Australian retailer charges customers $5 for "just looking"

Australian retailers already charge an arm and a leg over their overseas counterparts, but now one particular retailer is stepping over a very expensive line. A retailer in Brisbane is battling to keep customers in their store, so now they're charging people to for "just looking."

We're not even kidding here, as the retailer has thrown up a notice on their door, stating:

Dear Customers,

As of the first of February, this store will be charging people a $5 fee per person for "just looking."

The $5 fee will be deducted when goods are purchased.

Why has this come about?

There has been high volume of people who use this store has a reference and then purchase goods elsewhere. These people are unaware our prices are almost the same as the other stores plus we have products simply not available anywhere else.

This policy is in line with many other clothing, shoe and electronic stores who are also facing the same issue.

I worked in an IT retailer for ten years, and I do somewhat agree there are a lot of people who will come in and take a look around because you are a more expensive store who likes to give their customers better customer support. Having expensive technologies on display (such as monitors, cases, etc) where cheaper stores do not. Customers will walk in, take a look around, and leave - walking directly to the store down the road to buy the item they couldn't look at in their shop.

But charging customers $5 just to look around? Wow.