Have you ever been shopping online and chosen an item, only to find out the prices jump up at the checkout? It’s could be a form of misleading pricing which is illegal according to the ACCC.
We recently came across this example with Twisted Fizzers bath bombs where the GST is added at the checkout while the headline price remains artificially low. If you’ve seen something similar, please add your example to the comments below.
This happens with all our government payments; local, state and federal.
If you go to pay by credit card, you have to do it via their selected gateway which is only for credit card payments. The credit card fee is only disclosed after you have jumped through several hoops. There is no up front statement on what they charge for the privilege of using a credit card. You can of course cancel, but it would be more ethical if the charges were disclosed up front.
Another example of hiding costs is with delivery fees.
When buying technology online within Australia, it is frequently possible to see the price of an item. To ascertain the delivered cost is sometimes difficult with some sites expecting you to register and provide them with all your details, and then go to the cart to get a quote for delivery. This makes price comparisons an arduous process.
The delivery costs can vary widely making a big difference to the final cost. I think some businesses charge a lot for delivery, & rely on people not wanting to leave the purchase process after going to so much effort.
I don’t want to give my details unless I know I am buying & think the delivery cost calculator should be up front so the final cost is available.
I’ve had this happen a couple of times over the last year. A tour booking company and when purchasing a book. Both added credit card fees at checkout without mentioning the fees anywhere and there were no other payment options. The ACCC weren’t interested, it appears the sellers can do whatever they like.
