Can someone explain the fall of Sim Lim to me?

[coyote]

i didn't even go to any shop. i just whatsapp my specs list to an online vendor, negotiate over the itemised price list, and got pc delivered the next working day, including having windows and drivers installed , and overnight test run done. pc running without a single problem till now.

Which online shop is that?

 

[Conway]

many reasons imo

1.those black shops that gave the place a bad name

2. online shopping (cheaper, free delivery or low shipping fee, cc discounts / voucher etc)

3. market has shifted imo. younger gen ppl usually go for laptops or prebuilts like aftershock. while the hardcore ones who still like to self assemble / mod would have already sourced their parts elsewhere (amazon, etc)

no point go until sls for a full build. after u buy the pc u still need take cab home if you dont drive.

there isnt much reason to go there these days unless you are a boomer or just want to go for nostalgia sake. or its urgent and you require to see and buy the item on the same day

 

[King.Koopa]

Aftershock lor. Last time go sls cos its cheaper. Then aftershock came their price really no fight

 

[coyote]

if you are a rented biz model like shopping centres, you can have the flexibility to change owner after the contract is up or the owner will move out if there is no business. this will keep up the vibrancy and relevancy of the mall's main theme.

if the mall's shops can be bought and owned, the owners will resort to other means to make money and not keeping up with the main theme, ie selling and repairing computers and phone products.

This is why you see there are siam dius and mini coffeeshops there and other shops selling irrelevant non computer stuff. i even see got more offices there already.

as times passes by, people don't come anymore because they know they can't find what they need already or that sim lim is no longer the pc hotspot for enjoying the whole day liao.

Don't understand your language.

Those shop lots that are rented out, the businesses just operated there and they are not the owners of the shops.

Those shop lots in sim Lim square are strata titles. Means individual lots are owned by individual owners and they rented out to businesses to operate there. As long as the business is within the permitted use, they can be rented out to any businesses who leased from the owners.

 

[coyote]

Main reason I no longer go sim Lim, parking is damn expensive. Taking MRT is taking longer time though I stay along downtown line.

Like others said, I'm one of those die hard DIY guy and can source for my parts everywhere from carousel to Amazon to Malaysia online stores. Sim Lim square is less relevant nowadays.

 

[Conway]

Don't understand your language.

Those shop lots that are rented out, the businesses just operated there and they are not the owners of the shops.

Those shop lots in sim Lim square are strata titles. Means individual lots are owned by individual owners and they rented out to businesses to operate there. As long as the business is within the permitted use, they can be rented out to any businesses who leased from the owners.

i think what he means is

most? of these shops are owned. not rented.

so they dont really need to worry much about moving on with the market over the years. since they don't need to pay rent their potential loss or overhead costs mothly isnt that high. just manpower + electricity i suppose

if every month bleeding out money by paying 5 figure rent. confirm very fast uplorry

 

[coyote]

i think what he means is

most? of these shops are owned. not rented.

so they dont really need to worry much about moving on with the market over the years. since they don't need to pay rent their potential loss isnt that much.

if every month bleeding out money by paying 5 figure rent. confirm very fast uplorry

That cannot be the case. Imagine you collect $10,000 a month rental. Will you have no urgency to rent it out to whichever businesses to continue your rental collection?

 

[Conway]

That cannot be the case. Imagine you collect $10,000 a month rental. Will you have no urgency to rent it out to whichever businesses to continue your rental collection?

i think at this point its more to

who would want to rent a shop there? maybe some willing to try thats why u start to see ktv and stuff

if i own one of the shops there now, and nobody wants to rent from me. nvm lo i just slowly continue open shop sell my stuff. no rental means the most i only need myself + 2-3 other people to help. + electricity.

i am guessing in a few years time, sls will be just like beauty world / USSC. those places are the same, most shops are owned, not rented. low human traffic also nvm one. everyday sit in shop watch tv and nua only. got ppl come buy stuff, ok lo. else nvm

 

[rtfm38]

Long long time ago there were at least 5 competing suppliers of PC parts in Sim Lim Square. All the shops take from them one. Competition was fierce among the supplier AND the shops so prices were very good.

Then over time some of the suppliers quit or got bought out and then it became only 1 or 2 suppliers at the most. So prices went up because no more competition but they lasted because online shopping still was not a thing back then.

Then of course online shopping came along until nowadays no point buying from SLS anymore until you needed some parts urgently.

 

[Conway]

Long long time ago there were at least 5 competing suppliers of PC parts in Sim Lim Square. All the shops take from them one. Competition was fierce among the supplier AND the shops so prices were very good.

Then over time some of the suppliers quit or got bought out and then it became only 1 or 2 suppliers at the most. So prices went up because no more competition but they lasted because online shopping still was not a thing back then.

