The COVID-19 situation hasn’t been getting any better. Just yesterday, it was announced that there were three more cases and suddenly, Singapore already has 96 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
While our situation is much better than that of South Korea’s, with more than 2,000 confirmed cases, we should still continue practising and maintaining proper hygiene.
Many Singaporeans are still buying surgical face masks and hand sanitisers to better protect themselves from COVID-19, however, there are some people who choose to take advantage of this critical time and profit for themselves instead.
Today, I’m not talking about those Carousellers or those shops that mark up their prices. Those are so yesterday.
I’m talking about this ex-part-time staff of Venus Beauty.
Part-Time Staff Sold Overpriced Masks To Customers
In case you don’t know what Venus Beauty is, it is actually a retail chain selling rather affordable cosmetics, toiletries, and perfumes. It has 25 branches in Singapore, and are mainly found in heartland shopping malls.
Recently, a disclaimer was put up at the cashier’s counter of the Serangoon outlet stating that a part-time employee had been selling masks “from her own account” and that she did it without the company’s knowledge and consent.
Wait, simi?
She has since been fired after the company received a complaint from a customer, and a police report has been lodged.
The end of the disclaimer also included the report number for customers who may have bought masks from her.
According to a Venus Beauty sales assistant, the part-time employee “worked here for two to three months”.
Besides the disclaimer, a screenshot of a Whatsapp conversation supposedly between the part-time employee and a customer is also displayed at the counter in the form of a printout.
Join our telegram channel for more entertaining and informative articles at https://t.me/goodyfeedsg or download the Goody Feed app here: https://goodyfeed.com/app/
Apparently, the employee told the customer, “Venus has no more stock already (sic).
“I am actually selling you masks personally from my own brother company (sic).”
It is alleged that she quoted $25.50 for each box containing 20 three-ply masks, and even claimed that the masks were manufactured in Britain. She also told the customer that she had 100 boxes.
That’s essentially charging $1.28 for each mask. And most shops are selling it for $0.20 per mask.
A Venus Beauty customer called Ms Chan commented, “As customers, it is hard to trust the origin of the mask when it is not endorsed by the company.”
Where has humanity gone?
It is sad that such incidents where some people take advantage of this critical period to profiteer are still happening.
Hopefully, everyone will cooperate and band together to battle against COVID-19 instead of profiteering.
