Retailers hit consumers with fitting room charges

[Sappho]

RETAILERS are slugging shoppers with fitting fees to stop them using their "change rooms" to try on garments that they then buy online.

Customers at some ski shops are being slugged a $50 "fitting fee" to try on ski boots.

The charge is refunded if they buy a pair of ski boots in-store, in a trend likely to be mimicked by other specialist retailers hard-hit by internet discounting.
source

This is getting absurd. I don't buy clothes online, but have been known to try things on in store then opt not to buy because it looks better on the rack than on me. I won't frequent shops who have a change room charge for shoppers.

[Jovial Monk]

I think a lot of retailers have been hard hit by the reluctance of consumers to spend on big items full stop. No need to blame internet shopping I think.

[harry climber]

Will vehicle dealerships start charging customers for test drives?

[harry climber]

Smash repariers used to try this caper by charging customers for quotes.
They soon realised that it was pointless as customers usually just went elsewhere, or the customer would simply tell them to add it to the quote.

[donniedarko]

My golf club does this, but a proper golf fitting takes an hour on the range with all sorts of equipment, so they do need some way to recoup their time costs.

If only Frogen were here to whip out condom fitting comments.