Store Charges Browsing Customers $5 'Just Looking' Fee
A store in Australia is apparently taking an extreme approach to eliminating showrooming, alerting would-be customers that they'll be charged $5 if they come in to browse but don't buy anything.
Reddit user BarrettFox posted a snapshot of a sign warning shoppers that the store would impose a $5 fee for people who are "just looking." The fee, the sign explains, will be deducted from the final purchase price, ensuring that people who actually buy something won't be charged. It notes that it's pursuing this strategy because of "a high volume of people who use this store as a reference and then purchase goods elsewhere."
The user identified the store as a specialty food retailer based in Brisbane, Australia; we've reached out to the store to confirm that they posted the sign, but because it's currently the middle of the night in Australia, we haven't heard back yet.
But if this store is actually charging people just for walking in the door, it has to be the most misguided strategy we've seen for dealing with showrooming. While it's undoubtedly frustrating to have people use your store as a showroom just so they can buy the same goods online, imposing a cover charge is hardly the ideal solution. The goal of any retailer should be to impress customers with competitive pricing and great customer service -- not treat their customers with suspicion and hostility from the moment they walk in the door.
Reddit user BarrettFox posted a snapshot of a sign warning shoppers that the store would impose a $5 fee for people who are "just looking." The fee, the sign explains, will be deducted from the final purchase price, ensuring that people who actually buy something won't be charged. It notes that it's pursuing this strategy because of "a high volume of people who use this store as a reference and then purchase goods elsewhere."
The user identified the store as a specialty food retailer based in Brisbane, Australia; we've reached out to the store to confirm that they posted the sign, but because it's currently the middle of the night in Australia, we haven't heard back yet.
But if this store is actually charging people just for walking in the door, it has to be the most misguided strategy we've seen for dealing with showrooming. While it's undoubtedly frustrating to have people use your store as a showroom just so they can buy the same goods online, imposing a cover charge is hardly the ideal solution. The goal of any retailer should be to impress customers with competitive pricing and great customer service -- not treat their customers with suspicion and hostility from the moment they walk in the door.
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