O to the MG. Stores trying out fitting room *fees*?? - YouLookFab Forum

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O to the MG. Stores trying out fitting room fees??

rae

(website)

Veteran

Just came across this article that says some Australian stores are going to charge fitting room fees! The logic is that it will help them compete with online stores. Wha?? Your logic does not resemble our Earth logic. How will it give you a leg up on online stores to, well, take away your big leg up on online stores (e.g. the ability to make sure the garment fits)?

Would you even set foot in a store that charged a fitting fee?

ETA: here is the story I read:
http://www.glamour.com/fashion.....-stor.html

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from nicoleb

amyreh

(website)

Veteran

That is crazy! No way!

Dusty

(website)

Um, no. Definitely not. That certainly would be an incentive for me to just shop online.

Scarlet

Veteran

Somebody posted about that on the forum recently. What is the world coming to? Australia does not sound very retail friendly.

Kappy

Veteran

What in the world? Crazy and illogical!!! Sounds like they are learning from the airlines!

Queen Mum

Veteran

yes, someone posted about this a few weeks ago, and the thing to consider is the whole duties thing. People are going into the stores, finding what they like and then ordering on line from the US.... for cheaper I guess.
Not sure how the stores should handle this situation. It seems absurd here of course because the stores we shop in are already US based.

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ange-rooms

I can think of a similar situation when a friends daughter was buying toe shoes. She was telling me that the store was not keen on the kids coming in to get fitted and then purchasing on-line. I don't remember if the store charged a fitting fee or what, but I know when she was telling me the story, I was a bit sympathetic to the stores position.

Melissa

I don't know. The consumer in me screams "WHAT?!" and I know I would never pay to use a changing room, but the business side of me also sympathizes with how frustrating it must be to have people come and try on in store and then turn around and buy online.

I guess I feel about this the way I feel about credit card fees. As a business owner, do I like paying them? Absolutely not, but it is a necessary cost of doing business. From my perspective, I'd rather pay a few extra fees and have a few customers abuse the system than to change my business model to one that alienates my customer base.

That said, I would not be opposed if stores starting maintaining a client list and opening their dressing rooms only to people who actually buy things there, or waiving the dressing room fee if you purchase something. I know others feel differently, but I am ok with giving my information to the stores I shop in regularly.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Oops, I didn't see the other post, so sorry about the old news! I feel sympathy to retailers, too, but I think the fees are counter-productive. I would be much more understanding about making return policies tougher, as you've had the opportunity to try the item on before purchasing.

Lisa

Veteran

Sheesh, I don't like the idea of fitting room fees, but if all stores did this, I'd have no choice. It would just become part of the norm, similar to airlines where now you pay for your checked luggage.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Um what? Seriously?

afterism

I am in Australia & I don't think it will happen. I can't see any store actually being stupid enough to try it.

This story hasn't even hit the news here. I know some of the big retailers were trying to get the gov to reduce the taxable threshold on imports from $1,000 to $200. They were kicking up a big stink, claiming it was unfair etc, they didn't exactly have a large support base.

Like all YLFers I try many things on and buy very few.

If a store did introduce this I would either not shop there or, if they had something I really wanted to try on I might duck down to the back of the store behind a rack & try it on there. That is, assuming I wasn't having a "fat day".

Kari

Veteran

That's ridiculous. I guess I'm also coming from a perspective where I have been very spoiled by retailers with excellent customer service.

I'm really picky about where I spend my dollars depending on their customer service model and return policy - I'm really, really hesitant to purchase from a company with a difficult or overly strict return practice just in case something happened, unless it was an item I had tried on before and was absolutely sure that I would like it and that it would fit properly.

I think I wouldn't bother going into a store that charged for fitting room fees, or I would only try on tops or other items that I could pull on over a camisole out in public.

mumtojessandluke

What the!
Nah, won't happen.
It would have people steering clear of these stores.
There may be a minority of people that end up shopping on line, but generally I think the majority will buy in store. They know it fits, and they can touch the fabric, ect. Add great customer service, and they won't be going on line. They would also be more likely to buy items to 'go with' the item they were looking at.
CRAZY.

Aunty

Veteran

I hope they have a good return system!!

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

LOL-ing at the "your logic does not resemble our Earth logic"