers looking for cheap products.
Goods nearing or have passed expiry dates or shelf life, gone out of fashion or have been replaced by newer models are normally offered for sale at knocked-down prices. Prices are lowest at the source, such as at factories where goods are made, packed or assembled.
But the public should not be hoodwinked by retailers claiming to sell goods at factory prices as there are costs involved in distribution, warehousing and transport.
A manufacturer or brand may distribute its own products in the market or appoint one or more distributors to do so.
The goods may first be sent to wholesalers or directly to retailers.
Some supermarkets and shops also retail items in bulk at wholesale prices.
While prices at hypermarkets are cheaper than mini markets, some large sundry shops located near wet markets are selling consumables at much lower prices than supermarkets. Therefore, it is a good practice to compare prices and not assume they would be automatically lower.
It is much easier to compare prices when shopping online, but this comes with inherent risks, such as not getting what you paid for and the item could be stolen if left outside the door, inside the mailbox or somewhere nearby.
While it is a healthy practice to pay less for precisely the same goods, it is not necessarily so when it comes to services as standards vary.
The difference is stark for professional sportsmen and entertainers, as flat rates could not apply to payments to professional footballers or singers. Likewise, for tour and transport services.
While rates for the same room and night could vary greatly between bookings made directly with hotels and online travel agents, the difference is minimal for sightseeing tours and transfer services to airports, stations, jetties and other sites.
Therefore, if one were to come across bargain offers online, something could be fishy.
Last month, several people in Johor paid for a cheap holiday package to Redang Island, off Terengganu, only to find a scammer had made use of the name of a licensed tour company.
Dazzled by low prices and excited with the prospect of an island getaway, the victims made payments to a personal bank account number as provided through exchanges on Facebook and WhatsApp. But after payment was made, these social media accounts were deactivated.
Malaysians ought to remember the adage that “there is no such thing as a free lunch”.
There is always a cost for something you want, and someone has got to pay for it. If it is not a charity but a business transaction, then customers will be paying for it in another form.
The public could be deceived as they are often lured by offers, discounts and gifts, without embracing that one should not expect to get things for free. If they are worth having, they need to be paid or worked for.
Those actively attending public functions and events should not take or accept gifts they do not need as these things could clutter the house or office.
And just as we expect to be paid reasonably for our salaries, we should also pay others reasonably for services rendered to us.
It would be unfair and unkind to expect others to charge the lowest possible rates for their labour while we demand others to pay us the highest possible fee for our services. It would be karma when selfish individuals are scammed when shopping for unreasonably cheap services.
And it could be worse when Malaysians are overseas and not familiar with how the law operates in foreign countries. Those delighted to receive gifts are particularly vulnerable.
For example, a woman might be eyeing a particular item but decided not to buy it.
Later, while looking at other merchandise, she was handed the same item by someone she thought was a shop worker and was told that it was complimentary, and she happily placed it inside her handbag.
But upon leaving the shop, the alarm of the electronic sensors at the exit gate was triggered by the security tag still attached.
The woman is brought to a room for interrogation and can not identify the person who gave her the gift and was accused of shoplifting.
She was offered a choice to pay an amount equivalent to a few thousand ringgit as a private settlement or the shop would make a police report and she may end up spending several nights in a police lockup before being charged in court.
There was also the case of a couple in Sabah who won a lucky draw several years ago and the prize was a seven-day/six-night tour in Beijing for two persons that included five-star hotel accommodation, with meals and full-day sightseeing tours provided throughout.
As the cost of return airfares on a budget airline between Kota Kinabalu and Beijing was minimal, the couple went for the free holiday.
Earlier, the event organiser had paid very little for this tour package as it could be used as one of the attractive prizes to draw larger crowds.
True enough, the couple got to stay in a five-star hotel upon arrival and was asked to sign a form which they did without hesitation. But they were not happy with the bus tour later.
Instead of sightseeing, it was more like a shopping tour as they were brought from one stop to another.
And worse, they were pressured to buy the local tour guide until they could not stomach it any longer and wished to opt-out of the daily bus tours.
They made known their decision after they were provided with only a three-star hotel for accommodation the second night.
That was when the couple was shown the agreement they signed on the first night, which bound them to join all the daily tours until the end or pay a hefty cancellation fee.
The couple had to pay several thousand ringgit as compensation or continue to buy things during the free tour.
YS Chan is Asean Tourism Master Trainer for travel agencies, master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel & Tours Enhancement Course. He is also a tourism and transport industry consultant and writer. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
