nancy_king29•1d agoOG Member

Just found out my "free shipping" deal actually cost me $15 more than in-store pickup

I was about to check out on this site for a $50 gadget and they had a banner saying free shipping over $40. Seemed like a no brainer so I clicked it. Then I saw the fine print on my receipt: they added a $3.50 "handling fee" and bumped the base price by $12 for the online version. I went back and simulated an in-store pickup on the same item and it was $38 even. These hidden fees are sneaky as heck. Has anyone else caught a retailer doing this double dip thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

stellat461d ago

Ha, they got you with the old "free shipping" trick that's really just a hidden markup. The real scam is calling it "handling" when they're literally charging you extra for the privilege of them not having to stock it on a shelf. Always check the online price against the in-store one before clicking anything, that's how they get you.

leewood1d ago

It's wild how they make you feel like you're getting a deal when really you're just paying the same amount either way. The whole "handling fee" thing is just another way to bump the total back up without calling it shipping. Stores have turned price comparison into a full-time job for us shoppers.

grace_knight191d ago

Omg my friend literally paid $12 in "handling" for a $8 shirt.