Then of course online shopping came along until nowadays no point buying from SLS anymore until you needed some parts urgently.

i remember back then when online shopping started to become a thing, quite a few items were considerably cheaper than local prices, even after shipping.

over at hardware clinic got a few ppl try and discourage other from buying online. say what later spoil how la, no warranty la. machiam fear mongering.

i mean yeah no doubt there can be lemon sets / parts if you suay lo. local also can kena ma, just that the RMA / exchange process is more convenient for here.

loking back at those posts, quite funny, not surprised if some of them are working at sls. knn

 

[rtfm38]

i remember back then when online shopping started to become a thing, quite a few items were considerably cheaper than local prices, even after shipping.

over at hardware clinic got a few ppl try and discourage other from buying online. say what later spoil how la, no warranty la. machiam fear mongering.

i mean yeah no doubt there can be lemon sets / parts if you suay lo. local also can kena ma, just that the RMA / exchange process is more convenient for here.

loking back at those posts, quite funny, not surprised if some of them are working at sls. knn

That's true. Also got the factor in changing technology. Back then hardware advances were significant because of moore's law. Every upgrade that you do, can notice and feel the increase in speed. It was really exciting and I would do yearly upgrades.

Nowadays, upgrade liao, improvement also not very exciting and cost also getting ridiculous.

 

[sadboy]

There has been a significant change in consumer behavior due to the widespread availability of high-speed Wi-Fi and 4G/5G data. Powerful mobile and tablet devices have made tasks like editing simple social media videos possible without a PC. With constant internet connectivity, people increasingly rely on their mobile devices to access information and post on social media, prioritizing speed and convenience. This has led to a decrease in PC and laptop usage outside of work or school environments.

Furthermore, the shrinking size of HDB flats discourages bulky desktop setups with large monitors, CPUs, and desks. The clutter of cables adds to the unattractiveness of desktops in modern living spaces. These factors likely contribute to the decline in foot traffic at Sim Lim Square, which traditionally catered to PC enthusiasts and builders.

Trend may further impact Sim Lim Square's relevance, as consumers have more options to purchase pre-built or custom PCs outside the mall via online (Aftershock and etc)

 

[invigo79]

SimLim heyday is during the pirated CD time. It has been going downhill from there.


Read HWZ Forum Rules!

 

[zheng]

From tech mecca of the 90s /00s to a ghost town. Want to enbloc also cannot get good price.

bec piracy crack down loh

 

[BlackWing1977]

Its funny.
Noobs dont dare to diy pc
Parents dont want to buy pc for kids, phone can liao
Pros maybe once every 5years build pc
The diy pc hobby will just become niche hobby lor.

How sls have business?

Nowadays PC expensive... GPU last time most high end $1k already sibei satki nowadays high end $2k++ hor.. .

Last time entry level GPU around $200++ mid range $400++ to $500++, high end $700++ nowadays everything is doubled...

 

[kreja]

Nowadays PC expensive... GPU last time most high end $1k already sibei satki nowadays high end $2k++ hor.. .

Last time entry level GPU around $200++ mid range $400++ to $500++, high end $700++ nowadays everything is doubled...

Last time nsf spec pay 500. Now nsf spec pay 1k.

 

[tokong]

Don't understand your language.

Those shop lots that are rented out, the businesses just operated there and they are not the owners of the shops.

Those shop lots in sim Lim square are strata titles. Means individual lots are owned by individual owners and they rented out to businesses to operate there. As long as the business is within the permitted use, they can be rented out to any businesses who leased from the owners.

Still not the same mah. I understand your explanation, thank you for it. If you compare SLS with other shopping malls, there are still a lot of differences between owned shops and rented shops. The developer has stronger control of the retail shops, can terminate, can tell them to sell this and not that, even the shop outlook and layout they can have a say in it one, because the building needs to have a theme and a certain atmosphere.

 

[anchoraz]

Profit nt hi liao.

Unless they buy high performance pc to pak game or server.

Nw online buy,less than $500 can get a set of pc monitor with win11 os license.

Mayb those repair or sell 2nd hand can survive. Cos some coy save $$. Jus buy and try 2-3 yrs. Cant make it theb close down.

 

[The_Davis]

level 2 sell cctv buay toh leh ....

Song bros still there?

 

[coyote]

Still not the same mah. I understand your explanation, thank you for it. If you compare SLS with other shopping malls, there are still a lot of differences between owned shops and rented shops. The developer has stronger control of the retail shops, can terminate, can tell them to sell this and not that, even the shop outlook and layout they can have a say in it one, because the building needs to have a theme and a certain atmosphere.

Now you are talking sense. I think Sim Lim case is much more than just rentals... More challenges are from those online shops... Just my 3 cents.