It appears that customers would be unfazed if retail fitting fees was more widespread.
An independent survey by Canstar Blue revealed that one in four Australians are supporting the idea of a ‘try-on’ fee when they are next in the change rooms.
“Our survey showed a surprisingly high 25 per cent of respondents support the concept as a way to deter consumers from trying on items and buying them later online for a cheaper price,” Rebecca Logan, Canstar Blue manager, said.
“The public is well aware of how difficult it can be for bricks and mortar stores to compete with online businesses with less overheads and no obligation to pay the various taxes and duties their counterparts have to pay.
Currently, the ‘try-on’ charges are confined to specialist retailers who supply items such as wedding dresses, ski suits, cameras and wedding dresses.
“However, industry experts have predicted the trend will spread to other specialist retailers and if this is the case it seems it may be more broadly accepted by the public than previously thought,” Logan said.
The survey showed NSW residents were the most supportive of a ‘try-on’ fee at 29 per cent of respondents, more than double that of ACT residents at 16 per cent. Interestingly, it is also revealed males were more likely to support the charge (31 per cent) than females (20 per cent).
Canstar Blue commissions Colmar Brunton to survey 2,500 Australian consumers over a number of months to measure their satisfaction across a range of products and services.