The Meeting Place > Hot Topics > Customers furious at stores charging for this normally free service

Customers furious at stores charging for this normally free service

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Janelle Ward
2 yrs ago

'Shopping' via click and collect has become the norm for millions of Australians due to COVID restrictions. But some stores have begun charging for the service and customers are far from happy.

Kmart and Target are charging shoppers $3 on orders totalling less than $20 to cover "part of the cost for our team members to individually pick, pack and store your order". But with many stores closed during lockdowns, staff would seem to have ample time to fill click and collect orders.

Other retailers, including Big W, Myer, David Jones, Super Retail Group, Dan Murphy's and JB Hifi, run the service for free. Even Kmart and Target stablemates at Wesfarmers, Bunnings and Officeworks offer free click and collect services.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chair Rod Sims says retailers can charge such fees under Australian consumer law, provided they are disclosed.

"Consumer Law is all about not misleading consumers. There's no law against price gouging. That's just the reality of it," Mr Sims told News Ltd.

Have you ever been charged for a click and collect order? Do you think the charge is fair?

 

8 comments
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Incognito
2 yrs ago

Might as well pay a little extra for delivery to your door.

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tisme
2 yrs ago

if consumer law is all about not misleading customers, then why when u buy a milkshake do u pay the standard price for a milkshake with cows milk and ( if you want soya milk etc ) you pay an extra charge on top of that.  so your paying for soya and cows milk but u don't get it .  ( your paying for goods but not receiving them) yet that is not illegal. 

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PlanB
2 yrs ago

No, I do click and collect for years now and have never been charged for it and no I don't think it is fair,  they are making their money on everything we buy

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Frustrated
2 yrs ago

Another very annoying practice is Aldi charging a fee ( .50% ) calling it a credit surcharge when I use Apple pay to reduce contact and therefore risk of infection (COVID) even though it is a debit to my savings account, NOT a credit transaction! And no signage telling you of the charge, if you don't look carefully at your receipt you wouldn't know!

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PlanB
2 yrs ago

THAT is disgraceful Frustrated -- charging you to use your own card.

 

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Crystal
2 yrs ago

If you insert your debit card into the bottom of the credit machine you do not get  charged the 0.50% credit surcharge fee.  There's a few more steps to complete however it saves you the fee being charged. Not many people are aware of this method of paying. Also if you wish you can also take cash out at Aldi.

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Farside
2 yrs ago

a small fee does not seem unreasonable if spending less than $20, especially on low margin items

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PlanB
2 yrs ago

Most places have a set amount you have to spend to get free pick up -- Woollies is $30   Coles is $50

You can also get free delivery from Chemist warehouse IF you spend $50

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Farside
2 yrs ago

exactly, and Target has apparently set its threshold at $20 which seems a step too far for some

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mem
2 yrs ago

Yes by Target so decided that it was easier to spend the extra for postage or buy from another site.

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Jotar
2 yrs ago

The Holgate syndrome is spreading. Remember Aust Post halved the delivery frequency but left the letter price unchanged. Just the profit chasers using Covid as an excuse to fund their dollar-guzzling habit. Just the sort of Australians we need when "we are all in this together".  

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PlanB
2 yrs ago

Australian post will be the next to be privatised

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Suze
2 yrs ago

Holgate already sold off the profitable parts of the Post Office ie the parcel delivery with which she got a job.

She also cut back our postal delivery to 2 days a week and now the Post Office only sells junk for private companies.

8 comments



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