DAILY FINANCE Column: A store in Australia is apparently taking an extreme approach to eliminating showrooming, alerting would-be customers that they’ll be charged $5 if they come in to browse but don’t buy anything….
But if this store is actually charging people just for walking in the door, it has to be the most misguided strategy we’ve seen for dealing with showrooming. While it’s undoubtedly frustrating to have people use your store as a showroom just so they can buy the same goods online, imposing a cover charge is hardly the ideal solution. The goal of any retailer should be to impress customers with competitive pricing and great customer service — not treat their customers with suspicion and hostility from the moment they walk in the door.
That approach won’t just keep the showroomers away, either — it’s inevitably going to turn off a lot of potential customers who had no intention of showrooming, but aren’t about to step into a store that forces them to pay an entrance fee if they don’t find anything they like… (more)
